Fingal Bay first to get Whale Trail viewpoint

WHALE enthusiasts will soon have a new place to watch the annual migration following the announcement Fingal Bay would be one of seven places to receive a federally-funded viewing platform.

The $25,000 platform would be built as part of the Australian government’s Whale Trail initiative.

“Fingal Bay will be the first of seven communities around the country to each receive this funding to build a whale viewing platform,” the federal Member for Paterson, Bob Baldwin, said.

“Port Stephens is known for its dolphins and whales and there is a genuine demand for vantage points along the coastline.

“It [Fingal Bay] is already a popular spot in Port Stephens to look out for the passing giants.

Fingal Bay first to get Whale Trail viewpoint

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Dolphins surf with humpback whale off Dana Point

Rare Video footage shows a resident Cetacaen that has been lingering longer than usual.
Dolphins are known for riding in front and along side boats, but playing with whales in this fashion – and being documented – is rare, according to Capt. Dave Anderson.

???This ???whale surfing??? is only rarely seen and as far as we know has never been filmed with a drone before,??? according to a news release about the sighting.

The humpback, nicknamed Gooseneck because of distinctive barnacles on his dorsal fin, is also known as Brutus and Mr. October. Gooseneck is almost always found feeding with the dolphins who love to surf in front of him. He recently was joined by a larger humpback. The footage also shows close up shots taken from an underwater viewing pod, and video of the whale hugging up next to the charter boat, amazing spectators who have their cameras out to take images of the sight.

The footage will appear on a National Geographic program called “United States of Animals” next year.

Dolphins surf with humpback whale off Dana Point

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Over 60 Sperm Whales Surround Whale Watching Boat off Dana Point California

Whale watchers with Captain Dave???s Dolphin and Whale Safari in Dana Point, California, had an extremely unique sighting today when they encountered a very rarely seen giant pod of 60 to 100 sperm whales. Passengers and crew were awestruck when the some of the sperm whales came over and ???mugged??? the Capt. Dave???s catamaran, which was stationary and in neutral. Passengers also had a once-in-a-lifetime look at the sperm whales from the boat???s Eye-to-Eye Underwater Viewing Pods.

???I’ve never seen anything like this in my life and only once before have I ever seen a single sperm whale off Dana Point. They were stretched out over almost two miles, diving down, and then new whales surfacing nearby. We got some beautiful drone footage which I am saving for a project I am working on. It was so beautiful and at one point three whales swam straight at us. We had been sitting with the engine off for several minutes and they nearly torpedoed us! It really got my heart racing! I also got incredible surface and underwater footage of this unusual event. These leviathans also came right up to our whale watching boat and looked into the underwater viewing pods. Wow! God truly blessed us today!??? explains Captain Dave.

Sperm whales can reach lengths of up to 59 feet and weigh up to 45 tons. They are the largest toothed whale and may be here feeding on giant Humboldt squid. Pods like those seen today are made up of mostly of adult females and sub-adult males. Female adult sperm whales usually roam away from the main group. Sperm whales can dive to depths over 3,300 feet, making them the second deepest diving marine mammal after the Cuvier’s beaked whale. Sperm whales can hold their breath for over an hour. They have the largest brain of any known animal on Earth.

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40 ton Humpback Whale incredible aerial display is amazing.

These jaw-dropping images show the moment a humpback whale leapt majestically from the ocean, ‘waving’ to a tourist boat before crashing back down with an almighty splash.

The photos, taken off the coast of South Africa by marine tour guide Steven Benjamin, captured a sight rarely seen at such close proximity. The 40 ton Humpback Whale incredible aerial display, soaring through the air just yards from a boat as shocked onlookers screamed.
The whale who thought he could fly: Amazing moment humpback is captured leaping out of the water (and even manages a wave).

Marine tour guide Steven Benjamin captured the spectacular sight while whale-spotting off the coast of South Africa. The he was ‘blown away’ by the humpback, which disappeared for 20 minutes before leaping from the water.

The majestic animal even ‘waved’ his fin at the stunned onlookers in a rare close encounter with the huge creatures. The 31-year-old, who was documenting the migration of more than 1,000 whales from the coast of South Africa to the warmer waters of Mozambique and Madagascar, watched as the whale flopped around in the ocean.
Mr Benjamin thought the humpback’s show was over after 20 minutes hiding deep under water, but it suddenly lifted its entire body out of the water, extending a fin to onlookers before slamming back down, creating a huge splash.

The giant creature was clearly having a whale of a time as the marine tour guide watched from the safety of a boat off Port St John, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2779320/Amazing-moment-humpback-whale-thought-flying-fish-Ocean-giant-captured-leaping-water-managing-wave.html#ixzz3F750dlJh
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The Government of Ecuador issues regulation watching whales and dolphins that sets standards for tourism activities related to the observation of cetaceans that occur in the territorial sea, in the country where the season begins in the second half of June and ends in September.

This activity generates annual touristic visits from 80,000 to 100,000 annually; according to unofficial data used by tour operators consulted by Andes.

The Salinas canton, located in the most projecting point of the coast of Ecuador, has five operating agencies authorized for this activity and Ayangue has three. The 32 vessels can be fully identified by a sticker with their respective numbers “authorized” in the points of sail, as informed by the Ministry of Tourism under Ecuador issues regulation watching whales.

In Salinas the only point of departure of the vessels authorized for whale watching is Las Palmeras beach, in San Lorenzo. This point will be controlled by the City of Salinas inspectors.

On the other hand, intense inspections shall be made at sea. For this purpose, the Ministry of Environment, along with the harbormaster, make consecutive patrols to identify illegal boats and apply sanctions, including suspension of enrollment for other activities. A regulation to support the Tourism Ministry was recently issued with Ministerial 20140004 Agreement on whale and dolphin watching in Ecuadorian waters.

The whale watching season occurs in the Ecuadorian coast between the months of June and September where whales take advantage of warm water for mating activities.

Surprise! Humpback whale gets dogs attention

as it emerges from water incredibly close to California shoreline to feed on anchovies
This is the moment a huge Humpback whale gets dogs attention as it emerged from water close to the California coastline to say hello which seemed to startle a passing dog. The amazing image was captured on Sunday by Kate Cummings, of the Blue Ocean Whale Watch, near Moss Landing in California’s Monterey Bay.
The whale lunged up out of the water to feed on a mouthful of anchovies.
A woman walking her dog along the beach was lucky enough to have a camera on hand to capture the moment.
In another photo a whale pops out to say hello to a mother and her daughter.
Ms Cummings said this might be because anchovies had begun to bunch up closer to the shoreline.
She told GrindTV: ‘I think it has to do with the calmness of the ocean and the tides, plus the anchovies trying to seek refuge in shallow water???to no avail.
‘The last few days our routine has been to first check out the whales lunge-feeding on anchovies along the beach, then head out a mile-and-a-half to groups of 10 to 12 humpbacks feeding together with hundreds of sea lions.
‘The whales have drawn a crowd at the beach, and I was hoping she???d come up near a beachgoer for a sense of scale. The alert dog was a bonus.’
Humpback whales are known for their magical songs, which travel for great distances through the world’s oceans.
These sequences of moans, howls, cries, and other noises are quite complex and often continue for hours on end.
Scientists are studying these sounds to decipher their meaning. It is most likely that humpbacks sing to communicate with others and to attract potential mates.
Mothers and their young swim close together, often touching one another with their flippers with what appear to be gestures of affection.
Calves do not stop growing until they are ten years old.
Humpbacks are powerful swimmers, and they use their massive tail fin, called a fluke, to propel themselves through the water.
Lots more cool whale photos at:Humpback whale gets dogs attention