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| Scarness pier |
Regarding the whale watching, it’s still early season. We learn that in winter time the whales migrate up the coast from Antarctica to the Whitsunday Islands, where the water is warm enough for their calves that are born there to survive the first weeks of their life. Once they have got enough “blubber” to keep them warm — whale mum’s milk with 35% fat helps them achieve this in only a few weeks —, they migrate south to the Hervey Bay region for an extended stop-over.
According to the captain of our cruise, there is a 50-50 chance to spot any whales as most of them will arrive around August. We are lucky, and after an hour find two humpback whales that, though not very playful, aren’t shy either. They don’t mind us giving them company (from a safe distance) for a few hours.
From here we are off to Gladstone where we will board the ferry to Heron Island. No phone reception, let alone internet. So don’t expect a post before the end of next week.
[Hervey Bay, Scarness Beachfront, 16.-19. July]
