A Whale of a Time

[Mad Aussie]

My wife and I took the afternoon off on Friday and drove 4 hours north to the town of Hervey Bay.

At 7am the next morning we were sitting on the Quick Cat ll ready for a half day of Humpback Whale Watching. Never done that before from a boat ... only from a headland.

So ... if it interests you ... sit back and enjoy a cruise with me ...

Clicking the photos and selecting larger sizes yields a sharper photo

7am and about to depart.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5045294915_b1a913e9ea_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045294915/)Quick Cat ll (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045294915/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Looking back at the Urangan Pier a few minutes after leaving ...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/5045294729_2f9e574dbd_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045294729/)sa-1229 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045294729/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

A jet aircraft contrail high above the Quick Cat ll
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5045293941_d90421e728_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045293941/)Contrail over Quick Cat ll (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045293941/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Passing an island on the way to a resort for another pickup we see the carcass of what is believed to be a Pigmy Blue Whale awaiting scientific analysis
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5045679373_72bd824f8b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045679373/)Carcass (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045679373/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

It was shaping up to be a beautiful day. The fore decks of Quick Cat ll with our group front and center of shot
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5046302516_f1d0f33555_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5046302516/)Quick Cat ll (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5046302516/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Coming into the Kingfisher Bay Resort Jetty in Kingfisher Bay on Fraser Island
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5045915564_7ee0fb2b89_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045915564/)Kingfisher Bay - Fraser Island (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045915564/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

The 'Kingfisher Bay' ... a car ferry
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5046302088_a91d93def9_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5046302088/)The Kingfisher Bay (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5046302088/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Freedom lll is another whale watching boat
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/5045680693_eb1e277fbc_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045680693/)Freedom lll (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045680693/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

more soon ...

[Mad Aussie]

Small hull used as floating breakwater for the jetty at Kingfisher bay
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5045915848_38535271ee_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045915848/)Kingfisher Bay - Fraser Island (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045915848/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Fraser Island looking nice and tropical
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5045680393_51ce3654e0_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045680393/)Tropical Beach (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045680393/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

A few others enjoying the day
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5045916448_a32ca0aa89_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045916448/)Setting Sail (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045916448/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Imagine out enjoy some wind and sun
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5045293453_ee24b9e5f4_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045293453/)Imagine (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045293453/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

The first half decent sighting
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5045738268_a7e20257ca_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045738268/)Diving Humpback (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045738268/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

They got closer ...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5045704192_606bf1800b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045704192/)A Whale of a Time (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045704192/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5045081681_6575e23d2f_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045081681/)Humpback Prowess (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045081681/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

more later ...

[Mad Aussie]

Tail Slapping to impress the ladies ...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5045081285_7e26655629_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045081285/)Humpback Slapping Good Time (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045081285/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5045081053_41ce7de177_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045081053/)Humpbacks Love Playtime (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045081053/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5045702262_c53f501334_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045702262/)Humpback Waterfall (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045702262/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5045079753_9fd42be2d2_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045079753/)Humpback Play (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045079753/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/5043362781_6927597547_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5043362781/)A Tale of a Humpback (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5043362781/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

more soon ...

[Mad Aussie]

Remember ... for clearer sharper photos click the photos and see them directly at Flickr

Humpback calf
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5045701492_dfb6ed0edc_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045701492/)Close Encounters of the Humpback Kind (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045701492/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Crew member holds the underwater viewing camera while the humpback calf comes in close
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5045079009_2507161224_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045079009/)Humpback Close Encounter (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045079009/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Very close ...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5045078465_18cc5de676_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045078465/)Humpback Whale Calf (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045078465/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr
Very VERY close ...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/5045700070_4970aaed03_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045700070/)Barnacles and the Humpback (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045700070/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/5044048646_1206206f51_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5044048646/)Humpback Calf (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5044048646/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

Blowholes (Whales have two like our nostrils) ...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5044048434_7f41d4df1d_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5044048434/)Humpback Blowhole (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5044048434/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

An Adult setting sail for some peace and quiet
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/5045078149_88e2f82ff6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045078149/)Setting Sail - Humpback (http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrovisual/5045078149/) by AstroVisual (http://www.flickr.com/people/astrovisual/), on Flickr

[Matt K.]

Great series, love the "7am about to depart" shot, and then the "Humpback Play"; nicely done MA.

[Mad Aussie]

Great series, love the "7am about to depart" shot, and then the "Humpback Play"; nicely done MA.
Thanks Matt. Nice to know which ones appealed most too.

[JAS_Photo]

Lovely set, MA! Loved all the whale photos and the little sailing sloop! Took a look at them in Flickr's lightbox and they are really stunning there.

[Mad Aussie]

Lovely set, MA! Loved all the whale photos and the little sailing sloop! Took a look at them in Flickr's lightbox and they are really stunning there.

Thank you very much JAS :)

[Marko]

Gorgeous set MA!

I was going to look into the flickr issue for you, but I'm assuming you figured it out?

Thx - Marko

[JAS_Photo]

I don't think it is a flickr issue, Marko. The board itself reduces photos to a certain size. Just click on one of MA's photos and open image in new tab and you will see the difference.

[Mad Aussie]

Thanks Marko.

[Iguanasan]

What a phenomenal set, MA! Looks like it was an amazing day. I just love all the whale tails! ;)

[Yisehaq]

Very very nice! They all fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

[Mad Aussie]

Thanks Ig and Yisehag ... it was a cool half day out there. We very nearly took them up on the half price deal to go back out in the afternoon! But with a 4 hour drive to get home later that night it would likely have been pushing the road safety a bit far. We'll go back next year earlier in the season and maybe do an all day catamaran whale watching trip.

[edG]

wow MA great set!!

[Mad Aussie]

Thanks EdG.

We didn't see any breaching or pectoral fin waving so we'll have to go back next year and try again :)