Humpback Whale

[Ausmosis]

These shots don't really do any justice to what I saw last Saturday just off the coast of Daydream Island. I was about 10 to 15 metres away from a couple of humpback whales (mother and calf). When we got too close the mother turned towards us and basically warned us not to get any closer to her calf. Needless to say I shat my pants and hit full throttle on the boat I hired and got out of their way. Let me just say this... Seeing these animals as close as I did and in the wild was truly magical and I couldn't believe how lucky I was that they just turned up. :)

#1 (this is mother turning towards us and warning not to get closer)
http://users.on.net/~falcidi/humpbackwhale01_frame d.jpg

#2
http://users.on.net/~falcidi/humpbackwhale02.jpg

#3
http://users.on.net/~falcidi/humpbackwhale03_frame d.jpg

#4
http://users.on.net/~falcidi/humpbackwhale04.jpg

[piglit]

oh gawd, a maternally protective humpback whale would be a worrying animal to be faced with ! lucky for us you stuck around and got some shots :) nice photos Ausmosis

[orsum]

lol geeze Ausmosis, none of us got invited to your holiday then you tease us with these great shots :p hehe j/k

Nice ones it must have been a bit nervewracking being in a small boat near a huge beasty

[Aukiman]

nice photos dude! Its a pity she didnt stick her tail outta the water for you !

Stuff like this makes you think an underwater camera would have been cool, but yeah, if she was being protective that might have been a little hairy :) thanks for sharing these, definitely would rate these as some of the rarer shots to be able to take !!!

I'm liking the way the sun sparkles off the water crests too!

[Ausmosis]

Apparently they were putting on a display (jumping out of the water) at one stage. I was around the other side of the Island when it was happening and by the time I got around with the 25hp motor my boat had, I thought they had gone.... I was lucky I spotted them in the distance by seeing the water spouts so I raced over as quickly as I could. The boat I hired is pictured below. She is tiny and the whale could have flipped us out of the water like a toy lmao!!...

http://users.on.net/~falcidi/hiredboat.jpg

[juniormet]

rofl sounds like a hell of an experience, one to remember :p at least you got some great shots out of it too

[wheelmeister]

incredible shots Ausmosis! well done!

[vertigo]

thats so cool. what an opportunity. Nice 'catch' there lol. great pics