The blow from a Humpback Whale creates a rainbow against the mountains
beyond.
Highlights
of previous
trips
The Sapphire Coast has been chosen by Tourism Australia as one of the
country's superlative landscape areas and it is easy to see why. The
landscape is breath-taking but just offshore, there is just as much to
see.
It is an amazingly rich marine environment where warm water
from the
Coral Sea sweeps towards New Zealand, dragging nutrients from the deep.
It is one of the few places in Australia where mighty Humpback Whales
feed. In the past, we have seen:
More
than 10 species
of whales and dolphins;
Abundant Humpback Whales;
Regular
encounters
with Killer
Whales,
descendants of the infamous 'Killers of Eden';
Minke
Whales, Bryde's Whales
and
very occasionally, Blue
Whale;
Large
foraging groups
of Sperm
Whales;
Common
Dolphins, Risso's
Dolphins, False and Pygmy Killer Whales;
Leatherback
Turtle;
and
Countless
Albatrosses.
The
video to
the left is an extract from:
"See our Seas, What Makes the
Sapphire Coast Special",
a film by Peter Constable for the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery
Centre. Incorporating footage from Marine
Boy Productions
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Humpback
Whales are abundant at this time of year, heading south in their
thousands, to feed in plankton-rich Antarctic waters. This youngster,
covered in barnacles, approached us for a better look.
Your
Guides
Dave Donnelly is
an accomplished diver, often helping film crews around some of the most
dangerous sharks. He
was also the focus of
the wildlife documentary Ocean Zoo and a has a passion and knowledge of
whales and dolphins.
Simon Mustoe
is a
marine wildlife guide, writer and advisor to conservation
groups, governments and industry. He is a passionate photographer with
a particular love of marine mammals and seabirds.
Join us on a relaxing and spectacular six-day cruise from Sydney to
Eden with Sea Eagle Sailing Charters. We're going to take it easy so
there is plenty of time to venture
out across the continental shelf into deep water, where
any one of a dozen or more whales and dolphins lurk. We’ll
use
sophisticated underwater hydrophones to listen for them at night.
During the day we’ll be searching for strange and unheard-of
animals, like Risso’s Dolphins and the seemingly voracious
Pygmy
Killers! If the weather worsens, we can anchor close to coast, go
kayaking, snorkelling and just enjoy all that the Sapphire Coast has to
offer.
There’ll be
plenty of chance to get photos and video of
bow-riding dolphins, migrating Humpback Whales and, as we get up close
and personal with some of the largest seabirds in the world, the Great
Albatrosses of the Southern Ocean. Data
we gather on this trip will contribute to the Sapphire Coast Marine
Discovery Centre.
Sun
25 Oct - Sat
31
Oct
6 days
Leg
1
Sydney
- Eden
$2,950.00
Sun
1 Nov - Wed 4
Nov
4 days
Leg
2
Eden
- Hobart*
$1,850.00
All prices are per
person, twin share. Terms and
conditions apply.
*Crossing Bass Strait can be
arduous and this trip is only recommended for the hardened
yachtie! Note, only three passenger spaces are available on this leg. SEE ABOVE FOR BOOKINGS.
Sperm
Whales
and the East Australian Current
Map of
proposed cruise
routes (zoom for more detail)
Sperm
Whales were
present off Eden and Merimbula for several weeks between 23 April and 2
May 2005 but also occur at other times of the year. The animation
(right) shows their movements in relation to a large warm-core eddy of
the East Australian Current (EAC).
The EAC is responsible for the rich waters off this coast and promotes
upwelling (green areas) just off Eden.
The movement of sperm whales over this period is in a generally
southern direction and appears to be guided in part by the southern
edge of the warm water front which almost reached Green Cape by the
beginning of May.
