It’s a whale of a time

Minke Whale

The gentle giants of the ocean are now gracing our tropical waters and what an awe-inspiring sight they are!

We’re regularly sighting these magnificent creatures as our daily cruises are en route to our reef and island destinations from Cairns and Port Douglas, delighting all those lucky to see them at play. Visitors to Green Island have been amazed to see the giant humpbacks breaching just offshore from the beach.

During the months of May to September, the warm waters of Tropical North Queensland present the added bonus of sighting whales as they migrate to mate and give birth to their young. The commonly sighted species, the dwarf minke and humpback whales.

Quicksilver’s dive and snorkel vessel, Silversonic, has one of the few permits from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, making it possible to view, and even swim with the Dwarf Minke whales.

A unique treat to see is the famous Migaloo, a rare white humpback whale and Silversonic was fortunate to be the first to sight him again in 2007. A truly breathtaking experience.

Migaloo

About Migaloo

Migaloo is a white humpback whale that was first observed in 1991 off Byron Bay when it was estimated to be 3-5 years of age. In most years since then it has been recorded undertaking the winter migration into eastern Australia. In addition to sightings in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales, Migaloo has been recorded to as far north as Low Isles in North Queensland. It has been recorded 'singing' in 1998 and 2003, indicating that it is an adult male.

What type of behaviour are we likely to see?

Humpbacks can display a wide range of behaviour, such as:

Humpback Whale breaching

Breaching: This is the most spectacular display of all, where the animal leaps almost clear of the water, creating the kind of splash that only a 40 tonne animal can produce!

Spy Hop: Humpbacks will often surface vertically and actually stick their head out of the water so that they can see above the waterline.

Tail slapping: This is where they slap their tail on the surface. It can be a form of communication, but more often than not, it is an aggressive display.

Bubble Netting: A technique developed to allow whales to entrap their prey (krill) by creating a ring of rising bubbles. The whale then moves through the net and uses its baleen to trap the prey.

The Blow: Often the first indication that a whale is in the area. The vapour cloud produced is caused when the whale empties its lungs.

If you would like to learn more about whales and other fascinating marine life, visit Quicksilver’s Reef Biosearch website at www.greatbarrierreefs.com.au