Species seen today: humpback whale, white-beaked dolphin, minke whale, harbour porpoise

The weather within the city was fantastic this morning but a dense fog sat upon the bay during the 10am tour. Although the visibility was heavily reduced we were still able to ensure all passengers left with the memory of a humpback whale fluke close to our boat. After arriving in an area with a small number of boats already congregated, we sat patiently awaiting for the sound of the whales powerful blow which luckily occurred within 10 to 15 metres from our location. We watched the whale gently move through the surreal setting, enshrouded in fog very peacefully, lifting the fluke when diving. We were able to see three complete surface sequences before moving out of the fog to find harbour porpoises. The afternoon brought much finer conditions as the fog dissipated, leaving blue skies and flat seas. All four species were seen, beginning with the humpback whale exhibiting the calm behaviours. Next we moved deeper into the bay and encountered 4 acrobatic white-beaked dolphins. The dolphins were leaping clear of the water, showing their full size and power and soon began to approach us as their curiousity took hold. After they decided to leave, we started to see multiple minke whales in all directions. Lastly, we returned to the humpback whale to see its beautiful fluke one last time.