Rare orcas spotted in bumper season

The annual migration of whales through Geographe Bay is well underway, with this year’s season expected to be among the biggest in recent years.

Dunsborough Coast and Landcare whale monitoring team coordinator Ron Glencross said the whales were starting to come in quickly, with the first one spotted on July 27.

“There are some serious groups coming through in the last week, we spotted about 30 whales in a sixhour period on Monday,” he said.

Mr Glencross said last year’s monitoring saw about 1400 humpback whales come through the bay, an increase on previous years.

“It’s been a great season so farwe’ve seen plenty of humpbacks and some minke whales which we only see a couple times a year,” Legend Charters owner Sandy Jensen said.

Mrs Jensen said they averaged about 12 humpback whale sightings per charter and were expecting more as the mother and calves made their way back south.

Dunsborough Outdoor Sportz employee Dave Cole and local fisherman Brendan Doak spotted a pod of orcas off Cape Naturaliste while fishing last week.

“I’ve worked on charters and on the water for 20 years and this is the first time I’ve ever seen orcas,” Mr Cole told the Times.

He said they were about 15km offshore when they spotted the pod of seven whales travelling north.

Mr Doak said the whales approached the boat a number of times, including a mother and calf.

“I’ve seen a great white, and humpbacks, but never killer whales,” he said.