Review: Sydney Whale Watching Cruise with Lunch
Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Sydney tours and experiences. You can book this cruise here.
Sydney’s Vivid Festival sees the city light up in all the colours of the rainbow.
It also marks the beginning of the annual whale watching season — where Sydneysiders flock to various vantage points to see some of the 30,000 predominantly humpback whales that migrate along Australia’s east coast. There are plenty of good locations onshore from which to spot the whales, but you’ll get a much better view from the deck of a whale watching boat. And today I’m joining Sydney Princess Cruises on their Sydney Whale Watching Cruise with lunch — which includes a BBQ buffet meal in the cruise price. There’s even a guarantee that if the whales don’t play ball (which we’re told by our captain is extremely rare), you’ll get a second cruise free of charge.
Whales have been migrating up and down our coastline for millions of years. And while hunting in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries took its toll, numbers have continued to rebound strongly — making it easier than ever to catch a glimpse of the largest animals on the planet.
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10 Top Things to Do in SYDNEY, Australia in 2024 | Ultimate Travel Guide & To-Do List
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We board the MV Jerry Bailey in bustling Circular Quay and find a sunny spot to sit on the open section of the upper deck. Captain David seems just as excited as we are about what the afternoon might hold, despite having done this trip countless times. He guides the boat away from the wharf as the crew unveils a buffet of grilled meats, crispy potato wedges, and colourful salads. Tea and coffee are provided, and drinks are available for purchase from the licensed bar.
Appetites satisfied, we head back outside to enjoy the sea air and warm winter sunshine. The famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House loom large as David sets a course towards the Harbour Heads. He provides commentary on passing points of interest, and shares some of the history of the Australian whaling industry — which peaked in the first half of the 19th century, and ended completely in the late 1970s.
Swinging around North Head we wave to fisherman braving the jagged water’s edge, before heading out to sea and onto the ‘Humpback Trail’. From May to August this stretch of the Pacific Ocean sees a steady stream of whales heading north to warmer waters to breed. From September through to November they’ll make the long journey back to the Southern Ocean. It’s one of the longest mammal migrations in the world.
Our crew members scan the undulating waves for the jet black fins or grey sheen of a humpback near the surface. The mist of white water sprayed into the air as each whale exhales before diving is also a sure sign of activity. Suddenly, one of the cruise guests shouts out and points almost directly ahead. David smiles and heads in that direction. He skilfully manoeuvres the boat to the safest vantage point and everyone marvels at a trio of humpback whales — each around 15 metres long and weighing more than 35 tonnes.
The engines idle quietly and David keeps the sun behind us to dodge dazzling reflections on the water’s surface. The humpbacks pick up speed, their colossal tail fins propelling them through the water. The surge of our engines hints at their rapid pace. They dive and breach a dozen times, and it almost feels like they’re putting on a show. The ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the audience come thick and fast.
Before each breach, a water spout shoots skyward. The whales’ powerful pectoral fins make echoing slaps against the water, and we catch flashes of their grey and white bellies — each as unique as a fingerprint.
Three hours seem to pass in an instant and David opens the throttle for the journey home. But the show isn’t quite over as it turns out. As we approach North Head, two more whales pass within metres of our boat!
Approaching Circular Quay, we sidle past a cruise ship pulling away from the terminal in front of The Rocks. Holidaymakers wave as their own epic oceanic journey gets underway.
The writer travelled as a guest of Sydney Princess Cruises. You can book this cruise here.
Browse our full range of Sydney tours and experiences here. We offer a Best Price Guarantee.
Cover image: Destination NSW. Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Barry Johnson is a freelance travel writer living in Sydney, but with previous homes in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East. His love of adventure led to getting lost in a Californian forest a week after The Blair Witch Project went viral, building a giant Buddha on a Cambodian mountain, camel racing in an Egyptian desert, and teaching English to Peruvian children as they taught him Quechuan — the language of the Incas.
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