Whale Watching on the Gold Coast
Like many people I love creating a bucket list of must see places and it was with this idea in mind that I decided on a list of must do’s for Australia.
Among the usual of trying local delicacies (so far kangaroo steak and camel sausages), I added a few wildlife encounters that I was intent on experiencing including holding a koala and watching tiny penguins hop up the beach, but by far the most magical experience so far has been watching humpback whales as they migrate to the Gold Coast during the breeding and calving season.
Waking at sunrise, my friend and I ventured out armed with cameras and warm coats for our early morning whale watching tour with Gold Coast company, Whales in Paradise. It was a rough morning out at sea but this didn’t deter us, the promise of a guaranteed sighting was too exciting to miss!
As the vessel headed out to sea from Surfers Paradise, the fresh, sea air whipped through my hair and sea spray lightly coated my face and clothes. Having grown up in Cornwall, I’ve always felt an affinity with the sea, whether i’m swimming in it, floating across it or watching it from afar.
No more than fifteen minutes after leaving dry land, a whale was sighted off the side of the boat, and it was then with my camera poised that I captured the most beautiful photographs of these graceful giants.
The pair of humpbacks swam side by side with us and everyone was silent as they stared in awe. Every few minutes they would submerge beneath the surface before reappearing a few metres ahead. To our delight the whales were joined by a pod of dolphins, who playfully leapt in to the air and swam in and out of the whales path.
Before long we got to witness an astounding example of whale behaviour. In complete unison both whales threw their tails clean out of the water and slapped them down on the water, as well as the occasional pectoral slap. This display went on for what seemed like hours and as we all looked around in amazement and confusion the crew explained that this was a sign of aggression and that the whales were trying to make the dolphins leave, as they were hindering their migration.
Three hours later we returned to shore with huge smiles and unforgettable memories. A truly enchanting experience that made me appreciate the beauty of nature and the creatures in it even more so than before.
If you are heading to the Gold Coast in the coming months and are looking for an unforgettable trip, then there’s still time to see these magnificent creatures before the season ends at the tail end of November. We managed to get a great deal with an iventure card and there are always deals cropping up on Groupon Australia.
As a closing note I’ve left the best photograph until last…
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