The 2019 whale watching season has been amazing so far. You can just look through the photos to see why.
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The mammals are moving through the Port's waters in droves and are not being shy about it.
Cruise operators and landlubbers are reporting multiple sightings and sharing plenty of photos of whales putting on quite the show by breaching, slapping or 'lobbing' their tails and flashing their pecs.
A whale breach right in front of a Moonshadow-TQC cruise on June 3:
Share your 2019 whale watching pictures with the Examiner. Send them to portstephens@fairfaxmedia.com.au or via the Port Stephens Examiner Facebook page.
ALSO READ: Port's a quality spot for whale tales
An estimated 35,000 whales, mainly humpbacks, are expected to pass along the Port's coast during the migration between May and November.
From mid-May to August the whales 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.
Port Stephens is one of the prime locations on the east coast to see whales in action, either from the water or land, making the creatures an important driver of visitation, particularly in the cooler months, to the region.
The Port's two cruise companies, Moonshadow-TQC and Imagine, are expected to host between 40,000 and 50,000 people on cruises during the season.
As whales become more active in the Port's waters, skippers are being reminded of the laws surrounding sea creatures and boat distances.