Mark June 24 in your diary as ORRCA’s annual whale census is on again.
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With a stream of whales already passing the Port Stephens coastline, ORRCA is encouraging people to register to take part in this year’s count.
Leesa Pratt, vice president of ORRCA said the count is all about getting the community passionate about whales and other sea animals.
“We have been doing the annual whale count since 2000 and it is fantastic to see the numbers of whales counted each year increase,” she said.
“The census day is a social research day where we would love communities right up and down the coast to come out and spend some time looking for whales. And depending on where people are on the coast, they may even see some other animals.”
Also read: Whales give Port porpoise during winter
Ms Pratt said this year the whale season had started early, but the census day should still see record numbers of whales recorded.
“Each year more and more whales are counted and we are proud that more and more people take part in the count,” she said.
“We have had people report whales regularly since the start of April... so we are looking forward to the whale census this year.”
She said the day itself is aimed at being family friendly with many sites having a number of people turn up to count the whales.
“Lots of people make a day out of the counting, bringing chairs or rugs and binoculars and spend the day on the headland or at the beach looking for whales,” she said.
“You do not need to be a professional to be part of the census, just register with us and we will send you some information about what we are looking for and give you a sheet to fill in as you see the whales – it is that simple.”
Also read: Free whale talk at Boat Harbour on June 24
Ms Pratt said the best way to spot a whale is by looking for three things, spray, colour and the big animals themselves.
“If a whale is jumping out of the water obviously they will be easy to see, but otherwise look for the spray from their blowhole or the black colour in the water.”
About 30,000 humpbacks are expected to pass Port Stephens during the 2018 migration, a significant increase from the 300 that is believed to have inhabited Australia’s waters about 20 years ago.
The whale watching season in Port Stephens runs from May to August when humpbacks migrate north to their calving ground in the South Pacific region.
The southern migration takes place from August to mid-November when mothers and newborn calves make their way back down to the feeding grounds in Antarctica.
How to join ORRCA’s 2018 whale census
The census is organised by ORRCA and relies on volunteers to get outdoors and record how many whales are spotted. This data is used to help understand more about whale populations and their migration along the NSW coast.
No skills or experience is required. Simply pick your favourite headland and call (02 9415 3333) or email (orrca@orrca.org.au) the hotline to register your location.
Download and print the sighting log from the ORRCA website. Click here to go directly to the sighting log sheet.
Then on the day, pack a picnic and your supplies – binoculars, camera, a pen/pencil for recording details, a chair/rug to sit on, warm waterproof clothes – and off you go and enjoy the sights that unfold in the whale migration.
At the end of the day, report your sightings to ORRCA and email your log sheet in.
Whale watching vantage points in Port Stephens
There are a number of land-based spots across the Tomaree Peninsula where residents and visitors to the area can see whales pass the coast, including:
- The Tomaree Head Summit Walk, which is considered one of the top 10 panoramic views in Australia.
- The Port’s beaches and foreshores also offer good whale-watching, especially from Boat Harbour (accessed from Iluka Reserve), Anna Bay and Fisherman's Bay.
- Barry Park in Fingal Bay. This park has a dedicated whale watching platform.
- If you're on a quad bike tour on the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, you could be lucky enough to sight passing whales right from the beach.