Whales WOH

[blaze]

New experience for me
Fishing today anchored 20m of the Stanley Wharf in my old 14' tinnie and the people on the wharf sung out to watch out for the whales.
First things first
just about sh*t in my strides, gather my wits and think well its only a 20m swim to safety when we get upended, now we are more composed with 2 whales blowing there trumpets about 10m away, between me and the wharf, get the ditital camera and dont they take forever to turn on when you want them in a hurry.
any way the mother went under the boat and the calf beside and it was only 16m deep
end up with a blank pic and only the memory which will be with me for the rest of my life
Talking to the people on the wharf latter and the mother was estimated between 50 and 60 tonne, I have no idea but I swear the mother was as wide as my boat is long.
oh got a couple of fish for a feed but who cares
cheers
blaze

[big_steve001]

wat great experience to achieve, i think everyone would like to come close to whales at one stage of there lives and u have done it. but where is the whale in oyur picture i cant see it.

[blaze]

Not there, by the time I got the camera ready and took the pic the calf had gone down while mum went under the boat.
cheers
blaze

[Burley_Boy]

I feel it, I can feel the presence!!! ;D
On ya blaze, thats a lot closer than I've been and I've got a stain that can't be removed too!

[Dezzer]

To right blaze, it's something you never forget. Had a mother and calf stop and hang around for about 5 minutes off moloolabah 2 seasons back. Couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks and just reading your post brings back good memories. Wish our government would stop taking a "diplomatic" approach with the japanese.

[blaze]

still getting the shivers when i think about it, Iam bloody 44 (i think) and seen nothing like it in my life

[PinHead]

"Wish our government would stop taking a "diplomatic" approach with the japanese."

What should they do ? Demand they don't kill any whales...that would sound great from one of only a few western countries that refuse to sign the Kyoto Protocol...would make us the laughing stock...don't kill any whales but our use of fossil fuels will cause the greenhouse effect that will wipe out a large number of animals (whales included) and humans (according to various scientists).

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..the hypocrisy of Govt..ya gotta love it.

Awesome experience blaze...now get a bigger boat for whale season.

[bugman]

Blaze,

Whale watching was one of the arguements I used with Mrs Bugg to allow me to buy the big rig. I told her we could have the odd whale watching trip with friends and family etc.

I didn't think much off it until the first day we went on a glassed out day with awsome sunny conditions. Forget the 200m rule - the bloody whales don't obviously work on the same principal.

You'd get to an area where they were - hang back 200-300m and kill the motor watching them jump and carry on. Absolutely bloody amazing. The bloody things then went down and we were starting to wonder where they were when they started bobbing up nose first around the boat - both bloody sides !!!

We could have touched them if you hung out of the boat - their breathe stinks terribly.

I didn't know whether to grab the camera, jump overboard or cry for mummy. They stayed for 5mins or so. Having something that big hang right under the boat on its side looking at you for a couple of minutes really puts you in your place physically and spiritually.

I think I did 6 whale watching only trips last year and loved everyone. We took two couples from overseas and the looks on their faces made me realise that sometimes we take things for granted.

I can't wait for this year's season.

Brett

[snapattack]

I had the same thing happen in about 15m of water out from Stradbroke Island. 4 whales surfacing within touching distance from the boat. Scared the **** out of me but never the less, an awesome experience. Something that I will never forget. You don't realise how big these things are until they are right beside you.

[blaze]

just wonder how big a 50 to 60 tonne whale is, like from where i was it was like a moving island but i have no idea how long it was,
still getting the shivers
cheers
blaze
ps
talking to some fisho's this morning and they said that a mother and calf were in the same area last year, wonder if its the same animal or why on earth they would come into this area. got me real curious now

[Gazza]

;D
Mate ,it's a Klingon whale with cloaking ON.....
Same thing happens to my UFO shots ;D
e.g. can you see it ??

[gunna]

I'm with Gazza on this one [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]