# Humpback Whales



## emydura (Jul 29, 2018)

The family was up at Port Macquarie the week before last to escape the Canberra cold. I was amazed how many whales I could see marching up the coast on their migration from Antartica. It was the first time I had ever seen a whale in the flesh. On one day I saw six different pods and I wasn't even trying. The Humpback Whale numbers are actually growing rapidly. At the end of the 1960's their numbers were down to 200-300 individuals along the coast of Australia. Since the whaling ban, their numbers have increased to currently around 33,000 (close to pre-whaling days). Their population is doubling every seven years - an incredible rate of increase and there is no sign this is declining. 

My daughter and I took a tour out to see them where I snapped these photos.


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## kiwi (Jul 29, 2018)

Wow. You are so lucky to witness something as awesome as that


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## kiwi (Jul 29, 2018)

Great photos by the way


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## troy (Jul 29, 2018)

I thought aussies hated whales


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## Ozpaph (Jul 29, 2018)

troy said:


> I thought aussies hated whales



Only on the 'barbie' (BBQ)


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## Ozpaph (Jul 29, 2018)

Great photos David.
Any tech details?


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## chris20 (Jul 29, 2018)

Awesome. Glad they are increasing.


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## troy (Jul 29, 2018)

Whales are wonderful mammals, they make the same sound as our planetary electromagnetic sound waves in the outer atmosphere, the aussie statement I made was just fecetious...lol..


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## Ozpaph (Jul 29, 2018)

so was mine.........


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## suzyquec (Jul 30, 2018)

Awesome, I love humpbacks. When I was on an Alaska cruise years ago was the only time I have seen them in the wild. Thank you for these wonderful photos!
Suzy


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## NYEric (Jul 30, 2018)

Nice, thanks for sharing. Don't let Trump hear they are coming back or he will make it legal to hunt them!


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## kiwi (Jul 30, 2018)

Fake whales


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## abax (Jul 30, 2018)

Wonderful photos and fandamntastic news that the humpbacks are increasing.
I've only seen whales from a distance and it thrilled me. To get up so close
must have been overwhelming!


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## emydura (Jul 31, 2018)

Ozpaph said:


> Great photos David.
> 
> Any tech details?



I shot with a 200 mm lens. I probably could have done with a bit more reach - maybe 300 mm would have been good. I just set the camera on auto ISO at 1/2000 of a second to freeze the movement. There was a professional photographer and they were using 1/2000 of a second as well. F 6.3. ISO 140. When the whale jumped I just pressed the shutter in continuous mode.


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## Ozpaph (Jul 31, 2018)

thanks.
Always good to get pro tips - very fast shutter


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## Phragper (Jul 31, 2018)

what an awesome experience. Thanks for the photos


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## Tom-DE (Aug 26, 2018)

Awesome photos!


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