Humpback whales hanging around Port Phillip Bay 

KayakCallan on the pinky trail

Although it was a pretty productive days fishing (for me at least), that isn't the most interesting part of this trip. By day's end, I had 9 Flathead and 3 Squid in my cooler bag - no Snapper for me. I dropped a few fish and returned a bunch of flatties as well. Flatties were all caught on squid (supplied from Scott who bagged out on them the day prior) on a running patternoster rig. Squid were snared on a large pinkish Yozuri jig, and were found nice and close to shore. The Flathead were encountered all over the place and Scott's pinky was bagged about 200 meters directly out from the launch.

So yes, as promised, the fishing was good... but the sightseeing was better. I probably wouldn't have noticed if not for Callan's keen eye, spotting a couple of Humpback whales leaping high into the air and causing huge splashes (that dwarfed the yacht and charter boat that had moved in to investigate). Noting that the whales were about 3 or 4km away from our position, we lost interest in the fishing immediately and instead started pedalling directly to them.

HobieVic hunting down Squid close to shore

I absolutely positively had to get photos, up close and personal, and lots of them. Oh and video footage as well. The humpsters looked to be a long way a way, yet we could make them out quite clearly. At one point I caught the silhouetted profile of the humpbacks head as it exploded from the water and thats when I knew what they were. The shape of the tails rising and splashing back into the water was also a big giveaway.

Unfortunately, after we'd travelled about 2km in their general direction it became apparent that they to had started travelling further towards the west, and we were never able to get close enough for a photo opportunity. We did, however, get close enough to start strapping and clipping everything down. Those whales were leaping high into the water and they were crashing hard - even at such a distance, it truly was an awesome sight to behold. I knew that Callan and I were thinking exactly the same thing when he reminded me of the classic YouTube video clip of the killer whale dunking a kayaker (which is a fake by the way).

YEOUCH!!

In a way I'm really disappointed that I didn't get close enough to start snapping, but at the same time it was just really good to see them out there. I heard later that day that the same whales had been seen around Sorrento about a week ago, so it sounds to me like they might be hanging around for a little while. I might try and get out to try again in the next few days. On a side note, another amusing site was this beached boat, which came afoul upon one of the many reefs that lie precariously close to the surface. Not amusing for the captain of said vessel of course, but amusing all the same (I'm a bad , bad man).  

Stinkboat, beached on a nearby reef

Day of the Hobie Outbacks

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