Mikat Whale Watching
Much more than just a whale watch cruise. Whilst Hervey Bay has become recognised as the WHALE WATCH CAPITAL OF THE WORLD with guaranteed daily sightings of the Humpback whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae), generally in lake-like conditions, there is still a choice to be made: "which trip would suit us?"
It is a genuine full day tour, not just a quick trip to see a few whales. Humpback whales are generally very playful animals, but it will take time, skill, experience and patience to see all the behaviour patterns and nothing will be more disappointing than to hear from others "that the whales were great in the morning or afternoon", but you were there just at the wrong time.
Humpback whale's flukeThat's why we leave at 9.00am and the MV MIKAT will take you to the Marine Park in the shortest possible time, allowing you many more hours of whale viewing.
The two walk around decks and the large bow provide great opportunities for every passenger to see, photograph and video and expert commentary will assist to understand the many behaviour patterns, such as tail slapping, spy-hopping, head lunging and breaching. These very large animals (approx 15 metres long and weighing around 45,000kg each!) are also very gentle and inquisitive, often they will come within touching distance to check us out.
Humpback whales also "sing" the most complicated love song of all animals and frequently these songs can be heard through our underwater microphone.
MV MIKAT is a luxury 20 metre catamaran with air-conditioned lounges with comfortable seats and tables. It also has and a selection of whale, dolphin and shark books and educational videos. Morning and afternoon coffee and tea are provided, as well as a superb smorgasbord lunch with fruit juice or a glass of wine, all included in the fare.
Go Here for Rates and more information on Mikat Whale Watching
DEPARTURE TIMES:
Boarding at 8.45am, we depart from our berth at the Sandy Strait Marina at Urangan daily at 9.00am, returning approx. 2.30pm.
Just three and a half hours driving from Brisbane is the city of Hervey Bay, gateway to Fraser Island and now famous as the Whale Watch Capital of the World. A trip amongst the Humpback whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae) is indeed an experience of a lifetime. Imagine the fifth largest of the families of whales on this planet , 15 metres long , 45 tonnes in weight ( an equivalent of 11 elephants or 600 persons) with pectoral fins of 10 metres , leaping almost clear of the water in an awesome display of power.
whaleThey may approach a vessel with incredible gentleness, just to check us humans out, sometimes staying up to an hour.
Whale watching in Hervey Bay is unique.
The waters are protected by Fraser Island, the largest sand Island in the world and with clear sunny days with an average temperature of 22 degrees ensure an entertaining yet educational day, as all vessels offer commentary from experienced crews.
Humpback whales migrate between their feeding grounds of Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef, where they mate and breed. On their return journey they enter Hervey Bay and spend between 3 and 5 days resting or feeding their new born calves, safe from pack-shark attack and Killer Whales, before commencing the 5000 km trek down south.
They will tell you that Humpback whales do not feed whilst on migration (5 months) , but when they do they consume up to 1,500 kg of krill each day , that they can sing without vocal cords and a recording of their song is on board Voyager II, now on a billion year journey to outer space.
The reason for this migration is simple: while their food supply (krill) is in Antarctica, Humpback whales must give birth in warm waters, as the calves are born without blubber, the layer of fat that protects them from the icy waters.
When feeding, a female whale can produce up to 600 litres of milk a day and the calf gains weight at a rate of 45 to 60 kg per day.
But the marine park of Hervey Bay offers more. Together with the Humpbacks arrive hundreds of Bottlenose dolphins, busily leaping in all directions or riding on the bow wave of charter vessels. There are large turtles dugongs and even an occasional Minke whale.
An experience like this will force you to come back each year like the Humpback whales in Hervey Bay.