In Sydney, Australia, this month witnessed a rare phenomenon of “traffic jam at sea” in the waters of Port Stephens. A commuter ferry was delayed due to a group of humpback whales occupying the waterway. The sight of these immense creatures surfacing from the sea delighted commuters aboard the ferry, standing witness as these whales appeared to make eye contact with the onlookers.
Humpback whales are a species of medium to large baleen whale known for their spectacular breaching behaviors and melodic “whale songs,” making them one of the most identifiable and beloved whale species.
During the months of June and July each year, the renowned “Humpback Highway” along the east coast of Australia comes alive. Around 40,000 humpback whales migrate from the frigid feeding grounds in Antarctica northwards to the tropical breeding grounds off the coast of Queensland, creating a magnificent ecological spectacle.
“It was almost whales rubbing shoulders with whales,” described Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University in Sydney and author of the book “Humpback Highway.” During the peak migration season, Sydney becomes one of the few cities globally where people can witness the breathtaking spectacle of whales leaping out of the ocean while going for a morning run, grabbing a coffee, or waiting for the bus.
“They are very curious,” Pirotta explained. “This year, there were even instances where whales swam directly into Sydney Harbour, causing a complete halt to maritime traffic.”
With adults reaching lengths of up to 16 to 17 meters and weighing around 40 tons, humpback whales are truly colossal beings. During migration, they often move through nearshore waters, allowing people to observe their magnificent forms up close.
This journey from the cold Antarctic waters to the warm seas spanning over 10,000 kilometers is one of the longest migration routes for any mammal on Earth. Consequently, this area becomes one of the world’s few locations where whales can be seen up close amidst urban surroundings, almost brushing shoulders with human habitats.
Australians are no strangers to these marine giants. Some whales have even become “celebrities,” such as the albino whale “Migaloo,” a frequent visitor from 1991 to 2020, and “Blade Runner,” bearing scars from boat propellers, both beloved by whale enthusiasts.
Whale watching captain Ben Armstrong reminisced about encounters where whales approached the boat willingly when the vessel slowed down in the early morning. He urged passengers to put down their phones and fully experience the miracle of nature.
Despite regulations requiring vessels to maintain a distance from whales, humpback whales appear unconcerned. Armstrong shared an incident where he let the boat drift for an hour as four to five whales treated the vessel as a toy and deliberately stopped it from moving forward.
Another time, a lone whale approached the boat, staying alongside for 40 minutes and even gently touching the boat with its colossal fin. Armstrong chuckled, saying, “It was as if it was saying, ‘Ah! This is the boat I like!'”
“They make you feel humble,” Armstrong expressed. “You realize that the mysteries of nature are far greater than you can imagine.”
Tourist Vincent Kelly from Geelong, Victoria, shared witnessing six whales leaping out of the water consecutively within just two hours, exclaiming, “I had no expectations, but whales were everywhere!”
The bustling whale watching season today is, in fact, the result of decades of conservation efforts. Humpback whales were once heavily hunted for whale oil and meat, with their numbers dwindling to a few hundred in the Southern Hemisphere. Since being listed as a protected species in 1963, their population has steadily rebounded, estimated to be around 40,000 today.
However, as whale numbers increase, conflicts with human activities are also emerging, including vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing nets. Additionally, warming ocean waters and fluctuations in krill populations may alter their migration routes and breeding behaviors, making whale sightings more unpredictably challenging.
Nevertheless, the appearance of these marine giants continues to fill Australians with pride as they get to witness the marvels of nature up close along their shores.
(Translated and referenced from related reports by The Associated Press)