Sailing with Whales

By Dr Shelley Wright

As the late autumn chill creeps into southeast Australia, cruisers are preparing to head north to the warm waters and balmy temperatures of the Great Barrier Reef coast. At the same time, humpback whales are also beginning their annual migration north from their summer feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean. With increasing numbers of both cruising yachts and whales migrating along the east coast of Australia, encounters are becoming more common.

Humpback whales are perhaps the bestknown whale species cruising yachts are likely to see in Australian waters. Travelling close to the coast on their migration north from Antarctic waters each autumn and winter, the sight of humpbacks breeching is becoming more common as numbers increase. Their gymnastic displays seem at odds with their enormous size and weight – a fully grown humpback whale can weigh more than a fully loaded semi-trailer and even a small calf can weigh two tons.

What to do if you encounter whales

While we all love to get as close as possible to marine mammals, this can cause stress, particularly to mothers with calves. This in turn may place a vessel in danger.

In Australian waters, regulations are in place to minimise the impact of human/cetacean encounters. Coastal waters, out to three miles, fall within the jurisdiction of the relevant state (Qld or NSW), and offshore from three miles is regulated by the Commonwealth. Recently, however, state regulations were amended to provide consistency with Commonwealth marine mammal regulations.

Under these regulations vessels must not approach any closer than 100 metres to an adult whale. If sighting a whale with a calf, vessels must stay 300 metres away.

Personal motorised water craft (for example jet skis) are considered ‘prohibited vessels’ under the various state and commonwealth legislation. Prohibited vessels must stay 300 m from any whale or dolphin.

In addition to these prohibited distances are ‘caution’ zones. This is a restricted area around the mammal, for whales it is a radius of 300 m. No more than three vessels at a time are allowed within a caution zone and vessels must move slowly and create no wake. Within the caution zone for a cetacean (other than a calf) the vessel must operate at a constant slow speed and in a manner that consistently minimises noise. The vessel must not drift closer than 100 m to a whale

If the whale shows signs of being distressed, the vessel must withdraw immediately from the caution zone at a constant slow speed (signs of disturbance include regular changes in direction or speed of swimming, hasty dives, changes in breathing patterns, changes in acoustic behaviour or aggressive behaviour such as tail slashing and trumpet blows).

If a calf approaches a vessel, placing it within the caution zone, the vessel must immediately stop, turn off the engines or disengage the gears, or withdraw from the caution zone at a constant slow speed.

Marine mammals should not be approached from behind or head on but rather from parallel and slightly from the rear. When moving away, vessels should proceed at a slow and constant speed, leaving no wake.

Swimming with cetaceans

As tempting as it may seem, people must not get into the water within 100 metres of a

No-approach zones

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.

For dolphins, the no approach zone surrounds the animal for 50 metres and extends 150 metres in front of and behind the animal.

( http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/help/pdf.html ) whale. If any cetacean comes within 30 metres of a person who is in the water the person must move slowly to avoid startling it and must not touch the cetacean or move towards it

Special interest marine mammals

Under the regulations there are specific rules for ‘special interest marine mammals’ – these animals include a morphological or colour variant marine mammal (such as the white humpback, ‘Migaloo’), a female marine mammal that has recently given or is about to give, birth, a calf separated from a mother of a group of marine mammals, and sick or injured marine mammals. Vessels must not approach within 500 m of special interest marine mammals (including ‘Migaloo’ and any other whale that is more than 90 % white) and jet skis must stay more than 600 m away.

What to do if a cetacean approaches you

Whales also seem just as keen to ‘people watch’ as we are to whale watch and regularly approach vessels. The regulations acknowledge this and state that if a whale (other than a calf) approaches a vessel or comes within the limits mentioned, the person operating the vessel must disengage the vessel’s propulsion and let the whale approach, or reduce the speed of the vessel and continue on a course away from the whale. A prohibited vessel that is being approached by a cetacean must be moved away from the cetacean at a constant slow speed so that the vessel remains at least 300 metres away from the cetacean.

Injured marine mammals

Unfortunately collisions between vessels and whales do occur. Anyone accidentally hitting a cetacean must report it. A more frequent problem is the entanglement of marine mammals in shark nets off popular swimming beaches. In Queensland, sightings of sick, injured or dead marine mammals (and sea turtles) should be reported to the RSPCA Qld on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264625). In NSW, all distressed and injured marine mammals should be reported to ORRCA on their 24 hour rescue hotline 02 94153333.

Enjoy the experience!

At the end of winter and into spring, the whales begin their long journey back to Antarctic waters with their calves. The sight of a young humpback calf practising its breaching next to a patient mother is always cause for delight! Hopefully having already captured some great shots, it’s time for cruisers to put down their cameras and just enjoy the experience.