Ready for a whale of a time

30,000 HUMPBACKS

Stand on the beach in Perth, look west, and, between now and late November, you’ll be looking out at whale soup.

For around 30,000 humpback whales will stream past the city, heading north as they migrate from southern waters to their warmer, northern breeding grounds.

You may spot a whale from the coast, and there are boat trips from Dunsborough with Naturaliste Charters Whale Watching, from Hillarys with Whale Watching Perth and Exmouth via Ningaloo Visitor Centre.

ELECTRIC DREAM

On Ningaloo Reef, Ocean Eco Adventures will soon launch what the team there says is Australia’s first electric sea-going charter vessel.

The new vessel, Wirraji (which is the local Baiyungu word for “storm bird”) over Ningaloo Reef.

It will take small groups and is designed to be whisper-quiet.

The team describes it as a “peaceful and low impact way to discover this pristine environment”.

The ship will have a professional crew and snorkelling equipment: “Wirraji will be the perfect vessel for manta ray swimming and snorkelling tours”.

The new vessel is due to arrive in Coral Bay in coming months.