Whale Watching

Twice a year the Macleay Valley Coast is visited by migrating whales.  From late May to July the great Southern Right and Humpback Whales migrate from the antartic waters to their breeding grounds.  September to November the whales pass by as they return to  their feeding grounds.  During these months whale watchers flock to the headland and beaches with binoculars, cameras and video cameras.  Visit the headlands around Hat Head - Korogoro Point, Arakoon - Smoky Cape Lighthouse and Laggers Point, Grassy Head and Crescent Head to spot these beautiful mamuals.  Fish Rock Dive Centre takes groups of people out to encounter the whales up closer.  

How to tell the diference between a Humpback Whale and Southern Right Whale?

The Humpback Whale got its name from the way it arches its back as it begins to dive.  Thay are generally energetic with haunting song, which is make up of clicks, moans and eerie high pitched wails.  The Humpback Whale can grow to to 16 metres and expells a single cloud of vapour when it surfaces to breathe.  They have small dorsal fin on their back, the head is covered with barnacles which are also found on the pectoral fin.  The pectoral fins are scalloped and the are white in colour along with the undersideof the tail and belly.    The Humpback Whale head and body is usally dark grey or black in colour.  They also have their own unique moves as listed below:

Breaching:  Is when the whale launches its body from the water making a splash as it re-enters the water.

Fluke -Up Dive: The Fluke-Up Dive is when the whale goes under water until only its tail sticks out of the water.

Pectoral Slap: This occurs when the whale waves its pectoral fin, often they also roll over end the performance with a splash created by pectoral fin hitting the surface of the water.

Th Southern Right Whale moves slower around shallow waters.  They often spend hours in the same location as the mother whale teaches the calf life skills before they return to the Antartic.  The Southern Right Whale has no dorsal fin and its pectoral fins are a broad retangle shape.  The tail is broad with a notch in the middle and its skin is dark with small white patches on their throat and belly.  Another trait of the Southern Right Whale is that it expelles a "V" shape cloud of vapour when it surfaces to breathe.

Fluke - Up Dive:  This is the same as what the Humpback Whale does submerging its body to when only the tail sticks out of the water.

Pectoral Fins Up: The Pectoral Fins Up is when the whale laying near the water with one or both pectoral fins above the water, this can occur with a calf suckling attached.

 Spy Hop: A Spy Hop is when the whale raises its head out of the water to take a look at whats happening about the surface.

All whales are protected by law, so enjoy from a distance as penalties apply if the regulation distances are breached.