Whale Moves and Behaviour

 

Humpback whale behaviours


Humpback whales are the stars of the migration spectacle on the NSW South Coast, delighting audiences with their magnificent acrobatic displays of breaching, splashing and diving. Humpback sightings along the Sapphire Coast are at their highest numbers in September and October. Feeding is more often at the beginning of the season in September, with adults and sub-adults, then mothers and calves as the season progresses. 


Wherever you go looking for them, the best time is the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky. It will light up the whale’s ‘blow’ as they surface to breathe and you are likely to get the calmest weather of the day. Dress warmly, pack a snack and get ready for some wildlife.


If you'd like a front row seat to the action, check out our amazing whale watching charters in Eden, Merimbula and Bermagui.


Don't forget to tag us in your photos!

@sapphirecoastnsw #sapphirecoastnsw #sapphirecoastwhaletrail


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, blow, Australia

    Eden

    Blow

    Button


BLOW


The quickest way to spot whales and dolphins is to look for their exhalations. They may take a few breaths before lifting their tails to take a deep dive, which can mean they are about to breach. Humpback whales have been known to hold their breath for 45 minutes. A humpback’s lungs are the size of a small car so when they exhale it can reach four metres in the air. Southern right whales make a distinctive V-shaped blow, whereas dolphins have smaller and more frequent blows.


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, breach, breaching

    Eden

    Breach

    Button


BREACH


No one really knows why whales launch so spectacularly from the water but it is known that whales breach more often on windy days. Little calves also love to play and watching them practice their moves with mum is the highlight of any outing.


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, mugging

    Slide title

    Mugging

    Button


MUGGING


Being held up by a whale is not uncommon on the Sapphire Coast. Mugging is when a curious whale or two come to a boat to ‘people watch’, swimming around and under the boat and even raising their heads from the water to look you in the eye. The skipper must switch off the boat’s engine and wait for the whale (or whales) to leave, much to the delight of passengers. A word of warning though, a whale’s breath is very fishy!

  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, spyhop, spyhopping, marine encounter

    Eden

    Spyhopping

    Button


SPYHOPPING


A whale will raise its head and eyes above the water when it wants to take a closer look at something, usually a whale watching boat! So, who is watching who?


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, tail slap, tail slapping, whale tail

    Eden

    Tail slap

    Button


TAIL SLAP


A noise so loud it can wake people from their sleep at night. A whale’s tail slap is an awesome display of strength, thought to be a means of communication, defence or a hunting technique. The whale hangs vertically in the water and beats the surface with its tail, creating loud cracks and dramatic splashes.


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, tail throw, tail throwing, whale tail

    Eden

    Tail throw

    Button


TAIL THROW


More dramatic than a tail slap, thought to be a hunting technique or a defensive show of strength.


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, pec slap, pec slapping, peck slap, pectoral fins

    Eden

    Pec slap

    Button


PEC SLAP


A humpback’s long pectoral fins are excellent clap sticks and it’s a joy to watch them float on their backs and roll from side to side as they slap the surface.


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, logging

    Eden

    Logging

    Button


LOGGING


Whales need to rest just like us, but they also have to consciously breathe and swim. Their solution is to rest one part of their brain while the other half monitors breath and position, usually near the surface.


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, feeding, lunge feeding, krill

    Eden

    Lunge feeding

    Button


LUNGE FEEDING


The most common form of feeding, where whales speed towards a swarm of krill and lunge through it with their mouths wide open. They often do this on their side, giving lucky cruise passengers a rare glimpse inside a whale’s mouth.


  • Whales, Humpback whales, whale watching, behaviour, moves, NSW, migration, south coast, feeding, bubble net feeding, bubblenet, bubble-net

    Eden

    Bubble-net feeding

    Button


BUBBLE-net feeding


A group effort where whales herd schools of prey into a tight formation known as a bait ball. The whales dive deep, making booming noises to frighten the prey to the surface, then as they swim back to the surface in a spiral fashion they blow bubbles, herding their prey into a ball on the surface. As they approach the ‘bait ball’, the whales open their huge mouths to take a big gulp of food.


In 2020, the Sapphire Coast received worldwide attention when a rare super-group of humpback whales used the ‘bubble-net’ method near Merimbula. It was the first of its kind to ever be documented in Australia.

Whale Watching Etiquette

Adventuring without a guide, or flying a drone? There are clear rules to follow to protect both you and the whales while still capturing the magic of the moment. If you plan to use a drone, operate your own vessel or even dive or swim along the Humpback Highway you need to keep a safe distance and not hinder the whale’s path. Drones cannot encroach beyond a horizontal radius of 100m, for boats it is 100m or 300m when a calf is present. Check the official whale watching approach zones here.


To report injured, entangled or stranded whales please contact NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service on (02) 9895 6444 or ORRCA whale and dolphin rescue on (02) 9415 3333 (24 hours hotline).

Share

Walks on the Sapphire Coast, family friendly holiday NSW, walking NSW, national parks NSW
26 Feb, 2024
Autumn is a great time to visit the Sapphire Coast and a great time to walk. Blue skies, fresh breezes and crisp days are the perfect weather recipe for getting outside and getting back to nature. And what better way than taking a walk. Long walks in our national parks, short walks along our lakes and beaches and lots in between.
22 Feb, 2024
Check out upcoming autumn 2024 events, festivals and markets on the NSW Sapphire Coast. Autumn is a time to celebrate with iconic events including Cobargo Folk Festival, SCULPTURE Bermagui, Merimbula EAT Festival, live performances at Four Winds, Merimbula Malibu surf competition and more.
21 Feb, 2024
Explore the mountain biking trails of the NSW Sapphire Coast including Gravity Eden Mountain Bike Park, Tathra mountain bike trails, Bermagui Dirt Surfers Mountain Bike Park and so much more. As well as trails we've got mountain bike hire, tours, shuttle services, MTB-friendly accommodation and so much more.
Things to do on the NSW Sapphire Coast in summer
24 Nov, 2023
Feel the rush of adventure on the Wonderfully Wild Sapphire Coast this summer. Summer invites us to embrace new adventures, from exploring spectacular national parks to discovering new local produce and uncovering arts, culture and history. Check out these amazing new things to do on the Sapphire Coast this summer.
SHOW MORE
Share by: