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Friday September 3, 2010
On their third whale watch for the season, CAT BALOU report that there was a 'WALL OF WHALES' several miles off the coast at Eden. They estimate that 40 -50 Humpbacks were seen on the trip at close range and more pods further afield.They were whales surfacing in all directions - some feeding, several breaches and lots of surface time by sub adults and adults. Also seen during the trip were Common Dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, seals and lots of Albatross.

Wednesday September 1, 2010
Cat Balou headed was out whale watching again today and it was an amazing start to Spring with approximately 30 Humpback whales sighted on the morning trip! A total of 6 pods were found approximately 4 miles off the coast at Eden. Where ever we looked more whales kept appearing. Most whales were observed feeding with numerous close encounters as the whales lunged around CAT BALOU. We also saw some tail slapping, a couple of spy hops and peduncle thrusts. As we headed home with happy passengers a large pod of Common Dolphins were found, topping off a great morning.

Sunday August 29, 2010
Cat Balou Cruises did their first official whale watching cruise for the season today. AND WHAT A DAY IT WAS! Rounding the breakwall we spotted several fur seals haules out on the rocks. At Quarantine Bay two Southern Right whales were enjoying the calm conditions - a great start to the morning. Leaving these whales CAT BALOU encountered a pod of Common Dolphins in Twofold Bay along with a number of Fur Seals rafetd on the surface. Several miles outside the bay the first Humpbacks were spotted - a pod of two adults who had extremely bad breath as the exhaled as they surfaced ----It was bad!!!!. Another 2 pod were also seen in the area - a total of 5 Humpbacks. CAT BALOU will be conducting whale cruises on selected days until their daily cruises depart from 18th September.

Tuesday August 24, 2010
Passengers aboard Cat Balou were treated to seeing nature at its best today - whales, seals and dolphins! Again the conditions were perfect for cruising and although it was supposed to be a bay cruise, Cat Balou ventured off the coast finding two pods of Humpback whales - six in total which again were observed feeding. Common Dolphins and seals swam amongst the pods of whales. A number of Fur Seals were also hauled out on the Eden breakwall.

Sunday August 22, 2010
It was a perfect morning as Cat Balou headed out on their Twofold Bay Cruise. Several pods of whales had been seen from shore and Skipper Gordon decided to cruise a bit further to sea and was well rewarded with a pod of five hungry Humpbacks. The whales gave an awesome display of feeding with the water full of whale food. It is still very early in the season to be seeing the Humpbacks.

Friday August 20, 2010
Southern Right sighted in front of the Eden Killer Whale Museum today. This animal cruised towards Aslings Beach. Another pod of whales could be seen from shore a couple of miles outside Twofold Bay. Cat Balou owners headed out this afternoon and saw two pods of Humpbacks 6 miles NE of The Lookout at Eden. One pod was 2 adults which were spending a lot of time on the surface and in close proximity a pod of 3 sub adults which engaged in a bit of feeding. One of these animals was a resight of the whale seen last Tuesday. The Southern Right was also observed in Twofold Bay on the way home.

Thursday August 19, 2010
A Southern Right whale was in Twofold Bay at Eden today, close to The Lookout.

Tuesday August 17, 2010
Another Humpback was sighted today on our afternoon Twofold Bay Cruise. With excellent conditions on the water the skipper ventured just outside Twofold Bay and found this single sub adult in a similar position to where the whale was sighted yesterday. It milled around on the surface and appeared to be looking for food in the water. This capped off a great cruise with Bottlenose Dolphins and a number of Fur Seals seen.

Monday August 16, 2010
Passengers on board Cat Balou today were thrilled to see a juvenile Humpback feeding. This animal was alone about a mile east of South Head at Eden. Hopefully it is an indication that we will witness the lateral lunge feeding that our area has become famous for in the next few months.

Bookings for whale watching cruises are now being taken. The 18th September is our first scheduled whale cruise and then daily from that date, however if the whales are around in numbers before this date earlier cruises will be scheduled.

Saturday August 14, 2010
Five Southern Right whales paid a visit to Eden today. They spent most of the day close to shore off Aslings Beach and during the afternoon one logged on the surface near the breakwall for over an hour.

Tuesday July 27, 2010
It was a perfect day out on the water and passengers aboard Cat Balou were thrilled to see three Humpback whales during their Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise. This pod were spotted a mile east of South Head and were heading north. Cat Balou followed them for over half an hour with some good fluke ups. Bottlenose Dolphins and Fur seals were also seen.

Thursday July 22, 2010
Two adult Southern Right whales have been in Twofold Bay, Eden for the past three days. They spent most of the time close to shore between Quarantine Bay and Boydtown Beach.

Tuesday June 29, 2010
It was a perfect day to be out on the water and passengers aboard Cat Balou received a bonus whilst on a Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise, sighting a Southern Right Whale near Quarantine Bay this morning. It was logging on the surface, enjoying the sunshine. Hopefully it may take up residence in the bay for several days. A large pod of Bottlenose Dolphins entertained passengers near Whale Beach and several Fur Sals were also sighted making it a perfect trip!

Passengers aboard CAT BALOU had the thrill of seeing the first Humpbacks whales for 2010 today. CAT BALOU received reports from fishermen that a pod of whales were off Murwaree early in the morning and whilst on their Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise received another report from a boat fishing near North Head, Eden.The trio were heading north and gave several fluke up dives.

Today CAT BALOU finished the season on a high note seeing whales on their last official whale watching trip for the season. A mother & calf were found in Twofold Bay and appeared to be in no hurry to head south. Common Dolphins were also seen in the bay along with a number of Australian Fur Seals.

Wednesday November 25, 2009
CAT BALOU was not whale watching today with commitments with coach groups for their Twofold Bay Cruises. On two trips however, whales were found - both mother/calf pods as the last of the whales head south

CAT BALOU sighted 12 Humpbacks today. Heading south a mother & calf were spotted just off Murwaree Point. Slowly heading south the adult gave some impressive fluke ups. Common Dolphins were found as CAT BALOU motored north in search of more whales, along with a number of Seals. Three more pods of whales were found between North Head and The Pinnacles. One mother & calf were asleep on the surface. Two mothers with their calves were travelling together, but later split and went their own ways. There was no sign of the calf were were concerned about which was seen in Tworfold Bay yesterday.

CAT BALOU started the week with a great morning. Calm conditions prevailed throughout and the ocean was full of sea life.Heading across Twofold Bay, Common Dolphins raced towards the boat and stayed around for most of the morning. Whales had been spotted from shore and CAT BALOU caught up with their first mother/calf pod near South Head.The mother came across to CAT BALOU with her calf and spy hopped at close range on a number of occassions. The calf remained on the surface and after a while we became concerned that it may not be in good health and we contacted Parks and Wildlife who have us monitoring it if we resight it.

A variety of sealife greeted passengers aboard CAT BALOU today. A mother & calf Humpback were found near South Head and they cruised very close to the shore with the Ben Boyd National Park in the background. After watching this pair for some time CAT BALOU headed north and found many Australian Fur Seals and a pod of Common Dolphins. Seabirds including Short Tailed Shearwaters and an Albatross were also seen. Near Leonards Island a huge mother & her small calf were spotted with mother giving some slow fluke ups. Heading home Bottlenose Dolphins were found at Aslings Beach, capping off another successful trip as the 2009 season draws to a close.

CAT BALOU sighted eight Humpback whales, Common Dolphins and Fur seals today. The sightings started early as CAT BALOU rounded South Head where a mother/calf pod were slowly tracking south. As CAT BALOU left this pod and headed north a large pod of Common Dolphins had passenegers enthralled as they raced beside and in front of the boat. Many rafts of Fur Seals were also seen. Later two adults plus a mother/calf were found just east of North Head with the two adults giving passengers a thrill with several close encounters. Some singing was also heards when the hydrophone dropped overboard. Near North Head another mother & calf were found with the calf giving several perfect breaches at close range.

CAT BALOU sighted three Humpback whales today. The morning got off to a good start as passengers got a close look at the cruise ship Seven Seas Mariner which had entered Twofold Bay earlier in the morning. On the southern side of the bay a mother & calf were found near Honeysuckle. This pair were just slowly heading south with the mother giving some nice fluke ups. After watching this pair for 40 minutes CAT BALOU headed north looking for more whales. They were few and far between with nothing seen until a sub adult was found off Merimbula Bay. The return trip encountered a pod of Common Dolphins and many Australian Fur Seals also seen during the morning.

Conditions were again sloppy on the water as a result of the NE wind yesterday and CAT BALOU stayed within Twofold Bay.. In the middle of Twofold Bay CAT BALOU spotted a mother & calf 15 minutes after leaving the wharf. This pair slowly moved to the southern side of the bay with a few nice encounteres at close range. The pair had a bit of fun with some seaweed, the adult draping it on her head and spy hopping. At Honeysuckle Bay the calf decided it was play time and began breaching. A number of Australian Fur Seals were also sighted during the trip including our regulars hauled out on the breakwall.

The NE wind kicked in early today making conditions a bit difficult for whale watching. CAT BALOU headed north and found a single sub adult off Leaonards Island. As was the case on Monday this animal was tracking north instead of south. It later joined another sub adult off The Pinnacles and some lucky passengers witnessed a breach at the back of the boat. Later the two whales mugged CAT BALOU, surfacing less than a couple of metres from the bow. During the morning there were several encounters with the playful Bottlenose Dolphins.

With a SW wind early in the day CAT BALOU headed south but failed to find any whales close to shore. Heading north they picked up Common Dolphins, always a crowd pleaser as they race the boat. Between Leonards Island and North Head a mother & calf were spotted and they were followed as they cruised into Twofold Bay. The mother was a Type 2 Humpback with distinct white patches on her laterals. Leaving this pair CAT BALOU found another pod a mother, calf and escort - a friendly trio which cruised under the boat a number of times, taking passengers by surprise. All animals fluked up enabling passengers to see how each fluke is individual and used for identification.

Near Leonards Island the first pod were sighted and minutes later another pod 700 metres to the north. The northern pod wre breachig in the wind so it was decided to head up to them. The pod split with a couple of whales heading south, but one adult continued to breach for 45 minutes, non stop, gradually heading north. A large group of Common Dolphins added to the excitement as they swam with the whale and boat.

As CAT BALOU headed back into Twofold Bay more whales were sighted. These were probably the first pod we encountered. A mother, calf & escort headed in towards the Lookout and again spectacular breaching by the adult & calf, along with pec splapping.Many onlookers at the Rotary Park Whale Lookout took advantage of shore based whale watching at its best.

CAT BALOU began their trip sighting a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins as they rounded The Lookout Point. Always ready for a game they raced to the boat and escorted us out towards a pod of whales. Two mother/calf Humpbacks were together and moved in toward the Lookout, with one mother giving some nice fluke ups. The pod later split up. With a report of a Southern Right mother & calf in Leatherjacket Bay the skipper decided to try and locate them, however a fog to the south reduced visibility and a decision to head north was made. Another mother & calf were found near North Head with the mother resting on the surface. Off Leonards Island the next whales were found with a huge mother and calf who were tracking south quickly with both fluking up a number of times. Another mother & calf were also seen nearby and a pod of Common Dolphins joined these two with calf appearing to chase the dolphins. As we were watching these whales breaching by another pod about 800 metres ahead excited passengers, but unfortunately they stopped performing as CAT BALOU got close to them. A number of Australian Fur Seals were also seen throughout the morning including three hauled out on the Eden Breakwall.

Today was a great example of 'it's not how many whales you spot on a trip, but what the whales do'. CAT BALOU headed north today and spotted several breaches in the distance, however didn't locate these whales. With the stunning backdrop of The Pinnacles in the Ben Boyd National Park a mother and calf were found. CAT BALOU stayed with these two animals for well over an hour, deciding that they were just too good to leave. The calf was the most inquisitive calf CAT BALOU has encountered this season and it mugged the vessel on numerous occasions. It would appear from nowhere and surface right beside CAT BALOU, then dive under the vessel and pop up the other side. The passengers were just amazed at the close encounters. Both calf and the mother gave excellent fluke ups and mum also gave one magnificent breach at the front of the boat. A few Common Dolphins were also in the area of the whales and several rafts of Australian Fur Seals seen during the trip.

Friday the 13th wasn't unlucly for whale watchers aboard CAT BALOU today with eleven whales sighted on the morning cruise. Most pods were around South Head at Eden with a number of active calves performing lots of tail slaps, peduncle thrusts and a breach. Many Common Dolphins interacted with the whales along with a few Australian Fur Seals.

Thursday November 12, 2009
It was another perfect day on the water and CAT BALOU got off to a great start spotting whales just minutes after leaving the Eden wharf. Two mother/calf pods had cruised right into Twofold Bay. The calves were active and breached on a number of occasions. Another two mother/ calf pods were later seen near the naval wharf and South Head. One of these calves was also super active with breaches and head lunges.

CAT BALOU found two pods close to the coast near Murwaree. As we approached a double breach by a mother & calf was a magnificient sight, followed by a number of breaches by the calf. Near Saltwater we had three mother/calf pods affilliate, joined by Common Dolphins and it was play time for all.

Leaving these whales after watching them for over an hour CAT BALOU headed south and spotted whales a couple of miles off thee coast. There was a line of whales, most heading north. One mother was doing a bit of feeding, while other whales appeared to be looking for food.

A coach group on an afternoon bay cruise were thrilled when three Humpbacks appeared in Twofold Bay. They were great whales to watch as they played with several Australian Fur Seals. One of the adults was very curious spy hopping many times, checking out who was watching them.

It was another action packed day for whale watchers aboard CAT BALOU today. Several rafts of Australian Fur Seals were sighted as CAT BALOU headed out of Twofold Bay. A bait ball with many seabirds - Shearwaters and Gannets created interest and Common Dolphins were also sighted. The dolphins were amazing and stayed with CAT BALOU for most of the morning. Several miles off North Head the first whale was spotted, however a more active pod a bit further to the east could be seen breaching so it was decided to head to them. This turned out to be a mother and calf with the mother pec slapping with both fins. It was an energetic display which continued for well over half an hour and inbetween the bouts she breached several times. Another adults later joined this pair and more whales were sighted to the north. CAT BALOU had several close encounters with the latter pod with the dolphins still playful.

CAT BALOU joined True Blue watching two mother/calf pods off Haycock Point. One calf was extremely active, breaching continously for an hour. Off The Pinnacles another mother/calf pod joined this pod with a great tail splapping display. Singing was also heard when the hydrophone put into the ocean.

Leaving this pair CAT BALOU spotted more whales south of South Head. There were whales everywhere and at times the various pods affilliated.Most whales were gradually heading north.For the next couple of hours passengers experienced most activities that whales perform - feeding, breaching, spy hopping & tail slapping. Passengers were also thrilled to hear very clear singing when the hydrophone was lowered into the ocean.

The humpback highway was again very busy today with CAT BALOU sighting many whales on their morning trip.Most pods were due east of Eden. The whales were active with feeding, tail slapping and a breach. Common Dolphins and seals were also sighted during the trip.

David Attenborough should have been aboard CAT BALOU today - a repeat of yesterday with hundred of thousands Muttonbirds, feeding whales, dolphins, seals, and very clear singing when the hydrophone lowered into the ocean. It doesn't get much better than this!!

The day got off to an early start when one of our regular passengers spotted whales within 5 minutes of leaving the Eden wharf. This was a quiet mother & calf and our skipper, Gordon decided to leve them rest and headed several miles east. There were whales everywhere - mainly sub adults again seen feeding. The whales kept appearing right beside the boat as they searched for food. The bird life was amazing. Short Tailed Shearwaters were there in the thousands and gave a good indication of where the whales would surface. Gannets and Albatross also were in these rafts of Muttonbirds.Between South & North Head whales kept appearing with one calf breaching several times, whilst others performed peduncle thrusts.

CAT BALOU had an excellent morning, despite being cold and sighted a number of pods of whales just off Eden. After not having seen the whales feeding for over a week we encountered an adult lateral lunge feeding accompanied by her calf. Patches of bait fish were boiling on the suface near the whales. Several other mother/calf/escort pods were also in the same area. One calf breached totally surprising all passengers. Common Dolphins and seals frollicked with the whales and the Muttonbirds were seen in rafts of hundreds, along with Australian Gannets and Albatross.

A pod of Common Dolphins escorted CAT BALOU across Twofold Bay this morning. At Leatherjacket Bay a mother/calf pod were found and another pod also sighted in the same area. With a swell from the NE increasing, CAT BALOU opted to head back into Twofold Bay where another pod had been sighted. This mother & calf interatced with some close encounters. The fourth pod were very active with both animals breaching a number of times as well as the mother tail slapping. Bottlenose Dolphins and many rafts of Australian Fur Seals were also sighted on the morning cruise.

They were mainly mother/calf pods - always great to see and a good sign that the Humpback whale population is steadily growing. Some pods were quiet, slowly migrating south, however two mother/calf pods travelling together near The Pinnacles were active, as were another mother & calf breaching on the third trip.

This morning was a repeat of yesterday with a mother & calf spotted at The Lookout within minutes of departing the Eden wharf. This calf was active giving a couple of breaches, peduncle thrusts and tail slaps. Conditions outside the bay were sloppy with a NE swell, however another two pods were sighted later in the morning. One animal had a distinctive black fluke.

More whales could be seen just inside North Head and this turned out to be a competition pod of three adults with one breaking from the pod and affilliating with the mother & calf. They moved west towards Quarantine Bay. Later another pod was seen near North Head.

CAT BALOU sighted eight whales today. After leaving a quiet mother/calf pod near South Head CAT BALOU headed south and found two adults near Murwaree. This pair were slowly heading south and gave a few good fluke ups and some close encounters. Milling around the whales were a large pod of Common Dolphins. Always good fun to watch the dolphins escorted the boat northwards. East of Eden another two pods were seen with some lucky passengers witnessing a breach.

Friday October 30, 2009
NEWSFLASH! The whale sighted by CAT BALOU on Wednesday with the curled fluke has been identified by the Pacific Whale Foundation as animal E1370. They were thrilled to receive the photo taken by Ros Butt as the whale had not been seen during the past 10 years.Previous sightings of it had been made in Hervey Bay in 1993, 1998 & 1999.

Conditions on the water today were rather sloppy with an easterly swell. CAT BALOU opted to stay close to shore and located their first whales south of South Head at Eden. This was two mother/calf pods travelling together, at times less than 10 metres from the shore. They were on the surface frequently and one of the calves breached. After following them for an hour CAT BALOU headed north and sighted a shark. They then found a sub adult lateral lunge feeding, amazing everone by the size of the mouth. Another whale was in the same area and was also feeding.

CAT BALOU headed east of Eden today and located a mother, calf and escort. This trio were inquisitive whales, swimming all around the boat much to the delight of passengers. The highlight of the day was a double breach by the two adults. This amazing sight took everyone by surprise and no one managed to get the photo!

Conditions were a lot better for whale watching today, the seas flatter and sun shining. CAT BALOU found a mother/calf pod near the heads which they followed for half an hour before heading wider, passing another mother/calf pod en route. A juvenile and sub adult were found to the east of Eden and this pair were entertaining to watch as they were feeding, lunging around on the surface giving passengers a chance to see right inside their massive mouths. Another pod was seen to the NE and ths pod later affilliated. There were four adults in this pod and all gave good fluke ups.

The weather today made conditions difficult for whale watching, however CAT BALOU sighted 9 Humpbacks on their morning cruise. A mother, calf & escort were found within Twodold Bay near South Head slowly tracking southwards. Near Murwaree a mother/calf pod were rock hopping less then 10 metres from the shoreline. Another mother/calf pod were seen as CAT BALOU heading back to Eden, hugging the shoreline as conditions were rough offshore with a SE swell . Another mother/calf pod were seen mid bay.

CAT BALOU however did spot a number of whales, some content in tracking south and not spending a lot of time on the surface, however some were more co-operative. This included a pod of three adults seen on the morning cruise with one Humpback pec slapping each time it surfaced. Some interesting flukes were seen and a mother & calf cruised past the bow at very close range, just as the hot soup, cheese & biscuits were being served to warm up the chilly passengers. Singing was heard via the hydrophone.

It was a magical day on the water with calm seas and sunshine. CAT BALOU started the day sighting a mother & calf heading southwards just outside Twofold Bay. Leaving this pod we headed east and found a friendly juvenile intent on feeding and giving passengers some very close encounters as it lunge fed around CAT BALOU. It was joined by a pod of Common Dolphins, always fun to watch. Not far away a mother & calf were found with the calf quite active, breaching. Later a competition pod of three adults were exciting to watch and another two adults were seen on the return trip.

An afternoon whale watch saw twelve whales, most mother/calf pods between Twofold Bay and Saltwater. Some tail slapping by a mother, calf and escort and many fluke ups kept passenegrs happy. Common Dolphins raced CAT BALOU as it headed back to Eden and passengers on bothe trips saw our Fur Seals hauled out on the breakwall.

It wasn't long before the first whales were spotted, several mother/calf pods in the same area and passengers were able to watch the whales fluke up and one calf did some peduncle throws. During the morning many more whales were seen.One calf breached and head lunged, however the highlight of the morning was the last pod of four with two mothers who did some lateral lunge feeding whilst one calf gave an animated tail slapping display at close range for over 5 minutes It had a distinctive dark fluke and kept photographers very happy.

Great whale watching conditions today with calm seas and CAT BALOU report that there was a 'wall of whales' off Eden today. Cruising twice which ever direction one looked there were pods of whales, most feeding. The Shearwaters were also in on the action, hovering among the hungry Humpbacks - do a few get swallowed by the whales???

The first three pods seen kept disappearing as CAT BALOU approached, having teased with tail slapping at a distance. A mother & calf were found 7 miles east of Eden and this pair provided good viewing with a number of tail extensions, peduncle thrusts and lateral lunge feeding by the mother. Another couple of blows were also seen in the area. Good singing was heard when the hydrophone lowered into the ocean. Near Leatherjacket Bay two more pods were found. One whale a juvenile had a distinctive black fluke.

CAT BALOU passengers were blessed today with calm seas, sunny skies and many pods of whales. With a full load of eager passengers aboard, including a number of regular visitors eager for their yearly whale fix , CAT BALOU headed a couple of miles outside Twofold Bay. The first pod was a mother and calf feeding. In all directions more pods could be seen and during the morning CAT BALOU pod hopped, giving PWF Researcher Annie a good chance to photograph flukes. Most whales feeding - one pod with extremely bad breath! Perhaps the highlight of the morning were hungry humpbacks lunging amongst a couple of thousand Shearwaters (Muttonbirds) a magical sight with everyone photographing this astonishing spectacle. Clear singing was heard on the hydrophone.

A second whale watch also viewed a numbler of pods in the same area. There were breaches, tail slapping and more feeding. On the return trip a shark was spotted by the skipper near South Head with most passengers getting to see this animal lazing on the surface.

After spending some time watching this pod we headed east and found another mother & calf. The calf breached several times while the mother engaged in lateral lunge feeding. The calf also began to copy the mother feeding and this is the first time in the 20 years Gordon & Ros Butt, owner/operators of Cat Balou Cruises have witnessed feeding from such a young animal.

Passengers aboard the afternoon trip also had a fantastic couple of hours viewing. First a mother and calf were found and later many more pods of sub adults feeding. One of the animals defecated, amusing the passengers. A pod of three mugged CAT BALOU for 5 minutes, rolling all around the vessel at close range.

The morning got off to an early start with a mother & calf spotted in Twofold Bay. The calf was extremely active as the mother rested. The next pods were feeding Humpbacks just off South Head. Passengers from all around the world attending a computer conference in Eden, many never having seen whales before, were amazed at this display. One of these animlas defecated - a rather unusual sight!

The second trip also found a mother/calf pod in Twofold Bay but this pair were fairly quiet. Heading around South Head numerous blows were seen as the whales surfaced. A friendly sub adult gave passengers some close encounters, mugging the boat.

CAT BALOU encountered their first whale near the heads. This was a sub adult Humpback which was lateral lunge feeding. Also in the same area was another hungry Humpback and what an amazing display it gave, lunging all around the boat with passengers mesmerised at the size of its mouth.

A couple of miles to the SE there were pods everywhere, most feeding. A whale with portion of the fluke missing should be easily identified by researchers with Annie from the PWF getting some good ID shots of it. Quite a few rafts of Australian Fur Seals were also sighted.

WOW! What a day passengers aboard CAT BALOU had today. On both morning & afternoon trips there were whales everywhere - lots of mother/calf pods, feeding whales, a sleeping whale, singing on the hydrophone plus action - tail slapping, pec slapping, breaching, head slaps and spy hopping. Too much for one day!

President & founder of the Pacific Whale Foundation based in Hawaii Mr Greg Kaufman and his assistant Annie Macle were specials guests abaoard CAT BALOU today. Having studied whales for over 30 years Greg is a wealth of knowledge and an entertaining speaker.

Today was a day when there were too many whales to count!CAT BALOU found their first pod of three Humpbacks east of Eden. These were hungry Humpbacks lunging on the surface echelon feeding. With a NE wind forecast to pick up the skipper decided to head north which turned out to be an excellent decision as there was an abundance of whales. Passengers watched in amazement as whales kept surfacing in all directions and displayed most behaviours they are capable of including more feeding, fluke ups, peduncle thrusts, a couple of spy hops and a very close encounter, almost touching the bow of CAT BALOU.

The Pacific Whale Foundation research vessel advised Cat Balou of a number of whales east of Eden early this morning. Seven Humpbacks were observed feeding, breaching & peduncle thrusting. A number of other whales were seen later in the morning including some brilliant tail slapping, one pec waving and singing was also heard through the hydrophone, making for a great whale watching trip.

CAT BALOU encountered a juvenile humpback east of Eden. This animal spent much time on the surface and appeared to be hunting for food. The second pod was a mother, calf & escort with the two large whales lateral lunge feeding, giving passengers many close encounters as they lunged around the vessel, their baleen plates visible and their throat grooves extended as they gulped in tonnes of water and plankton.

Friday October 9, 2009
Having cancelled cruises yesterday due to rough seas, CAT BALOU ventured out today. Heading across Twofold Bay a pod of Bottlenose Dolphuns joined Cat Balou. Once outside the heads conditions deteriorated with a big SE swell, making it difficult to spot sea life. One lone Humpback was spotted about a mile to the east of South Head, however the conditions made it impossible for whale watching and the Skipper made a decision to return to port. Passengers were given a tour of Twofold Bay with their fare refunded and some returning tomorrow. Australian Fur Seals were seen hauled out on the breakwall.

It proved to be a good choice as a couple of whales were spotted near Murwarree Point. Having stopped to watch the first pod, another whale just to the south appeared more active, so Cat Balou headed to it. This was an adult Humpback which gave an energetic tail slapping display, followed by at least 40 breaches - many only metres from the bow of Cat Balou, leaving passengers spellbound and forgetting the bleak weather conditions. A burst of pec slapping followed and the whale was still active as Cat Balou departed. Another couple of whales were passed as Cat Balou returned to Eden.

The whales were everywhere again today just outside Twofold Bay at Eden with CAT BALOU sighting numerous pods. Feeding whales, tail slapping whales, whales peduncle thrusting, one breaching and some clear singing on the hydrophone. Common Dolphins raced Cat Balou during the morning cruise and Bottlenose Dolphins seen during the afternoon trip, along with more active whales.

Heading towards home a sharks fin was seen near the bow of Cat Balou and minutes later a Killer Whale appeared It was all happening! More Killers appeared including a male with a huge dorsal and another animal with a split dorsal, known a 'Split Fin' a whale which Cat Balou originally sighted at Eden in October 2003, the fin apparantly damaged by a boats propeller. Cat Balou followed this pack for half an hour as they headed towards Murwaree Point.

Despite being very cold on the water conditions were calm aand CAT BALOU had a brilliant day sighting over 25 whales during their two trips. A pod of two near Murwaree got the day off to a good start with some lateral lunge feeding, close encounters including a breach. Heading south there were whales everywhere and all were very active. One gave a lengthy pec slapping display and another animal breached over and over again! Other whales could be seen in all directions.

The afternoon trip matched the action of the morning trip with a mother/calf pod spotted near South Head. This calf breached eleven times whilst the mother slowly headed south. Two more pods were spotted to the east, with one pod feeding.

Leaving the Eden wharf the resident Seal family were observed on the breakwall. Heading east Cat Balou joined the Pacific Whale Foundation research vessel and found one Humpback which did several breaches as Cat Balou approached. Another pod of two were not far away and these were great whales to watch with many close encounters and feeding with Cat Balou spending an hour with them. One of the Eden trawlers was nearby and as Imlay winched up their net seals and Albatross were in a frenzy, anticipating a feed.

CAT BALOU caught up with their first whale a mile east of South Head. This was a friendly juvenile Humpback who kept passengers entertained for almost an hour as it zig zagged around the vessel. Leaving this whale another was found to the NE but proved difficult to track. Two more sub adults were sighted about a mile to the north with some good lunge feeding. The hydrophone piced up some singing.

Taking into consideration the safety & comfort of passengers & cancelling cruises on Sunday & Monday due to gale force winds and rough seas CAT BALOU was back in action today. Two pods were sighted in close proximity of each other, each pod with a single adult. Cat Balou opted to follow the more active Humpback who was pec slapping and also performed a breach. This whale continued its southern migration and Cat Balou headed north where another two whales were found. The bird life was stunning with thousands of Short Tail Shearwaters (Muttonbirds) and Albatross.

Saturday September 26, 2009

Blustery conditions prevailed throughout the morning which always makes conditions more difficult for whale watching, however CAT BALOU sighted three whales on their morning trip. They followed a juvenile Humpback for over an hour and this animal which was on the surface frequently throughout. Another pod of 2 adults were sighted splashing to the south and CAT BALOU had a quick look at them before returning to the more sheltered waters of historic Twofold Bay where passengers enjoyed a cruise around the southern section whilst hot soup, biscuits & cheese were served.

CAT BALOU had an early sighting of whales today with a pod seen breaching just outside Twofold Bay. This turned out to be 2 adults who then continued to head slowly south giving a few good fluke ups. With a freshening NE CAT BALOU headed NE and found another two Humpbacks with one sub adult giving a good feeding display. The Pacific Whale Foundation report seeing three Killer Whales east of Eden.

After the wild weather experienced over recent days, CAT BALOU was back out whale watching today. They sighted several pods, the first a single adult who gave some good fluke ups. Two Humpbacks mugged CAT BALOU on a number of occasions and looked as if they were going to feed. Another pod was nearby. Near Leondard Island a passenger reported seeing a dolphin which turned out to be a Dwarf Minke whale, but was rather elusive. Seals were sighted on the breakwall. The Pacific Whale Foundation research vessel was in the vicinity of Cat Balou and will be working out of Eden for the next few weeks.

CAT BALOU conducted two whale watching cruises today and sighted over 40 Humpbacks. The morining cruise located four pods at exactly the same location as yeasterday with most whale feeding and giving passengers some close encounters as they spent most of the time on the surface. When the hydrophone was put into the water some very clear singing was heard.

Excellent conditions for whale watching today and the Humpback highway was very busy with lots of hungry Humpies. CAT BALOU witnessed over 15 whales on their morning cruise approximately 5 miles off Eden. A couple of single sub adults caused excitement as they approached Cat Balou at close range several times. A little to the north there were several pods, all lateral lunge feeding. A number of Fur Seals were also playing around with the whales whilst Albatross soared overhead. Back in Twofold Bay on the return trip another two sub adults were spotted breaching, so the skipper altered course to give passengers a close look. One of these whales was a resight of an animal seen by Cat Balou late last week.

Saturday September 19, 2009

KILLER WHALES, HUMPBACKS & a SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE were all spotted off the coast at Eden today!

Two groups of students form the ANU aboard CAT BALOU on a field trip today received an added bounus sighting a lot of whales. The morning trip started with a Southern Right within Twofold Bay, slowly cruising around near North Head. Heading east several pods of Humpbacks delighted the students with an active display and clear singing was heard throught the hydrophone.

The afternoon trip resulted in numerous pods of Humpbacks being sighted, all very active with breaches and tail slapping displays.

A fisherman at Murwaree Point reported seeing a pod of Killer Whales close to shore.

Friday September 18, 2009

CAT BALOU CRUISES report having an excellent morning whale watching despite a fresh SW wind and chilly conditions. Three Humpbacks were sighted a couple of miles outside Twofold Bay, a pod of two and an energetic juvenile who amazed passengers with a non stop performance for an hour and a half! This playful animal breached more than 25 times, head lunged, pec slapped and gave a number of peduncle thrusts. A number of other whales were sighted further out to sea.

Monday September 14, 2009

CAT BALOU cruised the southen side of Twofold Bay hoping to spot the Southern Rights seen in Twofold Bay yesterday but there was no sign of them. They then headed out looking for Humpbacks who proved to be rather elusive. One animal was found east of The Pinnacles however it was not in a playful mood, surfacing to breathe then diving. The second sighting was a juvenile Humpback who was more cooperative as it lunged around at close range feeding and then surprised everyone with a perfect breach. Later it performed a number of head lunges and as Cat Balou departed breached again. Seals were spotted again hauled out on the Eden Breakwall.

Sunday September 13, 2009

Two Southern Right whales spent most of today in Calle Calle Bay at Eden, very close to Aslings Beach.

Saturday September 12, 2009

CAT BALOU headed east to 'The Patch' where they have been sighting whales recently and Skipper Gordon located the first whales. There were several pods which at times affilliated with eight hungry Humpbacks keeping passenegrs enthralled as they lunged around the vessel. Having spent an hour with this pod CAT BALOU headed to another pod seen to the north. This was one sub adult who did numerous peduncle thrusts. Another pod was sppoted in the distance. Heading home a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were sighted near Aslings Beach and several Fur Seals were basking on the Eden breakwall.

Perfect conditions prevailed for todays whale watching cruise and CAT BALOU report viewing five pods of whales. The first two animals were sighted closer to shore than recent sightings. A small juvenile Humpback was seen feeding and gave passengers some close encounters. Some of the whales were observed travelling north, and apperated to be searching for food. Many Australian Seals and Albatross also entertained passengers. No singing was heard when the hydrophone lowered into the ocean.

Thursday September 10, 2009
The Humpback highway was busy again today with CAT BALOU sighting a total of 11 whales on their morning whale watch. Three pods were sighted approximately 7 miles east of Eden - two pods of two adults and a pod of seven which gave a brilliant display of feeding as they lunged in unison around CAT BALOU for over 45 minutes. A couple of breaches were also observed.

CAT BALOU sighted 3 pods of Humpbacks on todays whale watching cruise approximately 8 miles east of Eden. Conditions were not the best with a sloppy easterly swell, however the whales gave an action packed display with the first pod of two sub adults breaching and pec slapping for over an hour! The next pod of two adults did some lateral lunge feeding and another pod of three were found as Cat Balou headed home with one of these animals breaching at close range at the back of the boat. Fur Seals were sighted hauled out on the Eden wharf breakwall. CAT BALOU will be commencing their daily whale watching cruises from 20th September. In the meantime they will operate these trips on selected days.

Saturday September 5, 2009

After a couple of windy days with cruises cancelled, CAT BALOU headed out whale watching this morning and sighted four Humpbacks plus a Dwarf Minke Whale. The Humpbacks were approximately 6 miles east of Eden with two single animals affilliating. These whales were hard to track. Another two larger animals were found in the general area and gave passengers some close encounters and several good fluke ups. Returning to port a friendly small Dwarf Minke entertained passengers as it circled CAT BALOU for over 10 minutes. Australian Fur Seals and many Albatross were also sighted.

Wednesday September 2, 2009

A coach group from Wagga aboard Cat Balou on a Twofold Bay Cruise scored a trifecta today sighting a whale, dolphins & seals. The whale was a resight of the juvenile seen near South Head yesterday, easily identified with a distinctive white patch below the dorsal. Two pods of Bottlenose dolphins on the southern side of the bay and a number of Fur Seals rafted up near the breakwall all made it a memorable trip.

Tuesday September 1, 2009

A great start to Spring with Cat Balou sighting whales, dolphins and seals today. A number of pods were sighted from shore early in the morning, some right in Twofold Bay. Cat Balou on a Twofold Bay Diccovery Cruise found a Humpback logging on the surface between The Lookout and Chipmill. Leaving it to rest a second whale was sighted just east of South Head. This was a juvenile Humpback lateral lunge feeding, giving passenegrs some close encounters. In the afternoon some active whales could be seen from shore approximately 7 miles east of Eden.

Monday August 31, 2009

Eager whale watchers aboard CAT BALOU did not have to travel far today before Skipper Gordon sighted the first pod. This was two sub adult Humpbacks who were cruising around, appearing to be looking for food. As was the case on Friday they had very bad breath. Cat Balou left these whales and headed to another pod to the east. This was a pod of three who engaged in a bit of feeding, however they appeared more interested in checking out the passengers, mugging the boat. Much to the delight of all on board they spy hopped at very close range a number of times. Later this pod was joined by another whale. Cutting the motors the hydrophone was lowered into the water and very clear singing was heard. As Cat Balou made towards home a third pod of two active whales were sighted and they performed several peduncle thrusts. Many Albatross were seen along with other sea birds.

Saturday August 29, 2009

Although Cat Balou was not out on the water today due to strong winds, a number of pods of whales could be seen from shore about 1 mile east of the heads of Twofold Bay.

Friday August 28, 2009

Cat Balou headed out whale watching today, confident of finding whales having seen several pods from shore before leaving. Passengers were delighted to see so many whales - at least 12 Humpbacks at close range and several other pods further out. The first pod of five gave an awesome display of lateral lunge feeding surfacing all around Cat Balou with their massive mouths wide open. Their breath was foul! Later another two pods pods to the north thrilled passengers with a number of breaches, fluke up dives and one who spy hopped right beside the bow. Also seen during the cruises were a number of Australian Fur Seals including a number of them hauled out on the Eden breakwall.

Cat Balou will commence their whale watching trips on a daily basis from 20th September, but until then will conduct whale watching trips as well as Twofold Bay Discovery Cruises on selected days.

Wednesday August 26, 2009

Two adult Southern Right whales were seen cruising within 100metres of Aslings Beach at Eden this morning.

Sunday August 23, 2009
Cat Balou passengers were delighted to see four Humpbacks feeding off the coast at Eden today. This is a very early start to the season. Also observed during the cruise were a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins and 12 seals sunning themselves on the breakwall.

Saturday August 22, 2009

The first Humpback whale of the season seen by Cat Balou was sighted off the coast at Eden today. This was a sub adult which did a little feeding as at it cruised around numerous patches of bait fish on the surface.

Thursday August 20, 2009

An adult Southern Right whal;e was seen just off Aslings Beach at Eden today.

Passengers aboard Cat Balou on a Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise received a bonus today sighting a mother & calf within Twofold Bay. This pair mugged the boat delighting the passengers. The pair were the same pod which have been in the bay since Monday, evidently giving the calf a chance to rest before the long journey south.

Tuesday December 2, 2008

Cat Balou encountered two mother/calf pods within Twofold Bay today. At times the calves were quite active. One pair was a resight of two of the whales seen yesterday. Near Honeysuckle Bay Bottlenose Dolphins were sighted.

Monday December 1, 2008

Although the whale season has officially ended, a number of whales were sighted in Twofold Bay today. Cat Balou sighted 4 mother/calf pods in close proximity to The Lookout with some spectacular breaching by a couple of calves.

Cat Balou report having a 100% success rate in sighting whales this season on all whale watching cruises.

Tuesday November 25, 2008

Having cancelled cruises over the past three days due to inclement weather Cat Balou was back in action today. A mother/calf pod were picked up off The Pinnacles and Cat Balou watched them for an hour and a half, following them to North Head. Many Australian Fur Seals were sighted throughout the trip and in East Boyd a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were found. The bow was a popular spot for passengers who had a birds eye view of the playful dolphins as they escorted Cat Balou.

Friday November 21, 2008

Cat Balou was back whale watching today after cancelling cruises yesterday due to rough sea conditions. We always put the safety & comfort of passengers first. With two pods spotted from shore before leaving the Eden wharf it was looking good for the eager passengers. It wasn't long before a mother/calf pod were found mid bay. This pod was heading towards the chipmill. After watching them for half an hour Cat Balou headed to another mother/calf pod in the bay. The calf proved to be an inquisitive one and kept circling Cat Balou. With the motors cut, passenegers witnessed one of the most incredible experiences that the owners have ever experienced since they began whale watching in Eden in 1990. The calf positioned itself above the mother and they lay beside Cat Balou for 10 minutes, only a metre from the side of the boat. The hydrophone again picked up a whale singing clearly. Just outside Twofold Bay a pod of 4 adult Humpbacks were seen with some good fluke ups. Near the whales a bait ball had Common Dolphins and Australian Fur Seals in a frenzy. Heading home the two mother/calf pods were again sighted still in Twofold Bay. A second trip located one of the pods and the calf was quite playful with a number of breaches and peduncle throws.

Wednesday November 19, 2008
Although not whale watching today, passengers aboard Cat Balou on a Twofold Bay Discovery Cruise received a bonus when a mother & calf were spotted between The Lookout and Chipmill.

Tuesday November 18, 2008

With a freshening NE wind today Cat Balou headed north. Near North Head a whale was sighted but dived and wasn't seen again, evidently in a hurry heading to Antarctica. Off The Pinnacles another blow was seen, but again proved elusive. A pod of Common Dolphins were in the area and accompanied Cat Balou as they continued north as Cat Balou joined True Blue off Pambula where two mother/calf pods were. It looked as if these whales were also going to play hide and seek when suddenly they surfaced under the bow of Cat Balou taking everyone by surprise. What followed was a spectacular display of tail slapping as well as peduncle throws by the mother whilst the calf breached and head lunged in the windy conditions.

Monday November 17, 2008

It was a magical day on the water with perfect conditions. Cat Balou spotted their first pod only minutes after leaving which was a mother, calf and 3 escorts - rather unusual. This pod of five slowly cruised around historic Twofold Bay with one of the adults giving a couple of spy hops. Mid bay the pod split with two adults heading out of the bay whilst the mother, calf & primary eascort lingered in the bay. Near South Head the escort gave a number of huge spy hops. Singing was picked up on the hydrophone which is rather unusual to hear at this time of the season. Outside the bay a pod of Common Dolphins excited passenegers as they raced towards Cat Balou. A number of Australian Fur Seals were also seen. Another two adults were sighted with good fluke ups.

Sunday November 16, 2008

Cat Balou sighted two pods of whales today. A mother, calf & escort were found near Leonards Island and Cat Balou followed this trio for an hour with the calf spending a lot of time on the surface. The escort had a very distinctive patterned fluke. Later another mother and calf were seen near Haycock Point with the calf breaching once.

Saturday November 15, 2008

After cancelling cruises yesterday due to rough conditions on the water Cat Balou was back out with the whales today. A pod of two adults were found off South Head and gave some good fluke ups and encounters inbetween fairly long down times. Heading north a pod of Coommon Dolphins and some seals were spotted. Later a mother/calf pod off Pambula provided excellent whale watching with the calf giving an amazing display of breaching and pec slapping. An afternoon trip located this same pod odd North Head with the super active calf breaching non stop for an hour. Common Dolphins and seals were also sighted.

Thursday November 13, 2008

Cat Balou found a mother/calf & escort not long after leaving on their whale watching cruises today. After watching them for half an hour heavy fog rolled in, with visibility reduced to 100 metres. When the fog lifted Cat Balou headed north and found an active calf and its mother near The Pinnacles. The calf breadhed and breached much to the delight of passengers which comprised of many foreigners.

Wednesday November 12, 2008

Whales, dolphins & seals! It was an action packed morning for passengers aboard Cat Balou. The day began when a mother & calf were spotted mid bay. Although quiet at first, the pair surfaced frequently and then out of the blue the calf surprised everyone, including the skipper it launched itself out of the water with a perfect breach less than 5 meters from the bow! Cat Balou watched this pair for an hour as they headed towards South Head. Near North wall a large pod of Common Dolphins raced towards Cat Balou, leaping clear out of the water. At Leonards Island another mother/calf Humpback were found and this pair provided excellent whale watching for the excited passengers. The calf breached continuously for 45 minutes and was still breaching when Cat Balou headed towards home. The mother gave some elegant extended tail flukes whilst the calf played. Seals were also seen at the Eden breakwall.

Tuesday November 11, 2008

Cat Balou sighted 5 humpbacks at close range today. The first pod was a mother & calf just outside Twofold Bay which were hard to follow. With a freshening NE wind the skipper decided to head north and off The Pinnacles the next whales were sighted. Cat Balou watched a pod of three adults and could see another pod a little to the east. One of the animals breached and all three fliked up - one had a distinctive black fluke. Reports from Hervey Bay indicate that the season will continue for another couple of weeks as whales were still in that area last week.

Monday November 10, 2008

The President of the Pacific Whale Foundation, Mr Greg Kaufman from Hawaii joined Cat Balou on their whale watching trip today. Gregs Research Team, Erin and Ashley have been with Cat Balou for the past couple of months and will head back to Hawaii next week. In this period they have taken almost 14,000 photographs of the whales sighted from Cat Balou for identification.There were a lot of whales about today. A mother & calf were spotted logging on the surface near the chipmill. Around from South Head a number of other mother/calf pods were all slowly heading south. Two sub adults did a bit of pec slapping and another mother,calf & escort near North Head tail slapped. The highlight of the day was when three mother/calf pods affilliated near South Head later in the day. It was playtime for these six whales with a calf breaching, peduncle throws and more tail slapping from the adults & calves.

Sunday November 9, 2008

It was a perfect day on the water and Cat Balou sighted 9 Humpbacks on the morning cruise - three mother/calf pods and a pod of 3 adults. Good singing was heard as the hydrophone was placed in the ocean. A bait ball with lots of activity from Gannets, Shearwaters, a hundred or more Common Dolphins excited passengers. With conditions so calm Cat Balou cruised south to Greencape and detoured into beautiful Bittangabee Bay, showcasing the beauty of the Ben Boyd National Park.

Saturday November 8, 2008

Cat Balou report having another successful day with the whales at Eden. Conditions were a bit uncomfortable at first resulting from the NE which developed overnight, however they improved during the morning when the SW change flattened out the sea. The mother/calf pods again put on a number of displays of breaching, pec & tail slapping with five pods in Twofold Bay on the morning trip and another three pods seen on the shorter afternoon trip.

Friday November 7, 2008

Conditions were ideal for whale watching today and there were plenty of whales to watch in and around Twofold Bay. Cat Balou sighted the first pod only 2 minutes after leaving the wharf, just off the western side of The Lookout. This was a resight of the massive mother seen yesterday resting with her calf. Concerned residents had reported this whale fearing she was sick as she was spending so much time logging on the surface, however the whale was fine and gave a brilliant display along with the calf of breaching & head lunging. Leter the mother pec slapped and began feeding the calf with her tail suspended out of the water. Another mother/calf pod were also seen near Whale Spit. Bottlenose dolphins were found near South Head and shortly after a competition pod of 5 adult Humpbacks. Off Leonards several more pods were found and Common dolphins also sighted. The afternoon trip also sighted 5 mother/calf pods with the last pod breaching mid bay.

Thursday November 6, 2008

Twofold Bay at Eden was a popular gathering place for the whales today. Cat Balou on their morning trip sighted three mother/calf pods resting in the bay with one of the mothers a massive size. Another pod was found near Leonards Island with the mother showing a distinctiver black flke. Two adults were also sighted near South Head. On an afternoon cruise six mother/pods were found in the bay. Three pods had affilliated near the Naval Wharf and gave a brilliant display of tail slapping, pec slapping and breaching. Mid bay another two pods were also active whilst the massive mother seen on the morning trip was still resting with her calf near Quarantine Bay.

Wednesday November 5, 2008

On the morning cruise Cat Balou sighted 4 pods of Humpbacks - three mother/calf pods and 2 adults. The whales were in Twofold Bay and close to the coast between North Head & The Pinnacles. All whales were rather quiet, slowly heading south. Although the whales weren't active it is still great to experience these animals in their natural environment, remembering that they were hunted to the point of extinction, and wonderfult to see their numbers increasing. An afternoon trip saw 11 whales in Twofold Bay, one pod of two mothers and their calves interacting with some playful Fur Seals.

Tuesday November 4, 2008

Cat Balou found the first whales of the day near South Head. There were two pods who affilliated with three friendly Humpbacks giving passengers a good look as they cruised around on the surface, not in a hurry to migrate south. After spending an hour with them Cat Balou headed north and picked up a mother & calf near North Head. This pod moved into Twofold Bay. Numerous seals and a few dolphins were also seen on the morning trip. Later in the day Cat Balou conducted two Twofold Bay Discovery Cruises and on both trips whales were seen. Two separate mother/pods were sighted near the heads of Twofold Bay.

Monday November 3, 2008

After the strong wind experienced on Sunday conditions were not the best for whale watching, however they did improve as the morning progressed. Cat Balou sighted their first pod near South Head but the whales were quiet and not surfacing for long. Another pod could be seen to the SE. It was decided to head north and along the way Australian Fur Seals and a large pod of Common Dolphins sighted. Cat Balou spent over an hour with a mother & calf off The Pinnacles who entertained passengers as the calf played with a seal. It rolled around, spy hopped and at one stage swam under the bow of Cat Balou. The adult gave some good fluke ups. More Common Dolphins were seen as Cat Balou returned to Eden.

Sunday November 2, 2008

As Cat Balou departed on their morning whale watch the wind picked up from the NE. Several pods has been spotted from shore before leaving and the first pod was sighted in the middle of Twofold Bay by one of the passengers. This was a mother & calf who headed to the southern side of the bay. Suddenly the calf began breaching which always thrills the passengers. Heading to the north another pod was seen breaching near North Head which turned out to be another mother & calf who very obligingly headed into the bay. Near The Lookout the pair became very active with both animals breaching and a brilliant display of head lunging by the mother. Conditions deteriorated mid morning as the forecast NE wind freshened and the afternoon cruise was cancelled taking into consideration the comfort and safety of passengers.

Saturday November 1, 2008

With the Eden Whale Festival in full swing the whales put on a great display today for passengers a