21st June would have to be the earliest I can remember that a southern right whale has mad an appearance in King George Sound. Today my phone started ringing at around 7am with a local fisherman on the line, telling me that they had been stopped in Emu Point channel, by a very quiet and large southern right whale. We investigated but could not find it, so headed south, app-on hearing reports of an unidentified whale being being seen off flat rock. A small humpback joined us for some time. Children on board could not believe how big it was bit were even more amazed when I told them that it was just a juvenile and that humpbacks get to be twice that size and weigh up to 45 tonne. Bernie our spotter called us on the radio to inform us that the southern right had been spotted just off Marine Drive. We did find her on our return journey back to the marina. We stayed with her for about 20 minutes and in that time she just surfaced a couple of times. We say "her " as it is my belief that the southern right whale is most likely a cow looking for a quiet bay to give berth to her bouncing baby.
Master of the vessel Paul Guest
Master of the vessel Paul Guest
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