Humpback whale season’s started
Humpback Whales’ northern migration has already begun. From now until now until November you could be lucky enough to spot a Humpback Whale along the Queensland coast and if you keep a really keen eye out between July until October you might just see the whales cross the shallow protected waters of Keppel Bay. Humpback whales have already been spotted off Farnborough beach.
They are often seen passing through waters around Pumpkin Island, and the lookout points are great spots for Whale Watching.
Humpback Whales are active during September, take a baby moon and breaching regularly, playing with their young in the waters around Pumpkin Island.
These giant creatures are very powerful and majestic and it’s important that great care is taken so we can make sure they’re protected from injury and happy enough to return to see us year after year. We’ve compiled some facts we’ve found about safe boating around the whales.
To help you help the whales stay safe, we’ve compiled some facts we’ve found about safe boating around the whales.
Boating with whales rules and guidelines:
- The ‘caution’ zone is an area surrounding a whale or dolphin in which boats cannot travel at speeds of more than six knots or speeds that create a wake. The caution zone extends out 300 metres from a whale, and 150 metres for a dolphin.
- Within a caution zone there are areas designated as ‘no approach’ zones that boats cannot enter. These are the areas closest to an animal and directly in front of and behind an animal. For a whale, the no approach zone surrounds the animal for 100 metres and extends 300 metres in front of and behind the animal.
- A boat cannot enter a caution zone if three boats are already present within the caution zone of an animal. If there are boats waiting to enter a caution zone, boats inside the zone should ‘share the water’ by moving away after they have had an opportunity to watch a whale or a dolphin.
- If a whale comes toward your boat so that the boat is within the ‘no approach’ zone, you are required to stop the boat and turn the engines off, disengage the gears, or withdraw to an area outside the no approach zone at a speed not more than six knots that does not create a wake.
- Report any sick, injured or dead marine mammals or marine turtles by contacting the RSPCA Queensland 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625).
- https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/watching/marine-mammals/rules.html
- Jet skis must stay 2,000 metres away when in the vicinity of whales.
- For the protection of the whales, and swimmers, it is advisable to go with a licensed operator if you wish to swim with whales.
- The use of Scuba equipment and artificial light is banned around whales.http://swimmingwithgentlegiants.com/guidelines/