Sitting on Marine Drive at 0820 hours and there are a few white caps in the Sound but weather is not too bad.
I phone Jason at the Albany Met office. Jason tells me that the winds will strengthen from the north west until the front arrives about midday.
The wind is strengthening as we leave Princess Royal Harbour and Jason and I discuss where we can find and watch a whale in reasonable comfort. We decide that we will go between Michaelmas and Breaksea Islands and if we have not found a whale we will continue to the eastern end of Breaksea.
I tack over to the northern side of the sound trying to keep dry while driving from the fly bridge. Then turn and head to the islands with a following breeze.
We have early morning tea and now cruise into the seals at Breaksea Island. We cruise along the northern side of Breaksea a little way off the island to keep conditions comfortable as the winds are now quite strong.
As we get about half way along the island Jason thinks he has spotted a blow. I then think I have seen a breach several km north east. Jason swings his binoculars to the area but nothing more. Ok it must be a whale breach, as its not swell hitting the coast, its not a boat and it has not happened again. We see Jason's blows again and continue east past the end of Breaksea. As we head east I scan the waters south of us and see a blow about 500 metres away. Ok this ones closer and the other whales are heading this way.
We find 2 humpbacks and conditions are not too bad, we are now sheltered by Breaksea Island, from the strong NW winds.
Funny how when you find a whale more seam to appear. I see blows further south and south east. But we stick with these whales for a while. The whales are now some distance from Breaksea and its getting choppy.
I don't want to push it too far so we head north. We will round the islands and head back towards the coast to head home in sheltered conditions.
We are on the eastern end of Breaksea and I spot blows at the eastern end of Michaelmas Island. We find three whales heading between the islands and they show us some great tail shots. And when we lease expect it throw their tails out of the water. We stick with them for a while and when they dive for quite a while we head for the coast.
Everyone heads to the warm spacious cabin for the trip home. The winds are still increasing, we have not had any rain yet, but some of us have copped a bit of spray at times.
We arrive back at the marina at about 1230 hours, we have seen 5 humpbacks and some have some good photos to prove it. We beat the front as we thought we would, but its not far away. Going by the forecast we wont be going any where tomorrow.
I phone Jason at the Albany Met office. Jason tells me that the winds will strengthen from the north west until the front arrives about midday.
The wind is strengthening as we leave Princess Royal Harbour and Jason and I discuss where we can find and watch a whale in reasonable comfort. We decide that we will go between Michaelmas and Breaksea Islands and if we have not found a whale we will continue to the eastern end of Breaksea.
I tack over to the northern side of the sound trying to keep dry while driving from the fly bridge. Then turn and head to the islands with a following breeze.
We have early morning tea and now cruise into the seals at Breaksea Island. We cruise along the northern side of Breaksea a little way off the island to keep conditions comfortable as the winds are now quite strong.
As we get about half way along the island Jason thinks he has spotted a blow. I then think I have seen a breach several km north east. Jason swings his binoculars to the area but nothing more. Ok it must be a whale breach, as its not swell hitting the coast, its not a boat and it has not happened again. We see Jason's blows again and continue east past the end of Breaksea. As we head east I scan the waters south of us and see a blow about 500 metres away. Ok this ones closer and the other whales are heading this way.
We find 2 humpbacks and conditions are not too bad, we are now sheltered by Breaksea Island, from the strong NW winds.
Funny how when you find a whale more seam to appear. I see blows further south and south east. But we stick with these whales for a while. The whales are now some distance from Breaksea and its getting choppy.
I don't want to push it too far so we head north. We will round the islands and head back towards the coast to head home in sheltered conditions.
We are on the eastern end of Breaksea and I spot blows at the eastern end of Michaelmas Island. We find three whales heading between the islands and they show us some great tail shots. And when we lease expect it throw their tails out of the water. We stick with them for a while and when they dive for quite a while we head for the coast.
Everyone heads to the warm spacious cabin for the trip home. The winds are still increasing, we have not had any rain yet, but some of us have copped a bit of spray at times.
We arrive back at the marina at about 1230 hours, we have seen 5 humpbacks and some have some good photos to prove it. We beat the front as we thought we would, but its not far away. Going by the forecast we wont be going any where tomorrow.
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