GateWAy Blog

G’day Everyone

Saturday 14th:  In the morning; 37 passengers, watching twelve Southern Right Whales moving in pairs very slowly, quietly waiting it seems, hushed humans on all Middleton Beach and Boardwalk lookouts, hushed humans on boats.

In the afternoon:  27 passengers floating still and silent.  Sail-A-Way on a leaden ocean – no wind – no waves – no sun – no sound – and all around Southern Rights drifting closer and closer to our yacht and its people.

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One of the many whales relaxing at Middleton Beach

In the last week, there has been many reports of whales at Middleton Beach, just a short drive from the city centre of Albany WA.

Beautiful clear days attract both pods of whales and hundreds of onlookers who all seem to relish time out at Middleton.  We  have even had reports that whales have been so close to the shore that they can hear the whales calling each other.

Thanks to Ilona Diessner who sent us this photo which was taken from a whale watching cruise.

Hi Everyone

Finding whales was not the problem – obeying the law…keeping 100 metres clearance zones was impossible!  The whales wanted Albany’s human company.  At Ellen Cove and Middleton Beach, human land-watchers were watched by whales…floating by…watching them!….interrupting curious glances while caressing their fellow whale companions with tails and flippers….sometimes breaching…seemingly just for fun…and as our boat lay inert…they’d drift over to ‘take a look’ before…more whale caressing, tail caressing, flipper fondling loveliness.  Thirty mesmerized silent people on ‘Sail-A-Way’.
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Hi Everyone

31 July, 9.30 am.

Grey-black, glistening surface water of Princess Royal Harbour….two black humped shapes metres apart, breaking the glisten, making barely a ripple….only the still wraith-mist of their breath hanging in the still air….300 metres away, on the other side of the channel….5 Southern Rights absolutely different, absolute fascinating.
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Hi Everyone

I thought I would give you a precis of the wonderful recent sightings we have had.

For the past three days I have left “Sail-A-Way” saying “that was the best whale sighting I have ever had….breaching, tail-slapping, close-up encounters, and whales, whales, whales…everywhere!

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Hi Everyone

Yesterday a Southern Right became very curious about our “Sail-A-Way”…just outside the channel by the lookout.  My guests loved its curiosity and gentle sighs as it responded to our music.  I thought of the shore-bound watchers and wondered if our information could help them get past their fears of sea-sickness.
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Hi Everyone

We had a wonderful day of whale watching yesterday.  Our guests so enjoyed it I thought I would let them tell you about it.
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Every morning on Albany Whale Tours “Sail-A-Way”, eager adventure-seekers meet to look for whales.  Every morning, the skipper ‘chairs’ the meeting ….weather…wind direction….wave action…the whales, sighted from the hill…and the adventure seekers design the trip and make their votes. (more…)

This third week of June, we have enjoyed wonderful displays by Humpbacks.  Sad to say for our land-based watchers, the whales are still staying way, way out beyond the islands marking the Sound ……   but….. we are seeing them every day.  As if to use their saved energy, the whales are often breaching and tail-slap caressing.

Every day too….hundreds of dolphins just as intent on playing with the whales, and the whales…they’re still curious about us and our boat, generally cruising by quite close ….. a mark of the human’s attractiveness, as the Humpbacks have to interrupt their honeymoon smooching to check us out!

‘Sail-A-Way’ is having to stay out on a long trip to locate these distant creatures, so we are taking extra complimentary hot food…   Halal for our Muslim guests; Pork free for the Jewish community; vegetarian for the vegetarians and pies, sausage rolls, scones and tea and coffee a plenty for all.

Thanks for this news from Albany Whale Tours;

http://www.albanygateway.com.au/details/albany-whale-tours-sail-a-way-catamaran-cruises.html

We have already received 86 entries in the competition which is fantastic, however it did cause a problem over the weekend because our mailbox quota did not allow any new entries to be received.

If you entered in the competition over the weekend and cant see your photo in the competition gallery, we have not received it so can you please re-enter it and we will add to the competition.