PAST YEAR Whale Sighting Reports

Wednesday December 3, 2008
Passengers aboard Cat Balou on a Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise received a bonus today sighting a mother & calf within Twofold Bay. This pair mugged the boat delighting the passengers. The pair were the same pod which have been in the bay since Monday, evidently giving the calf a chance to rest before the long journey south.

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Tuesday December 2, 2008
This morning True Blue took her passengers out for a beautiful morning on the ocean. As we headed out to sea we came across lots of Australian fur seals swimming gracefully around the boat.
As we headed north of Short Point we came across a mother and calf, whom were both very inquisitive. We followed the pair across the Merimbula Bay were the passengers were very privileged to witness both mother and calf breaching in unison. A sight that is not that common. We left the whales breaching at Haycock Headland. Even though it is late into the season, there are still many whales heading south.

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Tuesday December 2, 2008
Cat Balou encountered two mother/calf pods within Twofold Bay today. At times the calves were quite active. One pair was a resight of two of the whales seen yesterday. Near Honeysuckle Bay Bottlenose Dolphins were sighted.

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Monday December 1, 2008
Although the whale season has officially ended, a number of whales were sighted in Twofold Bay today. Cat Balou sighted 4 mother/calf pods in close proximity to The Lookout with some spectacular breaching by a couple of calves.
Cat Balou report having a 100% success rate in sighting whales this season on all whale watching cruises.

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Sunday November 30, 2008
Today True Blue took her passengers out on a beautiful day, there was not a ripple on the ocean. We headed out to Short Point where we came across a humpback mother and calf. They were gracefully swimming along with lots of surface time, enjoying the calm conditions. We followed along the Merimbula bay where they approached the vessel for a look on three separate occasions. The passengers were very privileged to have such a close interaction with the young calf. We left the mother and calf as they continued to breach past Haycock point and returned home, through the Merimbula Bay.

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Saturday November 29, 2008
Today True Blue took her passengers out in warm, sunny conditions. A humpback mother and calf were sighted just off Long Point. As we managed to get a bit close we became aware that the mother and calf weren't alone, they were surrounded by a pod of killer whales. The mother and calf became very illusive at this point. It is very rare to witness such a sight. At this point we traveled further to the north where we came across a large pod of common dolphins, which swam with us for the rest of the trip. It was a wonderful sight as the passengers watched the dolphins ride the waves so gracefully, made by True Blue.

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Friday November 28, 2008
Today True Blue took her passengers out in warm, sunny conditions. A humpback mother and calf was sighted just off Long Point. We followed the mother and the calf, and passengers were amazed by how inquisitive the humpback whales were the whole way across the Merimbula Bay. As we approached Haycock Headland we turned the vessels engines off, and the whale swam around the vessel for 25 minutes. During this period of time the whales were spy hopping, breaching and lunge feeding.
As we headed back in, we had another encounter with another mother and calf breaching. The passengers witnessed the mother teaching the calf to lunge feed. It was an excellent way to finish off the trip. It was definitely one of the best mother and calf whale watching sessions we have ever had on the boat.

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Thursday November 27, 2008

This morning True Blue took her passengers out in warm, sunny conditions. A humpback mother and calf were sighted just off Short Point. We followed them for the trip, watching intently as the mother instructed her calf on the finer art of tail slapping! The calf seemed to be getting the hang of it towards the end of the trip. He was also intrigued by the boat and came right up to the side of True Blue to investigate us giving passengers the opportunity to see him up close.

 With the wind picking up late in the morning we headed back in, encountering a lone Australian Fur Seal basking in the sun.

With so many whales still making their way south we will continue to run daily whale watching trips. Don't miss out on your opportunity to see these majestic giants of the sea this year!

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Tuesday November 25, 2008
Having cancelled cruises over the past three days due to inclement weather Cat Balou was back in action today. A mother/calf pod were picked up off The Pinnacles and Cat Balou watched them for an hour and a half, following them to North Head. Many Australian Fur Seals were sighted throughout the trip and in East Boyd a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were found. The bow was a popular spot for passengers who had a birds eye view of the playful dolphins as they escorted Cat Balou.

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Friday November 21, 2008

Cat Balou was back whale watching today after cancelling cruises yesterday due to rough sea conditions. We always put the safety & comfort of passengers first. With two pods spotted from shore before leaving the Eden wharf it was looking good for the eager passengers. It wasn't long before a mother/calf pod were found mid bay. This pod was heading towards the chipmill. After watching them for half an hour Cat Balou headed to another mother/calf pod in the bay. The calf proved to be an inquisitive one and kept circling Cat Balou. With the motors cut, passenegers witnessed one of the most incredible experiences that the owners have ever experienced since they began whale watching in Eden in 1990. The calf positioned itself above the mother and they lay beside Cat Balou for 10 minutes, only a metre from the side of the boat. The hydrophone again picked up a whale singing clearly. Just outside Twofold Bay a pod of 4 adult Humpbacks were seen with some good fluke ups. Near the whales a bait ball had Common Dolphins and Australian Fur Seals in a frenzy. Heading home the two mother/calf pods were again sighted still in Twofold Bay. A second trip located one of the pods and the calf was quite playful with a number of breaches and peduncle throws.

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Friday November 21, 2008
Again we did not have to travel far to find whales who were spotted just off Long Point. This mother and calf were on their way south and we travelled with them for a while. Both mother and calf gave some lovely fluke up dives, tail slaps and pectoral fin waves. At one point both came over close to True Blue, giving passengers the experience to see them up close. Truly amazing!

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Thursday November 20, 2008
Today was a wonderful day of whale watching aboard True Blue. We did not have to travel far to spot our first whales, a humpback mother and calf in close just off Haycock Point. Both mother and calf must have been feeling well as they put on quite a display! Breaching so many times that passengers and crew alike lost count! All aboard were mesmerized by these two whales whose playful antics filled the whole trip. Certainly a great day!

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Wednesday November 19, 2008

Although not whale watching today, passengers aboard Cat Balou on a Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise received a bonus when a mother & calf were spotted between The Lookout and Chipmill. 

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Tuesday November 18, 2008

With a freshening NE wind today Cat Balou headed north. Near North Head a whale was sighted but dived and wasn't seen again, evidently in a hurry heading to Antarctica. Off The Pinnacles another blow was seen, but again proved elusive. A pod of Common Dolphins were in the area and accompanied Cat Balou as they continued north as Cat Balou joined True Blue off Pambula where two mother/calf pods were. It looked as if these whales were also going to play hide and seek when suddenly they surfaced under the bow of Cat Balou taking everyone by surprise. What followed was a spectacular display of tail slapping as well as peduncle throws by the mother whilst the calf breached and head lunged in the windy conditions.

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Tuesday November 18, 2008
When True Blue set out today the large group of passengers was hoping for some more whale action. They did not have to wait long to get amongst them. Once True Blue got into Merimbula Bay, two different Humpback mothers and calves were spotted. At first they were content with just swimming (should that be cruising?) around, with the mother's doing some tail slapping. Then, all of a sudden, one of the calves started breaching and breaching and breaching... Not wanting to be outdone by her calf, the mother stopped her tail slapping and followed her calf's lead with some great displays of breaching.

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Monday November 17, 2008
Today True Blue did not have to travel very far at all for some wonderful Whale watching. Mothers and calves came gliding past in the calm waters, extremely close to the boat much to the delight of the passengers. There was the usual tail slapping with some reverse tail fluking as well. There was one very curious calf spy hopping at the passengers aboard True Blue. We wonder if he was as amazed and impressed with the passengers as they were with him.
On their return to the jetty True Blue's passengers praised the knowledge and helpfulness of the crew and also the stability and roominess of True Blue. They were also very excited about being so close to the mother and calf Humpback whales saying how totally different the experience was from seeing the whales from the beach.

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Monday November 17, 2008
It was a magical day on the water with perfect conditions. Cat Balou spotted their first pod only minutes after leaving which was a mother, calf and 3 escorts - rather unusual. This pod of five slowly cruised around historic Twofold Bay with one of the adults giving a couple of spy hops. Mid bay the pod split with two adults heading out of the bay whilst the mother, calf & primary eascort lingered in the bay. Near South Head the escort gave a number of huge spy hops. Singing was picked up on the hydrophone which is rather unusual to hear at this time of the season. Outside the bay a pod of Common Dolphins excited passenegers as they raced towards Cat Balou. A number of Australian Fur Seals were also seen. Another two adults were sighted with good fluke ups.

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Sunday November 16, 2008

Cat Balou sighted two pods of whales today. A mother, calf & escort were found near Leonards Island and Cat Balou followed this trio for an hour with the calf spending a lot of time on the surface. The escort had a very distinctive patterned fluke. Later another mother and calf were seen near Haycock Point with the calf breaching once.

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Saturday November 15, 2008
Soon after crossing the Merimbula Bar, passengers aboard True Blue, spotted a humpback mother and calf in the Merimbula Bay. The calf delighted passengers with his playful antics. He certainly was energetic, breaching continuously for over 2 hours! At one point this inquisitive calf came right up to the boat and placed his nose on the side of the vessel! The mother also gave some spectacular tail slapping. A morning trip of non stop whale action!
On our afternoon trip we again spotted whales in close. The mother, calf and escort were inquisitive and when we stopped they swam over to see what we were up to. They circled the boat several times, giving passengers a wonderful opportunity to see these magnificent creatures up close before swimming off, continuing their journey south to Antarctica. Another highlight of the afternoon trip was watching a group of six seals jumping and playing together. Their playful games eliciting some good laughs from passengers! 

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Saturday November 15, 2008
After cancelling cruises yesterday due to rough conditions on the water Cat Balou was back out with the whales today. A pod of two adults were found off South Head and gave some good fluke ups and encounters in between fairly long down times. Heading north a pod of Common Dolphins and some seals were spotted. Later a mother/calf pod off Pambula provided excellent whale watching with the calf giving an amazing display of breaching and pec slapping. An afternoon trip located this same pod off North Head with the super active calf breaching non stop for an hour. Common Dolphins and seals were also sighted.

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Friday November 14, 2008
The weather this morning was overcast but this did not deter the enthusiasm of the passengers aboard True Blue as they set out on the morning Whale Watching Cruise. Before getting to the whales some Australian Fur Seals were sighted swimming and frolicking as well as some of the many sea birds of the area. When the whales were spotted they kept passengers entertained with their displays of tail-slapping and reverse tail-fluking. The humpback calves seem to love trying to impress their mothers (and passengers aboard True Blue) with their skilful imitations.
On their return to the jetty the passengers were talking of the wonderful photos taken and the great time they had being ‘so close to the whales'. Many of them also commented on just how big the whales are when you see them so close. It was also pleasing to receive positive feedback on the comfort and stability of True Blue and the helpfulness and knowledge of the crew.

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Thursday November 13, 2008
Cat Balou found a mother/calf & escort not long after leaving on their whale watching cruises today. After watching them for half an hour heavy fog rolled in, with visibility reduced to 100 metres. When the fog lifted Cat Balou headed north and found an active calf and its mother near The Pinnacles. The calf breadhed and breached much to the delight of passengers which comprised of many foreigners.

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Thursday November 13, 2008
The sea mist this morning did not deter the enthusiasm of passengers going out on True Blue hoping for another action packed Whale Watching cruise. They were not disappointed. When the mist cleared there they were in all their glory! The mothers and calves that are passing through at the moment seem to be naturally gifted performers. Their antics continually drawing gasps of delight, wonder and amazement from the passengers aboard True Blue. Once again the numbers and the close proximity of the whales allowed passengers to once again take some great photos.
When True Blue returned everyone was absolutely thrilled with their experience. Passengers were telling of the great photos and wonderful memories to take with them. The crew of True Blue were as excited as the passengers, saying it was one of the best days of the season.

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Wednesday November 12, 2008

Whales, dolphins & seals! It was an action packed morning for passengers aboard Cat Balou. The day began when a mother & calf were spotted mid bay. Although quiet at first, the pair surfaced frequently and then out of the blue the calf surprised everyone, including the skipper it launched itself out of the water with a perfect breach less than 5 meters from the bow! Cat Balou watched this pair for an hour as they headed towards South Head. Near North wall a large pod of Common Dolphins raced towards Cat Balou, leaping clear out of the water. At Leonards Island another mother/calf Humpback were found and this pair provided excellent whale watching for the excited passengers. The calf breached continuously for 45 minutes and was still breaching when Cat Balou headed towards home. The mother gave some elegant extended tail flukes whilst the calf played. Seals were also seen at the Eden breakwall.

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Wednesday November 12, 2008
Once again the passengers aboard True Blue were treated to a wonderful display by the mother and calf Humpback whales. The sunny conditions in the morning meant every one was in great spirits when they left the public jetty. Watching the whales breaching, tail slapping and spy-hopping left everyone on True Blue filled with amazement and joy. All this week the whales have been extremely active, playful and willing to come up very close to True Blue allowing the passengers to get a real appreciation of the size, power and majesty of these wonderful creatures.
It really is great to see the joy on the faces and hear the excitement in the voices of True Blue's passengers when they return to the jetty. When we hear comments like, "Thank you so much, that was wonderful", "The best experience I have had" and other similar comments you know they have thoroughly enjoyed their Whale Watching experience.

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Tuesday November 11, 2008
Cat Balou sighted 5 humpbacks at close range today. The first pod was a mother & calf just outside Twofold Bay which were hard to follow. With a freshening NE wind the skipper decided to head north and off The Pinnacles the next whales were sighted. Cat Balou watched a pod of three adults and could see another pod a little to the east. One of the animals breached and all three fliked up - one had a distinctive black fluke. Reports from Hervey Bay indicate that the season will continue for another couple of weeks as whales were still in that area last week.

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Monday November 10, 2008
The President of the Pacific Whale Foundation, Mr Greg Kaufman from Hawaii joined Cat Balou on their whale watching trip today. Gregs Research Team, Erin and Ashley have been with Cat Balou for the past couple of months and will head back to Hawaii next week. In this period they have taken almost 14,000 photographs of the whales sighted from Cat Balou for identification.There were a lot of whales about today. A mother & calf were spotted logging on the surface near the chipmill. Around from South Head a number of other mother/calf pods were all slowly heading south. Two sub adults did a bit of pec slapping and another mother,calf & escort near North Head tail slapped. The highlight of the day was when three mother/calf pods affilliated near South Head later in the day. It was playtime for these six whales with a calf breaching, peduncle throws and more tail slapping from the adults & calves.

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Monday November 10, 2008
Another perfect whale watching day on board True Blue. The whales were out in great numbers, 8 pods, all obviously enjoying the great weather conditions as much as the passengers. They were joined by a pod of approximately 20 dolphins which seemed to be competing with the whales for the attention of the passengers aboard True Blue. Full breaching, side rolls, tail flukes and surface gliding. Passengers were thrilled to watch as the dolphins leapt out of the water over the whales and then to observe the whales coming right up to the boat and almost rubbing up against the side of True Blue!! At times it seemed as if there was too much action happening at once to see it all.
When True Blue returned to the jetty the sheer delight was evident on the faces of the passengers. Many commented, again, on the great photos they had taken and marveled at the wonderful spectacles they had been lucky enough to witness and the closeness of the whales to the boat.
Today was an excellent day of whale watching out of Merimbula, with plenty of whales still heading south now is a great time to book your cruise.

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Sunday November 9, 2008

It was a perfect day on the water and Cat Balou sighted 9 Humpbacks on the morning cruise - three mother/calf pods and a pod of 3 adults. Good singing was heard as the hydrophone was placed in the ocean. A bait ball with lots of activity from Gannets, Shearwaters, a hundred or more Common Dolphins excited passengers. With conditions so calm Cat Balou cruised south to Greencape and detoured into beautiful Bittangabee Bay, showcasing the beauty of the Ben Boyd National Park.

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Sunday November 9, 2008
Today was a perfect whale watching day on board True Blue. The warm, sunny conditions added to passengers enjoyment. An active mother, calf and escort were sighted just of Tura Beach this morning. They put on a wonderful show for passengers, breaching, side rolls, tail flukes and lots of surface time.

We headed out this afternoon with a full boat of expectant passengers. These passengers were not disappointed as the afternoon was full of close encounters. In all twelve whales were sighted throughout the cruise. These whales were enjoying the perfect weather conditions and we lost count of the number of times they breached!! Numerous tail slaps were also recorded.

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Saturday November 8, 2008
What a day! Today was one of those days when the whales really turned it on for the passengers aboard True Blue. Not only were the whales in close, but they were very, very active. Full breaching, tail slapping and spy-hopping, the list of tricks was endless. Passengers were able to get many wonderful photos and thrill to the antics of the mothers and calves. The afternoon cruise probably provided one of the highlights of the day for True Blue passengers. When we were starting our return journey passengers were lucky enough to witness full double breaching!! As one passenger said, "It's as though it was in slow motion, just fantastic. Unforgettable." A truly memorable experience for all.

The excited chatter of the passengers when they returned to the jetty showed just how much they had enjoyed their time Whale Watching aboard True Blue. Many of the passengers came to the Log Cabin on the jetty after the morning and afternoon cruises to thank us for the experience and tell us about the great photos they had taken. The awe and excitement in their voices was unmistakable.

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Saturday November 8, 2008

Cat Balou report having another successful day with the whales at Eden. Conditions were a bit uncomfortable at first resulting from the NE which developed overnight, however they improved during the morning when the SW change flattened out the sea. The mother/calf pods again put on a number of displays of breaching, pec & tail slapping with five pods in Twofold Bay on the morning trip and another three pods seen on the shorter afternoon trip.

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Friday November 7, 2008
Today the passengers aboard True Blue were able to witness some humpback mothers and calves frolicking in the waters of Merimbula Bay after a very short travel time. Several small pods were seen with varying degrees of activity amongst the pods. Once again the whales came close to the boat enabling the passengers aboard True Blue to fully appreciate the spectacle of tail slapping and dorsal fin ‘waving'. The closeness of the whales also enabled passengers to fully appreciate the enormous size of these ‘gentle giants of the deep'.
When they returned True Blue's passengers were thrilled by their experience - "amazing", "just awesome", "just the best - everybody should do it at least once". Many of the passengers also said they were glad they had brought their cameras with them! There are some great photo opportunities to be had. We also received quite a few phone calls from passengers later in the day wanting to let us know where they were spotting whales from the shore. As one passenger said, "I had such a great time on True Blue this morning, I just thought I could say ‘Thanks' by letting you guys know that the whales are still in close and being playful."

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Friday November 7, 2008 

Conditions were ideal for whale watching today and there were plenty of whales to watch in and around Twofold Bay. Cat Balou sighted the first pod only 2 minutes after leaving the wharf, just off the western side of The Lookout. This was a resight of the massive mother seen yesterday resting with her calf. Concerned residents had reported this whale fearing she was sick as she was spending so much time logging on the surface, however the whale was fine and gave a brilliant display along with the calf of breaching & head lunging. Leter the mother pec slapped and began feeding the calf with her tail suspended out of the water Another mother/calf pod were also seen near Whale Spit. Bottlenose dolphins were found near South Head and shortly after a competition pod of 5 adult Humpbacks. Off Leonards several more pods were found and Common dolphins also sighted. The afternoon trip also sighted 5 mother/calf pods with the last pod breaching mid bay.

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Thursday November 6, 2008

Twofold Bay at Eden was a popular gathering place for the whales today. Cat Balou on their morning trip sighted three mother/calf pods resting in the bay with one of the mothers a massive size. Another pod was found near Leonards Island with the mother showing a distinctiver black flke. Two adults were also sighted near South Head. On an afternoon cruise six mother/pods were found in the bay. Three pods had affilliated near the Naval Wharf and gave a brilliant display of tail slapping, pec slapping and breaching. Mid bay another two pods were also active whilst the massive mother seen on the morning trip was still resting with her calf near Quarantine Bay.

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Wednesday November 5, 2008
On the morning cruise Cat Balou sighted 4 pods of Humpbacks - three mother/calf pods and 2 adults. The whales were in Twofold Bay and close to the coast between North Head & The Pinnacles. All whales were rather quiet, slowly heading south. Although the whales weren't active it is still great to experience these animals in their natural environment, remembering that they were hunted to the point of extinction, and wonderfult to see their numbers increasing. An afternoon trip saw 11 whales in Twofold Bay, one pod of two mothers and their calves interacting with some playful Fur Seals. 

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Tuesday November 4, 2008
This morning True Blue set out with a full load of excited passengers all hoping to see some whales. They weren't disappointed! On the way a fairly large pod of dolphins was spotted keeping everyone entertained. Then when True Blue was out off Long Point the whales appeared, about 10 or more mothers and calves. The slow gentle movement of the whales gliding around True Blue gave passengers the chance to fully appreciate the sheer size and grace of these wonderful marine mammals. Some of the passengers were privileged to receive a ‘wave' of the pectoral fin as the whale glided past.
On their return the passengers expressed their delight at having the opportunity to observe the whales so close - "it really is different from seeing them from on land." Passengers were also very impressed by the on-board commentary provided by the knowledgeable and friendly crew of True Blue, saying that it added to their understanding and enjoyment of the whole experience.

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Sunday November 2, 2008 

As Cat Balou departed on their morning whale watch the wind picked up from the NE. Several pods has been spotted from shore before leaving and the first pod was sighted in the middle of Twofold Bay by one of the passengers. This was a mother & calf who headed to the southern side of the bay. Suddenly the calf began breaching which always thrills the passengers. Heading to the north another pod was seen breaching near North Head which turned out to be another mother & calf who very obligingly headed into the bay. Near The Lookout the pair became very active with both animals breaching and a brilliant display of head lunging by the mother. Conditions deteriorated mid morning as the forecast NE wind freshened and the afternoon cruise was cancelled taking into consideration the comfort and safety of passengers.

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Saturday November 1, 2008

With the Eden Whale Festival in full swing the whales put on a great display today for passengers aboard Cat Balou. During the first trip there were at least 5 pods in Twofold Bay giving passengers aboard Cat Balou, along with shore based whale watchers a chance to view these amazing creatures. After watching a few pods Cat Balou followed three mothers and their calves travelling together. They were about to leave the whales when the whales decided it was play time with a number of breaches. Later a pod was sighted outside Twofold Bay and more whales seen on the return trip. The second trip resighted two pods of the mornings whales with plenty of action from the adults - peduncle thrusts, tail slapping and breaching. The third trip also sighted 5 pods with breaching. Bottlenose Dolphins were seen on the return trip to Eden.

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Saturday November 1, 2008

True Blue took her passengers out this morning in beautiful conditions. Seventeen whales were sighted throughout the cruise providing passengers with some wonderful experiences. The highlight of the morning was watching a cheeky young calf as he showed off all his moves close to the boat for two hours!! He seemed to be playing with us, swimming around the boat, breaching, waving his fins and slapping his tail. As one passenger put it, "a simply breathtaking experience!"

With the afternoon cruise full we headed out to Haycock where we encountered ten whales. These inquisitive whales came up to the boat to ‘check us out' and spent considerable time swimming around the vessel. Passengers were enthralled as several of these magnificent humpbacks breached and slapped their tails with gusto!

Both trips today were excellent and there are plenty of whales in the area so book your trip today and don't miss out!

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Friday October 31, 2008
True Blue's passengers once again were treated to a wonderful display by the whales. There seemed to be an almost endless display of tail slapping, pectoral slapping and the ever popular full breaching. The 12 adult whales and 3 calves certainly knew how to perform and the passengers were thrilled and delighted by what they saw. 31/2 hours can pass very quickly when you are totally enthralled by the playfulness of these majestic creatures.

All of the passengers were talking excitedly about their experiences and the wonderful photo opportunities. True Blue really is a great boat for taking still or video footage. We were delighted when one of the passengers called in and dropped off some of the photos he took from True Blue - they are fantastic! They really give you an idea of just what you can expect to see and how close the whales actually come to the boat.

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Friday October 31, 2008

Cat Balou sighted a number of whales today. On the morning trip most pods were mothers and calves with the first pod seen just near the heads of Twofold Bay and the others towards Murwaree. Later in the morning a pod of six adults were found near South Head with some pec slapping and great fluke ups. The afternoon trip also sighted a mother & calf just south of South Head.

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Thursday October 30, 2008

The whales revelled in the windy weather experienced on the South Coast today. Cat Balou had spotted several pods in Twofold Bay from shore before the cruise and it was only several minutes into the cruise that the first blows were seen towards the woodchip mill. There were two mother/calf pods so passengers could pick which pod to watch. Within Twofold Bay a number of other whales were seen and as the morning progressed the whales became active with numerous breaches from both calves and adults. Tail slapping and pec slapping were also seen.

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Wednesday October 29, 2008
Today passengers aboard True Blue watched as 3 separate groups of mothers and calves performed close in the bay. The numerous full breaches thrilled and delighted all aboard True Blue. There was also lots of tail and pectoral slapping to entertain and amaze passengers. Once again all of the whale's antics and the beautiful calm conditions provided many great photo opportunities for passengers aboard True Blue. Other pods could be seen in the distance also having a great time breaching.

It was great seeing the delight on the faces and hearing the excitement in the voices of the passengers when the returned. They were very moved by their experience, even those passengers who had been on whale watching cruises before. As one passenger said, "You just can't describe the feeling you get. You have to experience it yourself."

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Wednesday October 29, 2008

The first whales sighted today by Cat Balou was a pod of 5 adults south of Eden. All whales gave a number of fluke ups, one animal had both ends of its fluke missing and Killer Whale rake marks on it. A couple of travelling pods were sighted as Cat Balou headed north before finding two mother/calf pods near North Head. The whales split up and one calf gave a number of breaches as well as a spectacular breach by mum. A coach group on and afternoon Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise also sighted two pods in Twofold Bay.

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Tuesday October 28, 2008
The morning cruise aboard True Blue gave passengers the opportunity to observe 7 Humpback Whales in Merimbula Bay. The close proximity of the whales meant less travelling time and more time to observe and enjoy the whales interacting with each other. The very calm weather and smooth seas added to the experience aboard True Blue - already recognized as the most stable and comfortable whale watching vessel in Merimbula. Passengers were also lucky enough to see plenty of Australian Fur Seals frolicking in the bay. Although we did not see them there were reports of a pod of Orcas (Killer Whales) further South.
On their return to the Public Jetty many passengers said how much they enjoyed the experience, especially those who had been promising themselves to go on a Whale Watching cruise for a long time. Passengers also said it was one of the best experiences of their lives.

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Monday October 27, 2008

Today passengers aboard True Blue were lucky enough to watch a mother and calf humpback with their male escort performing close in the bay. The numerous tail slaps, pectoral slaps and breaching thrilled and delighted all aboard True Blue. Spy hopping (when the whales poke their heads out and look) was plentiful and gave the passengers the sense that the whales were just as interested in them as they were in the whales. Once again all of the whale's antics provided many great photo opportunities for passengers aboard True Blue.
When they returned passengers commented on the stability of True Blue even when the swell started to build and the wind came up later in the morning. The weather conditions however did not deter the whales - they seemed to enjoy the conditions and if anything became more playful as the morning progressed.

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Sunday October 26, 2008

Cat Balou sighted their first whales today just south of South Head. This was an active mother/calf pod with both animals breaching. At one stage they breached simultaneously - something rarely seen. There were a number of other pods in the area between South Head & Murwaree. Amazing singing was heard when the hydrophone lowered into the sea. Following another pod later in the morning, one adult breached without warning less than 30 metres off the bow, taking everyone by surprise. Another two mother/calf pods were also sighted in Twofold Bay as Cat Balou returned to port.

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Saturday October 25, 2008

Heading due east of Eden today Cat Balou sighted two mother/calf pods. One of the mothers gave a number of slow fluke ups. A mother, calf and escort were later sighted near The Pinnacles slowly cruising south and had a few close encounters with the boat. The second trip located another mother & calf near The Pinnacles and Bottlenose Dolphins off Aslings Beach. Seals were seen on both trips.

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Friday October 24, 2008

Cat Balou began today sighting a quiet mother & calf in Twofold Bay. A Dwarf Minke which was very friendly, circling the boat a number of times was found near North Head. Heading east a mother & calf Humpback were milling around and did a bit of feeding. Several more pods were sighted just to the south. Two pods affilliated a a couple of peduncle thrusts were witnessed. A large pod of Common Dolphins were also seen along with several seals. Another mother & calf were sighted just inside South Head as Cat Balou entered Twofold Bay.

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Wednesday October 22, 2008
Passengers onboard True Blue, on both our morning and afternoon cruises were treated to a whale ‘breachfest'! A mother and her calf were sighted just off Tura Head on our morning cruise. They were both very playful in the wind and breached numerous times, seeming to enjoy the rougher weather!

Twelve sub adult humpbacks were sighted on our afternoon cruise and again they were extremely active. Passengers lots count of how many times they saw them breach!! These whales were enjoying the windy conditions and leaping over the waves.

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Wednesday October 22, 2008
Cat Balou cancelled todays whale watching due to a gale warning for coastal waters.

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Wednesday December 5, 2007
Wednesday 5th December Wonderful news! One of the two mother/calf pods that Cat Balou spotted on their final whale watching cruise for 2007 on 26th November was the whale that the town of Eden adopted as their icon whale, Jarnder. Photographs of her fluke taken by Ros Butt proved this and Cat Balou also sighted her at Eden on 5th November 2005. Jarnder was also sighted this year in Hervey Bay on 19th October with her calf.

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Sunday December 2, 2007
Sunday, today True Blue sighted two pods of whales just off the coast. We also saw dolphins, seals and birdlife. This was our last whale watching cruise for the season. Whale watching will start again in september next year. Dolphin tours will now run each week on tuesdays, thursdays and sundays.

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Friday November 30, 2007
Friday, today True Blue sighted two pods of whales just off Tura beach. One pod that consisted of a mother,a one year old calf, and a male escort. The other pod being further out to sea and we were unsure of how many whales was in that pod. It was a magical day out at sea and the passangers aboard True Blue were thrilled to vitness these giant mammals tale slapping and breaching out of the water.

 

Tuesday November 27, 2007
Tuesday, Today True Blue sighted a mother humpback whale and its calf, 5 miles off bournda island. the whales became curious of the boat, smimming right up close and breaching out of the water. We also had a large pod of common dolphins swimming around the boat. A group of seals and plenty of birdlife was also sighted on the cruise.

 

Monday November 26, 2007
Monday, Today True Blue sighted a mother and it's calf just off Tura Beach. The calf had an enquiring mind as it was surfacing quite close to the boat. There was also common dolphins to be seen all the way to the horizon as well as a range of birdlife.

 

Sunday November 25, 2007
Sunday, Today on the True Blue a mother and calf were seen as well as some dolphins. Seals and a range of birdlife were also sighted on the tour.

 

Saturday November 24, 2007
Saturday, True Blue sighted two mother and calves off lennards island tracking south. Two types of dolphins were also seen as well as a range of birdlife.

 

Saturday November 24, 2007
Saturday 24th November Cat Balou did their final half day whale watching tour for this season today and finished on a high note sighting 4 different mother/calf pods, dolphins and seals. The first whales were found as Cat Balou rounded The Lookout, a huge mother and her calf resting on the surface. After 20 minutes they came to life and mum gave several fluke ups but were not in any hurry to leave the area. Off The Pinnacles two more mother/calf pods were sight and they affilliated for a while before tracking south. Another pod was sighted near North Head. Many Common Dolphins escorted Cat Balou across Twofold Bay. Four more whales were sighted by passengers on a Twofold Bay cruise, both mother/calf pods in Twofold Bay. Cat Balou report sighting whales on every whale watching cruise they conducted this year!

 

Friday November 23, 2007
Friday, a fantastic day aboard True Blue today with nine humpback whales sighted on the morning trip. Lots of dolphins escorting the boat during the duration of the cruise, with seals, dolphins and lots of marine life on the cruise.

 

Thursday November 22, 2007
Thursday, A mother and calf was sighted off Tura Beach this morning on True Blue. Thousands of dolphins were seen on the tour off shore to the delights of all the passengers.

 

Wednesday November 21, 2007
Wednesday, tracking north this morning towards Tathra. A mother and calf was sighted with True Blue following the pair back south to the Merimbula Bay. Dolphins and a range of seabirds were also sighted on the tour.

 

Wednesday November 21, 2007
Wednesday 21st November An easterly swell prevailed today after the strong winds yesterday making conditions hard for whale watching. On a day when we needed active whales the only pod sighed was a mother & calf who surfaced near North Head. The mother fluked up and wasn't seen again. Common Dolphins kept passengers entertained as the escorted Cat Balou on several occassions during the cruise.

 

Tuesday November 20, 2007
Tuesday 20th November Cat Balou was not whale watching today. Several coached did their Twofold Bay Cruise with Bottlenose dolphins seen on the second trip. A strong NE wind developed during the day.

 

Monday November 19, 2007
Monday 19th November Cat Balou sighted 10 Humpback whales this morning. The first whales were sighted at Murwaree Point and this pod was a mother & calf with two escorts, rather unusual. One of the escorts had a slpit dorsal and deep scar on the right hand of its body and Ros Butt recognized this unusual animal as one Cat Balou had sighted before. On checking her photo ID this whale was sighted off the coast of Eden on 25th November 2006! These were good whales to watch in sloppy conditions with some good fluke ups and close encounters. Three more mother/calf pods were sighted at the heads of Twofold Bay.

 

Sunday November 18, 2007
Sunday 18th November Cat Balou found their first whales just around fro South Head very close to shore. This was a mother & calf who were later joined by a pod of dolphins. The second moter/calf pod were to the SE and the mother fluked up a number of times. Near Murwaree another three mother/calf pods were seen with one of the calves breaching once. One of the mothers had a very distinct mottled pattern on her body which should be an animal the researchers will easily identify. There were reports of a pack of Killer Whales in the area, seen by several fishermen.

 

Sunday November 18, 2007
Sunday, a mother and calf was sighted off Haycock Point on their migration south. Lots of active breaching on board True Blue as the mother was teaching her calf and mimicking her every move.

 

Saturday November 17, 2007
Saturday 17th November For the first time in many days no whales were sighted within Twofold Bay. Cat Balou headed north with a freshening NE wind forecast. A Sunfish and a number of Flying Fish were sighted near Leonards island. The first whales were seen near Haycock Point but proved elusive. Cat Balou headed to a pod of two adults which True Blue had found and they were slowly heading south. Another mother & calf were in the same area. South of Haycock the two adults were resighted and Cat Balou followed them to The Pinnacles with the whales surfing the NE swell.

 

Saturday November 17, 2007
Saturday 17th November For the first time in many days no whales were sighted within Twofold Bay. Cat Balou headed north with a freshening NE wind forecast. A Sunfish and a number of Flying Fish were sighted near Leonards island. The first whales were seen near Haycock Point but proved elusive. Cat Balou headed to a pod of two adults which True Blue had found and they were slowly heading south. Another mother & calf were in the same area. South of Haycock the two adults were resighted and Cat Balou followed them to The Pinnacles with the whales surfing the NE swell.

 

Saturday November 17, 2007
Saturday, a fantastic day on the water with a mother and calf sighted just off Merimbula on board True Blue . Three sub adult humpbacks which were very curious and friendly. Lot os seabirds, Albatros, Shearwaters and other species.

 

Friday November 16, 2007
Friday, A mother and calf were sighted off Pambula Lions Park Beach this morning shortly after departing from the Merimbula Marina Wharf on board True Blue . A spectacular display of breaching and pectoral slapping from both humpbacks lasting approx an hour and half. Another pod of 2 humpbacks were sighted east of the Bay.

 

Friday November 16, 2007
Friday 16th November It was another busy day on the water at Eden with Cat Balou sighting whales on three cruises they conducted. The day began with a mother & calf sighted near South Head with the pair playing with seaweed and spending a lot of time on the surface. Heading north another mother & calf were found and this pair gave passengers some very close encounters several times, mugging Cat Balou, along with some great fluke ups. Near Leonards Island another three mother/calf pods were sighted with a very active calf breaching. Back in Twofold Bay another pod were sighted. Bottlenose Dolphins were also seen at Aslings Beach. A coach group on a Bay Cruise witnessed an awesome display with three mother/calf pods together in the middle of Twofold Bay all tail slapping and breaching - what a show! Another coach group later also received a bonus when a mother & calf were sighted near Honeysuckle Bay.

 

Thursday November 15, 2007
Thursday 15th November The Humpback highway off Eden was busy today with Cat Balou sighting 9 mother/calf pods at close range during their two whale watching trips. The morning began when a breaching calf was spotted in the middle of Twofold Bay.This turned out two be a pod of four with two playful calves. Another mother & calf were found near the heads and an escort appeared briefly. The hydrophone picked up some great singing with one overseas passeneger declaring it to be the most amazing thing she had ever heard! Later a mother, calf & escort were found near Leonards Island the mother had a distinct fluke with many Killer Whale rake marks on it. There was also another pod neraby. A second trip resighted the previous pod in Twofold Bay with another pod heading into the bay close to South Head. Cat Balou cruises south sighting several more pods with one adult giving a few peduncle thrusts.

 

Thursday November 15, 2007
Thursday, November 15 Today Merimbula Marina's True Blue sighted a total of 13 whales off Merimbula. Travelling south to Haycock Point to view thier first pod of breaching humpbacks with some nice displays of tail flukes and fluke up dives these whales were happy to play for over and hour. The afternoon cruise sighted a mother and calf off Tura Beach after a few half breaches and tail slapping the pair slowly swam south on their migratory path.

 

Thursday November 15, 2007
Thursday, Today True Blue sighted a total of 13 whales off Merimbula. Travelling south to Haycock Point to view thier first pod of breaching humpbacks with some nice displays of tail flukes and fluke up dives these whales were happy to play for over and hour. The afternoon cruise sighted a mother and calf off Tura Beach after a few half breaches and tail slapping the pair slowly swam south on their mighratory path.

 

Wednesday November 14, 2007
Wednesday 14th November Cat Balou headed out with a freshening NE wind making conditions a bit lumpy. Near South Head the first whales were sighted, a mother, calf and escort who headed into Twofold Bay. Cat Balou left them near Aslings Beach and headed east where another whale was spotted. This animal proved elusive after fluking up once. Heading north breaching whales were spotted off The Pinnacles. They breached a number of times as Cat Balou approached and the calf did a few tail slaps. East of North Head skipper Gordon spotted a double breach and there were several adult whales in the area. One head lunged whilst another gave a spectacular tail slapping exhibition. Common Dolphins were in the same area and they were heard on the hydrophone. A bay cruise later found a mother and calf between The lookout and woodchip mill with the calf breaching a number of times.

 

Wednesday November 14, 2007
Wednesday, November 14 A pod of 4 humpbacks were sighted shortly after leaving the Merimbula Marina this morning, taking the passengers out early on True Blue ensures the best weather enjoying three half hours with these majestic creatures. A display of breaches followed by tail slapping and nice tail flukes were the order of the day. The afternoon cruise sighted a mother and calf off Merimbula's Long Point slowly swimming south. Dolphins and sea birds including gannets, shearwaters & albatross were out today adding to the diverse marine life specticle of Merimbula's waters.

 

Tuesday November 13, 2007
Tuesday 13th November Cat Balou sighted a total of 9 mother/calf pods plus three adults on their two cruises today. The morning trip began when two mother/calf pods were sighted within 5 minutes after Cat Balou left the Eden wharf. Off Leatherjacket Bay another mother & calf plus three adults were entertaining to watch as they swam with a large pod of Common Dolphins. Again clear singing was picked up whaen the hydrophone was put into the ocean. Cat Balou did a coastal run to Bitangabee Bay, sighting another three mother/calf pods heading south. The second trip sighted another three mother/calf pods, one in Twofold Bay and the other two near Leonards Island. Common Dolphins were also sighted on the return trip.

 

Tuesday November 13, 2007
Tuesday, Novmeber 13. 8 breaching whales off Haycock Point this morning excited the passengers on Merimbula Marina's True Blue, Bottlenosed Dolphins and Australian Fur Seals were also included in the fanfare. The 2 pods of sub adults were very inquisitive. Circling the vessel before swimming south on their migratory path. The afternoon cruise sighted 4 whales off Tura Headland, tail & pectoral slapping. Lobbing and waving

 

Monday November 12, 2007
November 12 Monday, Merimbula Marina's True Blue sighted a pod of 10 sub adults breaching, tail slapping and chin slapping off Haycock Point. The group were very active for quite a while delighting all onboard. The afternoon cruise also sighted a pod of 2 active sub adults, breaching and pec slapping. The dolphins and albatross were also around this afternoon making the day a marine life feast for the passengers

 

Monday November 12, 2007
Monday 12th November Perfect conditions on the water today and Cat Balou had an excellent morning, first sighting a mother & calf east of South Head. These whales frollicked with many Common Dolphins and seals, the dolphins appeared to be chasing the whales. Brilliant singing was heard on the hydrophone. More whales were sighted to the SE - another active calf with the mother and more dolphins. The calf tail slapped many times. Leaving these whales the first mother/calf pod were found with the calf playfully breaching. Near The Pinnacles a pod of four adults were sighted, breaching as Cat Balou approached and one did some pec slapping. Birdlife included many Shearwaters and a juvenile Wandering Albatross

 

Sunday November 11, 2007
November 11 Sunday, True Blue of Merimbula Marina took her passengers out today in absolutely perfect conditions. Whales breaching off Haycock Point was the climax of the morning. The afternoon cruise sighted whales a mile off Long Point. This pod had been sighted playing off Dolphin Cove earlier in the day. They were in no hurry and came close to the vessel getting a "whales eye view". They breached and played for over half an hour much to the delight of all the passengers

 

Sunday November 11, 2007
Sunday 11th November Cat Balou had another successful day sighting whales, dolphins, seals and a sunfish. The morning began when a calf was seen breaching in Calle Calle Bay only minutes after Cat Balou left the Eden wharf. This was a mother & calf who swam towards The Lookout. Several more pods were seen just outside Twofold Bay with two mother/calf pods affilliating with Common Dolphins swimming with the whales. A Sunfish created much interest with the passengers. Another mother & calf were sighted later in the morning.

 

Saturday November 10, 2007
November 10 Saturday, Today True Blue of Merimbula Marina's sighted her first whales just North of Merimbula 2 pods of 3 each were breaching and tail slapping enjoying themselves as the excited passengers looked on. The afternoon cruise also had a pod of common dolphins riding on the bow of the vessel for part of the cruise.

 

Saturday November 10, 2007
Saturday 10th November Cat Balou headed south today having sighted a pod of whales in Twofold Bay before leaving. This mother & calf were located near Leatherjacket Bay and were slowly heading south. Later a pod of two adults and another pod of three adults were sighted a mile south east of South Head. These whales gave good fluke ups and a few close encounters. Later two more mother/calf pods were sighted just outside Twofold Bay and another pod near North Head. A second trip found a mother and calf east of The Pinnacles and two adults later affilliated with this pod. The calf was active with a number of breaches. Common Dolphins and seals were seen on both trips.

 

Friday November 9, 2007
Friday 9th November Cat Balou headed out this morning with poor visibility and light rain. A pod of whales had been sighted from shore before leaving and Cat Balou found this mother & calf on the southern side of South Head, very close to shore. This pair were rather shy with long down times, so Cat Balou decided to leave them as they slowly headed south. Near Leonards Island a mother & calf Southern Right were spotted. This is only the second sightings of Southern Rights Cat Balou has made this season. The adult frequently fluked up showing her magnificent black fluke. A little further north a mother, calf and escort Humpback were found with the calf breaching several times. Common Dolphins were also seen along with Australian Fur Seals. Not far away another mother & calf were sighted. A second trip resighted the mother, calf and escort and a mile east an active pod was seen. This was three adults which breached and head lunged. Many Common Dolphins were near the whales.

 

Thursday November 8, 2007
Thursday 8th November Cat Balou sighted a number of adult Humpbacks today east of The Pinnacles. There were several pods in the area, all adults. Passengers witnessed a number of spectacular breaches, head lunges and pec slapping. At times the pods affilliated. On the return trip a mother & calf were sighted near South Head but appeared to be resting.

 

Wednesday November 7, 2007
Wednesday 7th November Cat Balou picked up a pod of four adult Humpbacks near South Head today. This pod was heading south and all whales fluked up at close range. Cat Balou followed them for about an hour and left them near Murwaree. Several pods of Common Dolphins were seen as Cat Balou headed north to Haycock, looking for more whales. A swell from the SE made conditions difficult for spotting and despite covering a wide area, no other whales were seen.

 

Tuesday November 6, 2007
Tuesday 6th November Cat Balou was back on the water today and sighted whales on each of the three trips. The morning whale watch got off to a good start with a mother & calf within Twofold Bay. Near South Head a second mother & calf appeared and it was a very entertaining calf who breached many times as they slowly cruised southwards close to the shoreline. Later another mother & calf were found just inside North Head with the mother giving some good fluke ups and a peduncle slap. The other two trips Cat Balou did were cruises around Twofold Bay for Coach Groups visiting Eden and Merimbula and on both trips passenegers were thrilled to see whales near South Head.

 

Monday November 5, 2007
Monday 5th November Big seas over the past two days have prevented Cat Balou doing their whale watching cruises. It is hoped that conditions will be better tomorrow. There are still a lot of whales passing Eden and Cat Balou will continue their whale watching until 24th November

 

Saturday November 3, 2007
Saturday 3rd November With the Eden Whale Festival in full swing Cat Balou headed out whale watching twice today. There were plenty of whales about, mostly mother/calf pods sighted between North Head and Saltwater. One calf breached a number of times on the first trip and some faint singing was picked up on the hydrophone. Common dolphins were also sighted on the early trip and Australian Fur Seals seen both trips.

 

Friday November 2, 2007
Friday 2nd November Cat Balou had a great day with the whales today sighting three mother/calf pods and a competition pod just east of Eden. The highlight of the day was and active display of breaching by a calf and both mother & calf tail slapping in unison and a few peduncle thrusts as they headed towards Honeysuckle Bay.

 

Wednesday October 31, 2007
Wednesday 31st October Cat Balou finished the month of October with another good day and report having seen whales every trip so far this season. A boat fishing called up Cat Balou and reported whales near Murwaree. As Cat Balou arrived the calf gave an exciting display with numerous breaches. Another nother & calf affilliated with this pod and not far away another mother & calf were sighted just a couple of metres off the shore near Saltwater. The cruise finished sighting Bottlenose Dolphins at Aslings Beach and more at the Eden Wharf.

 

A private charter in the afternoon found two mother/calf pods, one at North Head and the second pod near the woodchip mill. Both calves breached several times. Cat Balou sighted a number of mother/calf pods of Humpbacks today. Rounding The Lookout and active calf was spotted mid bay. They slowly moved into Nullica Bay and after watching them for half an hour Cat Balou headed south. Between South Head and Murwaree 2 more pods were found with a close encounter by one of the calves. Two more pods were sighted east of Eden. A coach group from SA on a bay cruise also sighted a mother & calf resting just inside South Head. Wednesday 31st October Cat Balou finished the month of October with another good day and report having seen whales every trip so far this season.

 

A boat fishing called up Cat Balou and reported whales near Murwaree. As Cat Balou arrived the calf gave an exciting display with numerous breaches. Another nother & calf affilliated with this pod and not far away another mother & calf were sighted just a couple of metres off the shore near Saltwater. The cruise finished sighting Bottlenose Dolphins at Aslings Beach and more at the Eden Wharf. A private charter in the afternoon found two mother/calf pods, one at North Head and the second pod near the woodchip mill. Both calves breached several times.

 

Wednesday October 31, 2007
Wednesday, 31 October Today True Blue took her passengers out in calm conditions sighting their first pod of whales approx. 1 mile east of Meirmbula the pair were lobbing and some nice fluke up dives caught on camera by the thrilled passengers. During the cruise another 2 pods were breaching a little further out. The calves are very active after feeding as the milk is full of protien making for spectacular displays. Leaping out of the water, tail lobbing and slapping. The afternoon cruise enjoyed a very acitve pod off Haycock Point and dolphins were riding on the bow during the homeward leg of the journey.

 

Tuesday October 30, 2007
Tuesday, 30 October True Blue took her passengers out today in perfect conditions. A mother and calf were sighted just after leaving the wharf. Another pod joined them swimming slowly south. The calf was rather playful and stopped to check us out swimming around the boat. Spy hopping and tail lobbing exciting the passengers onboard. The afternoon cruise sighted another 7 whales in total with pods of dolphins riding on the bow of the boat for more than half an hour.

 

Monday October 29, 2007
Monday 29th October Shortly after Cat Balou departed on their whale watching trip today a mother & calf were spotted 800 metres off The Lookout. The calf spent a lot of time on the surface rollong about and a couple of spy hops. South of South Head another pod was spotted very close to shore, but were hard to track in the easterly swell. Near North Head more whales were found and this was a mother, calf & escort which Cat Balou followed to South Head. The escort gave a few pec slaps. Just inside South Head another mother & calf were sighted heading around the point. Seals were also sighted along with quite a few Shearwaters and Albatross.

 

Sunday October 28, 2007
Sunday 28 October, A mother and calf were spotted shortly after Merimbula Marina's True Blue left the wharf this morning, another pod of 2 humpbacks were sighted east of Merimbula Bay, breaching, tail slapping having a ball. At the moment there are heaps and heaps of whales coming through. The sub adults & adult whales have been very active, thousands of common dolphins and millions of birds, bait fish and krill. The afternoon cruise sighted a mother and calf off Haystack Rock breaching head lunging and splashing about. This season is continueing to be outstanding and there are still more whales swimming south from their breeding ground in the north.

 

Saturday October 27, 2007
Saturday 27th October A heavy fog blanketed much of the area today but Cat Balou had an excellent morning on the water sighting a mother & calf just inside Twofold Bay and this pair was joined shortly after by another mother & calf. The two pairs moved into the middle of the bay with both calves quite active. Several small Fur Seals frollicked with the whales. After watching them for over an hour Cat Balou headed NE and with clearer conditions found another mother & calf near Leonards Island. The hydrophone was lowered into the water and excellent singing heard. Heading home Common Dolphins & more seals were sighted. The highlight of the morning was perhaps multiple breaches by a mother & calf towards the Chipmill. Heading out on a second trip Cat Balou spotted four different mother/calf pods within Twofold Bay which included a resight of one of the pods seen in the bay on the earlier cruise.

 

Saturday October 27, 2007
Saturday 27 October, Today True Blue and Sea Eagle of Meirmbula Marina took her passengers out in perfect conditions, whales were sighted shortly after leaving the wharf. A pod of 2 humpbacks, then a single whale then another pod of 3, mother, calf and an escort followed the boat for about half an hour. Then we headed out 2 mile east of Merimbula sighting another pod of 4 humpbacks these were very active, breaching right in front of the boat, tail slapping, fluke up dives and lunges. The afternoon cruise was a marine feast, birds, Australian Fur Seals, over 100 dolphins followed the whole time we were cruising. Pods of whales were sighted firstly just over the bar right in the Bay. The specticle this afternoon was proof that it is a whale and marine life paradise off Merimbula.

 

Thursday October 25, 2007
Thursday 25th October There are still plenty of whalesoff the coast at eden with Cat Balou Cruises reporting one of their best seasons ever with whales sighted on every trip so far this season. Today started with the sighting of a mother & calf within Twofold Bay, a very inquisitive pair who mugged Cat Balou. With the boat motors off, the whales approached Cat Balou on a number of occassions, within metres of the boat. Next was a pod of five sub adults just south of South Head, less than 500 metres off the coast. They surfaced frequently with great fluke ups as they made their way south. Also in the same area was a mother & calf. Heading to the NE another mother & calf were sighted. This calf had a damaged fluke which appeared to have been recently bitten by a shark. The PWF Researchers aboard Cat Balou managed to get a good photo of the damaged fluke. The calf appeared to be healthy despite its injuries. Dolphins swam with this pair. Off North Head another three mother/calf pods were seen with one calf breaching.

 

Thursday October 25, 2007
Thursday 25 October, Today True Blue's passengers sighted her first whales just north of Short Point. 5 pods were sighted on the morning trip and 4 pods on the afternoon trip. The hydrophone was lowered into the water and the males were singing their mating songs for appox half an hour. The afternoon cruise sighted another 4 pods during the afternoon. Over 20 whales were sighted during the day.

 

Monday October 22, 2007
Monday 22nd October The whales were a little quiet today but Cat Balou sighted a mother, calf & escort mid bay and followed them to South Head. Two other pods were sighted off the Pinnacles but had long down times. Near North Head another Mother & calf were spotted and the calf gave passengers a couple of breaches and peduncle thrusts whilst the mother showed a distinctive marked fluke as she fluked up several times.

 

Sunday October 21, 2007
Sunday 21st October Cat Balou sighted whales shortly after departing on their cruise today with two mother/calf pods only several hundred metres off the eastern side of The Lookout. Two other mother/calf pods were also sighted inside Twofold Bay with the pods resting. Common Dolphins were also seen near the whales. Several other whale sightings were made during the morning and singing picked up on the hydrophone. The special part of the day was a pod of two inquisitive HUmpbacks which were found east of North Head. They had mugged a small craft and did the same to Cat Balou. Numerous spy hops delighted passengers who were almost able to touch the whales heads as they kept surfacing beside the boat. They would disappear for 5 minutes then resurface and spy hop again. A magical experience. Several mother/calf pods were sighted on a later trip.

 

Tuesday October 16, 2007
True Blue cruised out today in good conditions, the skipper commented that it was back to whale school, the mothers were teaching their calves to breach and after this the passengers witnessed the calves feeding, being warm blooded, air breathing marine mammals they possess mammary glands to suckle their young. Another special whale watching cruise for Merimbula's visitors. No two days are ever the same so come and experience the magic of whale watching. Book now!!

 

Monday October 15, 2007
Today Merimbula Marina's True Blue sighted a total of 10 whales during the morning trip with their first humpbacks swimming south from Tura Beach. At 9.15 a Southern Right whale and her calf were spotted just off Tura also. The humpbacks are known as the acrobats of the sea but its also a thrill to see other varieties of these gentle giants. The sea conditions were flat with no swell, perfect for sighting the blow or spout of the humpback. The afternoon cruise sighting their first pod 2 miles East of Merimbula Bay. 2 sub adults playing and obviously in no hurry, pectoral fin slapping, tail lobbing and a dual breach was sighted in the distance. Plenty of whales reported from our Sydney office still on their way south.

 

Saturday October 13, 2007
It was a cold day on the water but this didn't worry the whales with Cat Balou Cruises out of Eden sighting a number of pods of Humpbacks just off the coast at Eden. About a mile outside Twofold Bay the first whales were spotted a pod of two milling around. Closer to shore another pod was sighted and these three sub adults gave passengers a thrill when they approached Cat Balou, rolling around at close proximity and one female lay on her back with her pectoral fins extended under the boat for several minutes. Another single animal plus a pod of three more were also seen. There was a report of a mother & calf near Leatherjacket Bay and Cat Balou cruised close to the coast south to Bittangabee Bay but failed to find them. On the return trip they were sighted near Saltwater Creek and another mother & calf plus two more pods seen in the area.

 

Friday October 12, 2007
It was a bleak morning as Cat Balou headed out whale watching today with light rain and low visibility, but it cleared before long and passengers were rewarded with a great morning sighting a number number of Humpbacks. The first pod was four adults which stayed with Cat Balou for almost an hour, surprising passengers as they surfaced beside the boat. Pasengers on the back deck witnessed a couple of great spy hops at close range.The hydrophone picked up some singing. More whales were sighted to the east, a pod of two in travel mode. The last pod were active with some peduncle thrusts, tail slapping and a breach. At East Boyd a pod od Bottlenose Dolphins wre spotted with a couple bow riding

 

Thursday October 11, 2007
Merimbula Marina's True Blue took her passengers out on the morning cruise in good conditions, a light breeze emerged mid cruise and this actually increases the whale activity. A mother and calf were sighted 3 miles off Long Point as we followed them the calf performed spectacular breaching and the other humpbacks that had joined the pod were very playful, tail lobbing, and tails throws from these huge creatues is a sight to be seen. Close encounters were witnessed by the afternoon passengers, the wind had increased and the friendly humpbacks were happily rolling on their backs, with 6 Australian Fur Seals coming along to join in and a pod of Common Dolphins. A calf breaching 15 times near the boat was the highlight of the day.

 

Thursday October 11, 2007
Heading out from Eden today Cat Balou picked up a pod of Common Dolphins in Twofold Bay and also sighted several seals rafted on the surface. The first whales sighted were a mother, calf & escort. Four other pods were sighted throughout the cruise and it was the first time for several weeks that no feeding was observed although the water was thick with plankton. Most whales were large adults and one took everyone by surprise as it breached at cloase range in front of Cat Balou. The whales were heard clearly singing when the hydrophone was lowered into the ocean.

 

Wednesday October 10, 2007
Plenty of whales were sighted by Cat Balou today with most pods of hungry Humpbacks again seen feeding. Most sightings were just north of Eden. The whales provided good viewing with many close encounters as they lunged around Cat Balou with their massive mouths open showing their baleen & palate. A spy hop, pec slaps and several breaches were seen. Excellent singing was heard through the hydrophone.

 

Tuesday October 9, 2007
The whale season seems to be getting better & better! Cat Balou from Eden report seeing pods of whales everywhere just east of Eden. Most pods were feeding. It appers that the same whales are staying in the area whilst the food is around and not continuing with their southern migration. Again singing was picked up on the hydrophone. The morning trip finished with one humpback giving a magnificent pec slapping display as it lay on its back close to Cat Balou, while another vied for the attention of passengers by tail slapping. A second trip saw a mother & calf right in Twofold Bay. After watching them, Cat Balou decided to head to where the whales were earlier. With a freshening SE wind the whales went crazy, breaching and tail slapping. Heading home a juvenille was sighted near the heads and it gave one of the most amazing displays of tail and peduncle slapping that Ros & Gordon (owner/operators) of Cat Balou Cruises for the past 20 years have witnessed. Only metres from the boat it continued this spectacular display for 20 minutes. The third trip which was a bay cruises saw the mother & calf seen earlier still in Twofold Bay towards the chipmill with both in a playful mood.

 

Monday October 8, 2007
Another great day on the water and Edens' Cat Balou sighted a number of whales throughout the day. The first whals seen were a mother & calf slowly moving south, just outside Twofold Bay. More whales were sighted to the north and several pods affilliated and gave another wonderful display of lunge feeding, right beside Cat Balou. A sub adult delighted passengers with an energetic tail slapping display for about 20 minutes. Another whale joined up with this Humpback. Singing was heard on the hydrophone. During the trip a large pod of Common dolphins were sighted. An afternoon coach group from Avoca Beach also received a bonus sighting a pod of Humpbacks.

 

Monday October 8, 2007
Merimbula Marina's skipper John remarked that the cruise today was just "amazing", Everywhere True Blue turned there were whales, lunge feeding, mothers and calves with over 50 whales sighted on the morning cruise. 30 bottle nosed dolphins came to join in the feeding frenzy and the sea birds were out today as well. Gannets & Albatross fed on the bait balls. The afternoon cruise went out in perfect conditions sighting 100's of dolphins playing with the humpbacks that were feeding on the large bait balls. "It is the season that I've witnessed" remarked John. Cruises run until end of November don't delay book today.

 

Sunday October 7, 2007
Weather conditions were much better today and Cat Balou report seeing a number of pods of whales today. The first sighting was a single animal which appeared to be looking for food and later began feeding. To the north an active whale could be seen breaching and Cat Balou headed to it. It put on the best display of breaching seen this season, whilst slowly swimming south. It breached over 30 times giving passengers plenty of photo opportunities. Later a yearling was seen and later two adults joined up with it. They surprised passengers with a few close encounters and several spy hops right beside Cat Balou. Another single Humpback was seen heading north towards a pod off The Pinnacles.

 

Friday October 5, 2007
The morning cruise saw 5 humpback whales lunge feeding and the passengers experiencing close encounters only 3 miles off Short Point. The weather was perfect for cruising and the afternoon cruise saw True Blue's passengers witness a pod of whales lunge feeding whilst following the vessel for nearly 2 hours.

 

Thursday October 4, 2007
Today True Blue took her passengers out in much more stable conditions, 13 humpback whales were sighted within metres of the vessel lunge feeding. Breaching whales were sighted further out and 100 common dolphins and Australian Fur Seals joined in the feeding frenzy. The afternoon cruise sighted 2 pods feeding and an active sub adult continuously pectoral slapping for over 15 mins. Amazing sights. Join our cruise to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures.

 

Thursday October 4, 2007
Cat Balou started today cruise sighting a Southern Right whale only a couple of hundred mertres off Edens' Aslings Beach. At first it was thought it may be the whale sighted earlier in the week north of Tathra, entangled in rope, however after a close look it appeared to be okay. Many pods of humpbacks were sighted throughot the morning cruise, all pods feeding. Common Dolphins were frollicking with one pod of whales. The second cruise also saw many Humpbacks seen off the coast at Eden and the weather conditions were perfect. Not as much feedinfg as seen on the earlier trip, but some peduncle slaps and great flukes were seen, along with many close encounters as the whales mugged Cat Balou. Later in the afternoon many shore based whale watches were excited to see the Southern Right whale very close to Aslings Beach giving a good pec slapping display. Good news about the entangled Southern Right with a report that it was freed of the ropes near Tathra.

 

Wednesday October 3, 2007
Cat Balou picked up a pod of Common Dolphins as they headed across Twofold Bay. With a freshening NE wind the swell picked up but Cat Balou was directed to a pod of whales by their shore based spotter. As Cat Balou approached they were tail slapping. It was a mother & baby Humpback. The calf was active and a number of breaches seen. After watching them for an hour Cat Balou headed into the sheltered area of Twofold Bay and three Australian Fur Seals were spotted on the Naval wharf in East Boyd.

 

Tuesday October 2, 2007
Cat Balou headed out three times today and each trip sighted whales. Excellent feeding took place by the hungry Humpbacks on the first trip with several pods sighted not far outside Twofold Bay. Heading to more whales the crew and passengers were amazed to see two Blue Whales! It apperaed to be a mother & calf which surfaced at regular intervals. It has been several years since Cat Balou sighted Blues, the largest creature in the world. Heading out on the 2nd trip more hungry humpbacks were found as well as some tail slapping whales. Two coach groups on a Twofold Bay Discovery Cruises also received a bonus. After sighting Bottlenose Dolphins as they departed the Eden Wharf, one adult Humpback was sighted just outside south head and gave a magnificent fluke up.

 

Monday October 1, 2007
Heading out from eden, Cat Balou sighted a pod of Common Dolphins and quite a few seals. Around from South Head the first whale was sighted a juvenile Humpback which took a fancy to Cat Balou and swam right beside the boat many times. Later in the morning a pod of three were found east of The Pinnacles. As has been the case on most trips this years they gave a brilliant display of lateral lunge feeding and also several breaches. One of the whales delighted passengers with an active pec slapping display.

 

Thursday September 27, 2007
True Blue's passengers sighted 2 pods of breaching whales just north of Merimbula today. What an amazing site to see these graceful giants propell their bodies out of the water again and again bringing the excited passengers to screams of delight. Another pod were sighted feeding on the krill for a short time. The afternoon cruise sighted a total of 5 whales and were thrilled with a half breach from an active sub adult.

 

Thursday September 27, 2007
Conditions on the water today were not as good as they have been with an easterly swell prevailing. Cat Balou headed east of Eden and about 3 miles east of South Head spotted their first whales, 2 sub adults. After watching them for half an hour they headed to another pod just to the east. These were three sub adults and good whales to watch with some great feeding, fluke ups and generally mugging the boat. More pods were also seen a little further out. At one stage Common Dolphins joined in with the whales. Finishing the cruise with a tour of Twofold Bay, three Australian Fur Seals were seen sunning themselves on the Naval wharf in East Boyd. A number of Albatross were sighted during the morning.

 

Wednesday September 26, 2007
The Humpback highway was extremely busy today with Cat Balou sighting numerous pods between Eden and The Pinnacles. In excess of 50 whales were sighted and all pods were feeding. When the whales feed they seem unaware that there is a boat there and they were lunging all around Cat Balou . One whale gave an active display of tail slapping and a few spy hops were also seen. Earlier in the day Common Dolphins frollicked in the bow waves as Cat Balou headed out of Twofold Bay.

 

Tuesday September 25, 2007
Cat Balou had a busy day on the water with three coach groups. Although not on whale watching cruises, each group received an added bonus sighting whales just outside Twofold Bay at Eden. Perfect conditions prevailed and there were numbrous pods in the area. Each trip provided spectacular sightings of many Humpbacks with close encounters and lateral lunge feeding. The owner/operators of Cat Balou Cruises, Ros & Gordon say that the start to this season has been the best since they began whale watching cruises at Eden in 1990.

 

Monday September 24, 2007
Today rated as one of the best days whale watching that Cat Balou Cruises has experienced in the last 18 years of whale watching! The first whales were a pod of 5 adults Humpbacks spotted about 6 miles SE of Eden. These were travelling south and gave some good fluke ups. Other whales were seen to the south so Cat Balou decided to have a look at these whales. In total there were over 20 whales in the area and passengers were treated to a spectuclar display of close encounters & spy hopping. The skipper turned of the motors and the whales swam under and beside Cat Balou, so close that passengers could almost touch them!

 

Sunday September 23, 2007
Another great morning whale watching for passengers aboard Cat Balou with a number of pods sighted east of Saltwater. The first whale was a juvenille Humpback who apperared to be searching for food. Just to the east another two sub adults were spotted with one giving a spectacular unanounced breach at close range beside Cat Balou. Another juvenille gave a spectacular display of tail slapping and another pod of three were lateral lunge feeding and a spy hop. Common Dolphins were also sighted near the whales as well as an Australian Fur Seal. Many Albatross and Shearwaters were seen.

 

Sunday September 23, 2007
Whales Whales Whales everywhere, the official start to the whale watching season in Merimbula was without a doubt spectacular. Merimbula Marina's True Blue to her passengers out in perfect cruising conditions. 20 humpback whales were sighted this morning in pods of 3 and 4. These humpbacks were rather active exciting the passengers as their camera's were clicking. Breaching, tail slapping, pectoral fins waving, being very inquisitive they even popped their heads up right next to the boat (spy hopping) to get a "whales eye view". The afternoon cruise were also treated to a spectacular display by these magnificent creatures as they propell 40 tonnes of flesh right out of the water (breaching).

 

Saturday September 22, 2007
Today Cat Balou had sighted whales from shore before leaving on thir cruise and were with a pod of six Humpbacks within half an hour of leaving the Eden Wharf. The whales were going around in circles doing some feeding. After watching wthem for ove an hour Cat Balou headed south to Saltwater but didn't sight any more. Returning to the original position the same pod were resighted, again feeding and then mugging Cat Balou. With the motors off the whales swam under and beside the boat, then gave a number of spy hops at close range delighting passengers.

 

Saturday September 22, 2007
Merimbula Marina's True Blue took her passengers out in pleasant sea conditions , sighting 2 breaching whales 5 miles east of Merimbula. The inquisitive whales came over to the boat to check us out. A group of Australian Fur Seals were also eager to get in on the action swimming close to the boat. Another 4 humpbacks were sighted breaching further out. It is a great start to the season and we will run tours until late November. Remember to to book early to aviod disappointment.

 

Friday September 21, 2007
"The whales are back", said the skipper of Merimbula Marina's (www.merimbulamarina.com) Sea Eagle, who took a group out today in good cruising conditions. Amazing views of lunge feeding from 15 humpback whales at various times throughout the cruise. The first whales were sighted only 3 mile off Merimbula's Long Point. The passengers were treated to "close encounters" with a few coming over (mugging) the boat. They are very inquisitive creatures. The resident Bottle Nosed Dolphins and Australian Fur Seals were keen to join the fun coming over to check us out as well. The Gannets and a Black Browed Albatross were sighted as well.

 

Friday September 21, 2007
Cat Balou had another successful whale watching cruise this afternoon sighting several pods of Humpbacks a couple of miles outsude Twofold Bay. Most pods did a bit of feeding and circled the boat at close range.

 

Wednesday September 19, 2007
Another great day sighting whales off the coast at Eden. About 7 miles east of Eden, 'Cat Balou' encountered a pod of three active Humpbacks. There were a number of other pods around and at times the whales affilliated. A highlight was an excellent display of lateral lunge feeding and some energetic peduncle thrusts. Common & Bottlenose dolphins and a couple of seals were also seen.

 

Tuesday September 18, 2007
A great morning on the water and Cat Balou Cruises sighted three friendly Humpback whales about a mile outside Twofold Bay today. This was an added bonus for a coach group who were on one of the Twofold Bay Discovery Cruises. Other pods were also in the general area. Another coach group aboard an afternoon also sighted a small Humpback along with seals and dolphins.

 

Sunday September 16, 2007
With perfect conditions on the water today, Cat Balou departed on a whale watching cruise. Heading across Twofold Bay a large pod of Common Dolphins and several Australian Fur Seals were sighted. Just outside South Head, Eden the first whales were spotted, two adults heading north. After fluking up they disappeared, so Cat Balou headed south to where whales had been sighted by a fisherman. This turned out to be a pod of 2 and a pod of 4 which had long down times. A little furter to the SE more whales could be seen and these put on an amazing display of lateral lunge feeding as they swam around the boat. More whales joined the group, all in a feeding frenzy. At one stage one of the whales swam under Cat Balou and lay beside the vessel for about a minute.

 

Wednesday September 12, 2007
Cat Balou Cruises had another spectacular day with a number of pods sighted 6 miles east of Eden. A Southern Right was spotted in Twofold Bay from shore, but this whales wasn't seen during the cruise. Many Common Dolphins escorted Cat Balou across Twofold Bay and it wasn't long before whales were sighted. About 10 Humpbacks performed a number of breaches, head lunges and pec slapping and more dolphins joined in, playing with the whales. Topping off an exciting but chilly trip, seals and Bottlenose dolphins were sighted on the trip back to Eden.

 

Sunday September 9, 2007
Cat Balou Cruises did their first whale search for 2007 today and what a fantastic start to the season it was! About 4 miles east of Salt Water Creek several pods of Humpbacks were sighted. A pod of two sub adults put on an amazing display of spy hopping, slowly raising their heads out of the water and eyeballing passengers, almost touching the boat a number of times. They mugged Cat Balou for about an hour. More whales could be seen to the east and one put on an active display of tail slapping. Quite a few Albatross were seen and at the end of the trip about 15 Bottlenose Dolphins were seen at Aslings Beach, Eden.

 

Friday August 31, 2007
Quite a few pods of whales were sighted from shore this morning several miles outside Twofold Bay.

 

Thursday August 30, 2007
It was an exciting morning for passengers aboard Cat Balou as they rounded The Lookout Point at Eden on their Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise and sighted two Humpback Whales. This turned out to be a mother and young calf - very unusual to see so early in the season. They were just slowly cruising around Calle Calle Bay.

 

Tuesday August 21, 2007
Cat Balou passengers again saw a whale - a very early start to the season. A single sub adult Humpback was sighted to the east of Eden and delighted passengers with some close encounters as it lunged around Cat Balou as it fed. Very few people have the priviledge of seeing inside a whales mouth and Eden is one of the few places in the world this can be experienced.

 

Monday August 20, 2007
Today Cat Balou encountered two Dwarf Minke Whales whilst they were cruising around Twofold Bay. The first sighting was between North & South Head and the second whale near the woodchip mill.
Bottlenose dolphins were also sighted during the AM & PM cruises.
A number of whales could be seen from shore outside the bay early in the day.

 

Sunday August 19, 2007
Passengers aboard Cat Balou today were thrilled to see three pods of Humpback Whales, a total of 7 sub adults, spotted about a mile outside Twofold Bay. All pods were doing a bit of lateral lunge feeding. This is an early start to the whale season as whales are not generally seen until September. Keep watching this site for the whales sighted by Cat Balou. Bookings are advised for the whale season - Ph 0427 260 489

 

Thursday August 16, 2007
Four whales have been spotted in the area over the last week and three have been visible from land.
Ros Butt of Cat Balou Cruises said that one was spotted while cruising near South Head last week but the season is a little early yet.
"We presume that they are humpbacks rather than Southern Rights which we also get during the season", she said.
"We will get the sub-adults (teenagers) first before the mothers and their calves head in closer to the bay in mid to late October through to November

 

Thursday May 3, 2007
Passengers cruising aboard Cat Balou on a Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise today were surprised to see a whale inside Twofold Bay. It was sighted just inside South Head and believed to be a Blue Whale. Cat Balou plan to do some offshore cruises during June & July, venturing off the coast at Eden, hoping to see some Humpback Whales on their northern migration as well as other marine sealife. Contact Cat Balou Cruises for more information on these trips.

 

Whale Watching Reports September - November

Whale Watching Reports May - August

Whale Watching Reports November

Whale Watching Reports October 2009

Whale Watching Reports September 2009

Whale Sighting Reports Past

 

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