Call me Ishmael...

Humpback Whale, Hervey Bay, Queensland

Aside from meeting everyone along the way, this was the biggest day of the holiday for me. The day I got to share time with the whales... I hoped.

It's hard to explain. Possibly just down to years of watching BBC natural history programs, but the idea of sharing space and time with these mighty mammals just sends goose bumps all over. It was the very first thing I wrote down on my "to do" list when I decided I was coming out here. In indelible ink!

On Sunday I'd been teased with visions from the shoreline, but today I was taking a baby step out into their world. I arrived early at the Marina ahead of the 8am departure and was a little perturbed to see my ride, the MV Whalesong head away from her mooring as I turned the corner. She was apparently just fuelling. Phew!

Breakfast was served shortly after departure on another glorious sunny day and it wasn't long before our first treat of the day as we were joined by a pod of dolphins, catching a free ride in front of the bows of the catamaran. It was amazing to watch them streaming ahead and switching between the two... and hellishly difficult to shoot! Before long though, they departed as we continued out into the bay. The rules of watching in Hervey Bay were explained to us as we went. The ships are allowed to approach within 100m of any group of whales and then they must stop. If the whales choose to approach then that is up to them. It was explained that usually the only way this would happened was if we managed to garner their interest. Apparently, nothing piques a whales curiosity more that to see a group of bipeds standing on a box in the water flailing wildly!

We caught our first glimpse of humpback whales about an hour into the cruise, a mum and calf. Obviously we didn't flail enough, because no sooner had we slowed the boat than they dove deep. Not even a tail broke the surface as we watched their backs curve under the water. The captain explained that it is extremely rare for a mother and calf to approach the boats. Another half hour passed before we saw another, probably a teenage male, who performed the whale equivalent of flipping us the bird with his fluke before too diving under the water, never to return. Apparently humpbacks can hold their breath for 40 minutes, so waiting for one to come back up after they dive requires a bit of patience. It wasn't happening. As we continued on I began to despair that I would get my close up encounter. We headed further out into the bay, where the captain had said there had been earlier sightings of males breaching. Again, we were informed that these were usually performed younger males, trying to impress the ladies or assert their authority.

It was a little over an hour later when we spotted them. At first we saw what we thought was another mother and calf, but as we slowed, a third back rolled across the surface of the water. It's not unusual for new mother's to have an escort like this. As well as coming north to give birth, the females are once more ready to mate, so often a male will accompany mother and calf in the hope of a little rumpy pumpy or indeed, a female will escort the pair to guard against unwanted advances. The captain didn't expect that they'd stay on the surface long but to everyone's surprise, mother and calf turned towards the boat. Unfortunately, the escort was having none of it and so began a period of cat and mouse, with the interested pair trying to sneak past the defensive screen of their companion. It was amazing to watch the interaction of these three magnificent creatures as they circled the boat, single strokes of their massive tails bringing about the most dramatic changes in direction and speed. Most of the time we just saw flashes of white bellies and flukes beneath the surface as we followed their movement, the black of their backs obscured until they broke the surface for air. The air resounded with noise and spray as they breathed and submerged again. Their tails broke the surface on several occasions. Graceful, controlled movement as they curved above the surface horizontally or vertically before slicing back into the liquid , sending them on their way and leaving behind circles of disturbed water pushed up to the surface from their strokes. A whale's footprint.

Once or twice, the escort popped his head above the water. To look around, take stock or just for fun, who knows. At one point, a hydrophone was dropped into the water and we were treated to the most wonderful whalesong, not from the three cavorting before us, but from males calling further out to sea. People started calling out for a breach. Hidden behind the lens, I felt sad that they were actually calling out for these beautiful creatures to perform for them, while secretly and with a large twinge of guilt, hoping that it would happen too. It wasn't to be, and in a way I'm glad. We were visitors to their world and to think of their interaction as no more than an entertainment for our benefit, somehow belittles them in my mind. We were however, treated to a lazy back flip from the escort. A fair compromise and an astonishing moment that I managed to capture. You can perhaps see the outline of the head of the blocked female just under the water behind his breach. Too soon though, it was time to return. We had stayed out a little longer due to the amazing opportunity that had been afforded to us with this underwater battle we had witnessed. The escort had won the day and prevented his charges from getting too close, but the interaction between these three had made the trip all I had imagined it would be.

We were treated to a further encounter on the way back. At a distance we saw another escorted mother and calf. Still on the surface, the group were sleeping, but we watched in wonderment as a pair of adults approached them, passing right in front of our bows. Wakening abruptly with some hard splashing of tails on water, the brief chase that followed was another amazing sight. Unfortunately we couldn't linger as we were really late now and the afternoon tour was in danger of being delayed.

I left that place even more in awe of these amazing creatures than I had when I went out. It's something I will do again someday, in hope of that intimate close up encounter and full breach, but always with respect, for they are masters of a world in which we can only dream of living. Jenny, I can't thank you enough for suggesting that I come up here for my viewing. It was just the most wonderful experience. Gitama, you have to do this!

Back on shore, I wanted to take a wander along the Urangan pier before leaving Hervey Bay. The pier, at 868m is some 239m shorter than its original length, but after a public outcry when it was scheduled for demolition, funds were raised to save this former cargo handling facility that now acts as the perfect spot for fishing and of course, taking a stroll. Today was the first day that it felt uncomfortably hot walking around so my wander was brief. Time was marching on anyway and I still had a three and a half hour journey to go before reaching Brisbane. As I drove down the Bruce Highway my arms started nipping and I actually had to stop at one of the numerous rest areas off it to reapply my sun cream such was the strength of the sun through the glass.

I've been so lucky throughout my trip and that was to continue for my visit to Brisbane as I had been offered another place to say for the final week of my holiday with J and D, roommates of CB and non-blipper friends who I'd met last year in Scotland. Running late again, both had got in from work before I arrived and so after a brief catch up, it was a hungry trio that left to go out for dinner. Some beers and Mexican food that just hit the spot perfectly. It was a school night for some though and so it was a fairly early night, ending with a cuppa and a bit more of a chat at the apartment before climbing into bed, exhausted but elated following another wonderful day.