Huge Humpbacks, 13Oct12

TR by Doc Dog
Wind: South 15 knots
Swell: Choppy out of the South
Current: Unknown
Launch point: Middle Groyne
Participants: Doc Dog and Eyetag

I went out for a late paddle this morning and met Eyetag as he returned from his early morning sojourn. He was returning fishless, "without so much as a strike", after four hours paddling.

I paddled around the bay to Hells Gates to stay out of the wind which came from the south at 15 knots. This was in excess of the Seabreeze forecast. Along the way I saw two healthy turtles in the bay and a few jelly fish but no bony fishes to speak of.

I then turned north determined to do a trolling run past Jew Shoal in spite of the small southerly swell, 15 knots of breeze and the attendant wind chop. Just 500 metres short of JS, a huge humpback breached directly in front of me, not more than 200 metres in the distance, and headed my way.

I quickly wound my two trolling rigs in and turned to the west.

Fortunately the whales (there were two of them) did not breach again but they did continue to track south passing directly under my previous position before I beat my hasty "exit stage west". I am usually quite relaxed around whales but being on my own with no other craft of any sort in sight I felt I should give way to the leviathans especially in view of their obvious "joie de vie".

I returned to the beach with no further excitement thankful for a pleasant outing and a vigorous paddle.

Sorry no pics.

Cheers,
Mark
aka Doctor Dog