"You just have to be persistent" is Robert Gardini's advice when it comes to snapping photos of whales as they migrate through the Port's waters.
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Mr Gardini, who lives in Sydney, is a regular on the Port's whale watching cruises and last weekend he was rewarded for his efforts with some photos of very active humpback whales.
"I went out on the Saturday afternoon with Imagine and there wasn't much activity but I went out again on Sunday afternoon and they [whales] were a lot more active," he said.
"We had two or three breaching whales, some good tail and fluke shows, all in some really nice afternoon light.
"While I have photographed whales from the Antarctica to the Kimberleys, I was stunned by the majesty of this humpback whale coming directly at me on Sunday off Port Stephens."
Mr Gardini, who has had a holiday home in Corlette for up to 15 years, has been an avid amateur photographer since he was young.
He said he heads out on whale watching cruises almost every year to take photos of the migrating humpbacks.
"The great thing about this time of year in Port Stephens is that the whales are so close," he said. "Seeing the reaction of people on board when a whale breaches is special. They're amazing creatures.
"It really is a privileged to see able to see them and hear them. Their breathing and interaction with other whales is also really special."
The whale watching season is in full swing with cruise operators reporting frequent sightings of the creatures around Port Stephens and sharing images to social media of humpback whales impressing passengers with close encounters, breaching and tail slapping.
About 35,000 humpback whales are expected to pass Port Stephens during the 2019 migration, a significant increase from the 300 that is believed to have inhabited Australia's waters about 20 years ago.
Residents and visitors to Port Stephens can learn more about whales and the annual migration during the Whale Tales events in Boat Harbour and Fingal Bay this month.
Dedicated whale watcher and marine naturalist Jeannie Lawson will present Whale Tales between 10.30am and 2.30pm near the cairn rock memorial in Boat Harbour (at the southern end of the headland) on Saturday, July 13 then at the viewing platform in Barry Park, Fingal Bay on Sunday, July 21.
As part of the free annual event supported by Port Stephens Council, Ms Lawson shares stories about the majestic creatures at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm and helps people learn how to spot whales from land.
