The Humpback Whales are Migrating at top speed
The Tangalooma Jet struggled to keep up with the fast moving Humpback whales today, with pods travelling north all across the horizon! We saw 16 whales and they certainly didn't want to stop and relax, as they swam very fast (up to 7 knot speeds) without any resting periods, they definitely were craving those warmer tropical waters up north near the Whitsundays!
We even got to witness some bubble trails by one of the Humpback whales. A bubble trail occurs when the submerged whale releases a controlled trail of bubbles from its blowhole, leaving a long stream behind it. This behavior is usually seen in surface-active or competitive groups, acting as a visual screen and making it harder for whales to see underwater. The whale was most likely attempting to send a message out to surrounding whales.
The end of the whale watch cruise also surprised us, as we got to observe the biggest pod of the season so far, with 7 whales travelling together!