G’day whale lovers,
Most whale watching coastlines are places whales pass by, but the Sapphire Coast is different. Mothers and calves don’t just travel through on their way south, they rest here, nurse here and feed here.
Understanding what a mother has already been through to reach these waters makes every sighting that much more special. So, to help paint the picture, here is the story behind the mothers and their calves moving slowly past Eden, Merimbula and Bermagui right now.
How Long Is a Humpback Whale Pregnant?
Close to a full year, around 11 to 12 months! A mother conceives in the warm tropical waters where humpbacks breed, spends the following year feeding in Antarctica and migrating north again, then gives birth in those same warm waters almost twelve months later.
She will carry a single calf, and most females do this only once every two to three years. It takes that long to rebuild the reserves the effort costs her. Every mother and calf pair you spot off this coast represents a rare and very expensive year in that whale’s life.
How Are Calves Born, and How Do They Grow So Fast?
Humpback calves are born tail-first, which keeps the newborn’s head submerged until the last moment so it cannot try to breathe underwater. The mother then guides it straight to the surface for its first breath.
Newborns are already four to five metres long and close to a tonne. From there the growth is astonishing. Humpback milk runs between 45 and 60 per cent fat (human milk is around 2 per cent) giving it the consistency of yoghurt, which is what stops it dispersing into the ocean. A calf can drink up to 600 litres a day, put on 45 kilograms a day and grow around a metre a month.
Remarkably, the mother does nearly all of this while barely feeding herself, running on blubber reserves built up in Antarctic waters the previous summer.
Why Do Mothers and Calves Whisper?
Adult humpbacks are famous for songs that travel for kilometres. Mothers and calves do the reverse. Researchers have recorded mother and calf pairs using very quiet grunts and squeaks, around 40 decibels softer than a singing whale.
It is deliberate. Loud calls would give their position away to killer whales hunting calves and to male humpbacks looking to escort the mother. Whispering lets the pair keep in contact without broadcasting to the whole ocean, a small, private conversation happening quietly beneath the boat.
What Makes the Sapphire Coast Different for Mothers and Calves?
This is where our coastline earns its reputation. Along much of the east coast, whales are simply commuting. Here, the deep water sits close inshore and the East Australian Current meets cooler southern water, creating a rich, productive marine environment that supports everything from plankton and baitfish up to dolphins, seals and seabirds.
That abundance means humpbacks do not just pass through. Mothers and calves rest in sheltered bays, nurse in calm water and, unusually for the east coast migration, feed here too. For a mother who has been fasting for months while producing hundreds of litres of milk a day, a coastline where she can actually eat is enormously valuable.
For visitors, it means slower, closer, longer encounters, which is a large part of why this is regarded as some of the best whale watching in the country.
Where Are the Best Places to See Them?
You can experience the southern migration from three different points along the coast, and each one offers something distinct.
Eden - Twofold Bay is one of the great whale havens on the east coast, with deep sheltered water where mothers and calves regularly pause to rest and feed. If you are weighing up things to do in Eden this spring, a cruise into the bay is hard to beat, and the town’s whaling history at the Eden Killer Whale Museum makes for a natural pairing on the same day.
Merimbula - Quick access to the open ocean means less time travelling and more time watching. Among the many things to do in Merimbula, heading offshore during the southern migration gives you a perspective on the coastline you simply cannot get from the headlands.
Bermagui - Rocky headlands, deep blue water close to shore and an exceptional diversity of marine life. A beautiful departure point for anyone who wants their whale watching wrapped up in a smaller coastal town.
Come and See for Yourself
A mother and calf resting in Twofold Bay have crossed thousands of kilometres of ocean to be there, and she has done it without a proper meal for months. Once you know that, watching the pair drift quietly past the boat becomes something you remember for a long time.
The season runs through to November and the calves are out there now. We would love to share it with you.
From the deck,
Captain Simon
