Whale watching

Not really a fishing discussion, but the family want to see some whales and I'm thinking about just following the whale watching cruises out from hillary's one day.  Anyone have any better suggestion?

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Goodz's picture

Posts: 2332

Date Joined: 20/07/09

 Heaps of whales out there

Sun, 2011-10-02 20:04

 Heaps of whales out there everywhere, shouldn't be hard to find some.

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Jamos Damokos's picture

Posts: 239

Date Joined: 11/08/11

think to yaself i'de hate to

Sun, 2011-10-02 20:13

think to yaself i'de hate to have a whale breach near me while im alone out here in the middle of nowhere and it will happen....

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Twiddling my thumbs with velvet gloves on.

Posts: 6454

Date Joined: 08/08/11

i've been up close and

Sun, 2011-10-02 20:23

i've been up close and personal with whales quite a bit before, used to see the quite regularly when i was sailing and working at water police, but they generally found us, as opposed to us find them.  the nine year old is desperate to see one up close.  Had one experience years ago sailing around west end (rottnest) at night time in near drifting conditions and could hear a pod approaching us, but couldn't see them, now that was erieeeee!

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Tandawg's picture

Posts: 106

Date Joined: 13/02/07

Whales

Sun, 2011-10-02 20:35

Now is the time to see them.

Went out a couple of times last Oct and saw whales both times.

From Hillarys, try the 35m contour.  They like that "highway" especially towards Rotto.

Try not to chase them as they will soon dissappear and also keep your distance.  Sometimes if you're lucky they come to you.

 

Chris

Posts: 6454

Date Joined: 08/08/11

thanx, i find it best when

Sun, 2011-10-02 20:40

thanx, i find it best when you see them to stop and turn off the motor.  if they are interested they will come over right next to you.  (plus it illegal to approach them, within 50 metres i think).   i once had a couple of non boatie coppers on the water police boat going to rotto one day and saw a couple.  stopped and drifted and sure enough they came right over to the side of the boat.  the boys couldn't believe how close they came.  i told the they could pay $60 (it was a long time ago) for a whale watching tour and not get THAT close!  it was wonderful.

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fisho-ron's picture

Posts: 2539

Date Joined: 26/09/09

hey matei have had some

Fri, 2011-12-02 20:24

hey mate

i have had some pretty close last year south of rotto and was always worried about one popping up in front of you while doing 20+knts.

the noise they make when breaching is f#*king loud up close, makes you realise how big they are!!

ask steve231 about the one that popped up in front of him one day out there, very lucky that day he was.

 

my mother inlaw and sister inlaws  want me to take them out but they dont want to go past freo harbour entrance...try figure that one out?

cheers

fishnut's picture

Posts: 255

Date Joined: 22/09/10

Is anyone still seeing any

Fri, 2011-12-02 13:49

Is anyone still seeing any whales recently??

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Date Joined: 08/08/11

IF you want eerie, years ago

Fri, 2011-12-02 21:46

IF you want eerie, years ago we were sailing around west end, rotto on the way to geraldton.  it was dark and little wind, almost drifting conditions.  we could hear a pod of whales approaching in the distance, their sonar (???) was ggoing crazy, or they were just communicating with each other.  what ever it was it was awesome!  and a bit scary when you are in an 11m yacht and can't see them.  a bit like one of those relaxation cd's actually....

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Fish! HARD!