The first humpback whales on their migratory journey north were spotted by passengers on a Red Cat Adventures tour last weekend.
The tour group were treated to the waving whale flukes as they cruised through Whitsunday Passage onboard Thundercat on Saturday, June 4.
Humpback whales annually travel from the frigid Antarctic waters to the warm, sub-tropical seas of the northeast Australian coast from July to September.
Each year, they give birth and rear their young in the Coral Sea, and this year, the massive mammals scheduled their Airlie Beach visit a month early.
It’s commonly known that local tourism operators eagerly anticipate the first baleen behemoths of the season in a friendly competition to see who can catch the first glimpse.
This year Cruise Whitsundays was just pipped in the tight race to lock eyes on one of these massive creatures, spotting the second whale just an hour later and leaving Red Cat Adventures with the whale watching crown for the third year running.
The Thundercat crew who spotted the first stately seafarers were John, Penny, and Kory, as well as skipper Matty Cale.
“I had no idea we were the first to spot the whales this season until it got onto our social media page, but apparently, we were the first!” Mr Cale laughed.
“I saw a splash out of the corner of my eye and we saw a mother break the surface and a calf breached fully out of the water.
“It’s always amazing watching the enjoyment on all the guest’s faces because it might be a once in a lifetime thing for them.
“I’ve been a skipper on and off for 22 years, so I’ve seen my fair share of whales out on the waters, but it still has the wow factor - you’d have to be abnormal to get some joy out of it!”
A humpback whale breaching at sunset
A frolicking pod of Whales warming up in Whitsunday waters
Catching a wave
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