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| 50 Owen St Huskisson NSW 2540 Australia Ph (02) 4441 6311 Fax (02) 4441 5885 | |||||||||||||
Tourism Winner 2008 |
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Tourism Winner 2008 |
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Thanks to our friends from Orrca who took this great sequence of images of mother and calf from onboard The Spirit of Jervis Bay. |
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Hold your cursor over the images below to see the enlarged image in the central window. |
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As seen on CHANNEL 10 NEWS
More whale video taken from onboard The Spirit of Jervis Bay Click on the images (left image - raw video) (right image - Channel 10 video) to take you to You-Tube where you can see a quick glimpse of the type of up close and spectacular viewing that you can get from right onboard The Spirit of Jervis Bay. There has been action a plenty in Jervis Bay this year with current estimates that there will be as many as 11,000 whales passing our shores this year on the annual migration. Many thanks to Daryl Gama for posting the footage. Don't miss out. BOOK HERE ! on the Spirit of Jervis Bay |
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You too can shoot an amazing whale video from the Spirit of Jervis Bay
Click on either of the images to the left or right to see video footage taken by one of our customers (thanks for the footage Rebekah), just outside Point Perpendicular, and right from atop the deck of the 'Spirit of Jervis Bay'It is a 60 second download on ADSL/Broadband, but we think it is well worth it. You will need to download Microsoft windows media player to view if you don't already have it. The link is below. |
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NSW Tourism Finalist - Best Tour Operator - 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 |
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Jervis Bay's Best Tour
Winner - Best Tour Operator - South Coast Tourism Awards 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2008 |
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See the dolphins and whales in the wild.....
Ecotourism at it's Best "Ecotourism is ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation" ...and Dolphin Watch Cruises is the only officially certified Advanced EcoTourism cruise company on Jervis Bay |
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Shoalhaven adopt a whale
The whale has been found, the name has been chosen and the adoption has taken place. Welcome to Muriyira. See below for more details and check out the video of Michelle (Lemon) Blewitt on the naming day (below right) |
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(click on image for more information) |
As seen on WIN NEWS
Muriyira - The Shoalhaven Whale - Jervis Bay In 2007, 50 humpback whales - OUR humpback whales, were targeted by the Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean - the 1st time in 4 decades as a result of this, IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) created the Humpback Whale Icon Migration Project this project aims to raise awareness for the conservation & protection of whales & dolphins in Australian waters & to celebrate the annual humpback whale migration in 2007 - 50 coastal communities on the east coast of Australia formed a chain to help protect the humpback whale each community adopted a whale that can be individually recognised by distinctive markings on their tail fluke - just like a fingerprint! The Shoalhaven community was part of this project! The Shoalhaven whale is unique because we actually took the photo of OUR whale (taken right off the coast during a research trip in 2007) and the tail image was examined at the national whale register to see if it had been previously recorded. As it had not, we were able to adopt this whale as part of the Humpback Whale Icon Project. The name is Muriyira which means whale in the local aboriginal language- Dhurga. Pronounced moori yira To see the video of the naming day, click on the image of Dr Michelle (Lemon) Blewitt on the right. |
(click on image above to go to You-Tube WIN NEWS video of the naming day)
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Whale Watching Jervis Bay - NSW's premiere whale watching destination
Jervis Bay is fast becoming the whale watching capital of NSW, rivalling Hervey Bay for the title as the nation's whale watching capital. The pristine environs of the Jervis Bay Marine Park make Jervis Bay the ideal base for whale watching - " eco -tourism" at its best! The southern migration is particularly special because Jervis Bay offers a much needed "rest stop" for the mothers and their calves on their long journey back home. This affords passengers the opportunity to see mothers and calves frolicking in the sheltered waters inside Jervis Bay. "We simply switch off the engines and watch as the whales swim up to the boat to investigate what all the fuss is about." We are so confident, we guarantee that you will see whales.... if not a free return cruise. |
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Jervis Bay Whales
...the biggest whale watching operation on the South coast of NSW Jervis Bay Whales is operated by Dolphin Watch Cruises and conducts the largest dolphin and whale watching cruising operations on Jervis Bay. Dolphin Watch Cruises is the original cruising company of Jervis Bay and has been conducting cruises on Jervis Bay out of Huskisson for over 15 years. Dolphin Watch Cruises commenced operation in 1990 and since that time we have conducted over 7,000 dolphin watching and whale watching cruises, with over 400,000 satisfied customers. |
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Tekin III - The Spirit of Jervis Bay - the largest cruising vessel on Jervis Bay
Our vessel, The Spirit of Jervis Bay, is a 17m triple-deck catamaran, which has been specifically adapted for dolphin and whale watching on Jervis Bay. Tekin III has the advantage of being the largest whale watching and dolphin watching vessel in Jervis Bay and this means that whatever the conditions, you know you will be comfortable, dry and most importantly, safe. We have a fully licensed bar on board and we serve complimentary morning or afternoon tea on every cruise. Jervis Bay Whales have three observation decks from which to view the whales and dolphins of Jervis Bay. The first deck is on the bow of the boat (front deck) and allows guests to view the dolphins at close range if they choose to "bow ride" off the front of the boat, always a crowd favourite. The second observation deck provides covered seating on our main deck with open air viewing of the whales and dolphins for those preferring to avoid the elements. The third observation deck is "Spirit's" crowning glory. It sits atop the vessel and allows 360 degree views of Jervis Bay. It is unique in that it sits some 20 feet above the surface of the water and allows for maximum viewing angle to the dolphins and whales swimming in the water below. |
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Multiple Tourism Award Winning Cruises
Dolphin Watch Cruises - Jervis Bay is a 5 times NSW Tourism Award Winner and an 13 times South Coast Region Tourism award winner. Dolphin Watch Cruises was again recently awarded the prize for best tour operator in the South Coast Region for 2006. We have been one of the leading tourist attractions in the Jervis Bay area for over 15 years. The high level of customer service that we demand from both ourselves and our crew ensures that our passengers enjoy the best possible dolphin and whale watching experience on Jervis Bay. It is the reason behind our continued award winning success. |
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Jervis Bay Marine Park
Dolphin Watch Cruises operates on the pristine waters of the Jervis Bay Marine Park. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty with white sandy beaches, towering sandstone cliffs and sparkling blue waters. Jervis Bay itself is only two and a half hours south of Sydney and three hours from Canberra. Jervis Bay Marine Park features an abundance of wildlife including dolphins, seals, whales (May to November) sea eagles, penguins and gannets to name a few, all of which can be seen on a normal cruise around the bay. |
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The Dolphin Watch Team
Matt and Lisa Cross operate Dolphin Watch Cruises out of their offices at 50 Owen Street, Huskisson (look for the two life sized dolphins) with their experienced team of skippers and crew. They would like to welcome you on board The Spirit of Jervis Bay and hope that you enjoy your experience as they "show off" the pristine beauty that has become synonymous with Jervis Bay. Feel free to drop into the office to view our spectacular whale and dolphin footage on video or to ask Matt and Lisa and the crew a few questions and learn about Jervis Bay and its surrounding area. |
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The Boat House - Luxury Accommodation on Jervis Bay
Brand new Luxury Accommodation on the water at Jervis Bay contact the staff at Dolphin Watch Cruises for availability and rates or visit our website at |
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 We would like to recommend the Huskisson Beach Tourist Resort as an accommodation provider of choice. Husky Beach has a range of accommodatioin to suit every taste from their luxury self contained cabins all the way down to their BYO tent sites. Please ask us and we can arrange it all for you. |
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Jervis Bay Getaways offers a quality award winning selection of beach bungalows sea shacks lake huts country houses eco stays or romantic cottages ideal for couples groups and families to meet different tastes and budgets. Choose from a unique collection of owner hosted privately located self contained properties all with gas or wood log fires spa baths and local hand crafted furniture. |
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Whale Photography
We are very fortunate to have a friend in Rudi Vavra, a professional photographer who delights in the majesty of these creatures. Rudi is a regular on our whale cruises and has very graciously allowed us to reproduce some of his images on our website. For a more detailed look at some of Rudi's work, please visit www.rudiphoto.net |
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| "Free return cruise if no whales are sighted on a whale cruise" | |||||||||||||
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Tekin III - The Spirit of Jervis Bay is specially designed for all weather cruising. Of course, we cruise only when the conditions allow, but the odd spot of rain will not spoil your day. In fact, some of the best viewing conditions occur when the sky is overcast with no breeze. This allows for less glare and less reflection off the surface of the water, giving you greater viewing through the water to see our dolphins and whales. To help you plan your cruise dates, we have added our local weather conditions, for your convenience.
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The Spirit of Jervis Bay provides safe, comfortable viewing, in all weather conditions. | )
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| 50 Owen St, Huskisson NSW 2540, Australia. Ph: 02 4441 6311 Fax 02 4441 5885 Email: cruises@dolphinwatch.com.au | |||||||||||||
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| www.dolphinwatch.com.au | |||||||||||||
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JERVIS BAY WHALE WATCHING
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Social Unit |
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Length Adults up to 15m. Females grow larger than males. At birth about 4.5m; at weaning (I year old) 8.5m. |
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Weight Average adult 40,000 kg, maximum 48,000 kg. Calves weigh about 1,300 kg at birth |
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Profile Rotund body with the dorsal fin about two-thirds of the way back along the body. Broad tail (flukes) rippled on the rear margin. The flippers are scalloped on the front margin. About thirty pleats extend from the chin to the navel. Barnacles and whale lice are commonly found on humpbacks. |
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Markings Basically black or grey on the upper surface, with a mottled black and white area on the throat, flanks and belly. The tail has a dark upper surface but the under side is a variable pattern of black and white plus scars of all shapes and sizes. This pattern is visible when the whale raises its tail just before a dive. Each whale has a unique pattern, and photographs of the pattern are used to identify individuals. Many whales are sighted again and again but there are always new ones passing along our coastline |
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Vocalisations The underwater sounds of the hump-back include grunts, groans, moos, cries, brays, whistles, rasps and twitters. Adult males are very vocal, and because their vocalisations have a formal structure they are called songs. For some time it was thought the adult males only sang when they were at the breeding grounds in tropical waters. But researchers have recorded humpbacks singing at Jervis Bay and Eden. Humpback songs are long and complex; all phrases are repeated in the same sequence by each whale. Each year the song changes slightly from the previous year. |
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Surface Behaviour
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Diving When the humpback starts a long dive, it will arch its back and raise the tail high into the air. As soon as the whale returns to the surface it will blow (a cloud of vapour produced by condensation when the whale exhales). The shape of the humpback's blow is distinct: a balloon of spray up to 3m tall. |
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Feeding Instead of teeth, the humpback whale has baleen which it uses to catch its prey. There are up to 800 baleen plates rooted in the top jaw, and' the largest plate is 65 cm, long. The baleen is constructed of material much like fingernails and claws. The outer edge of the baleen is smooth, and the inner edge is covered with bristles which intertwine to form a sieve. To feed, the whale gulps a huge mouthful of water containing krill (shrimplike crustaceans) and small fish. The mouth is then closed, forcing the water out through the baleen plates, and the food is trapped in the bristles on the inside of the baleen. The humpback is a seasonal feeder, consuming huge quantities of food during summer; for the rest of the year it mainly lives on reserves of body fat. |
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Distribution and Migration During winter humpbacks are concentrated in their breeding grounds-tropical waters, often near the coast and around islands. In early spring they leave the warm waters and travel thousands of kilometres to their summer feeding grounds-the krill-rich, polar waters. At the end of summer, humpbacks head back to their breeding grounds. |
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Strict regulations govern approaches to whales and the law provides heavy penalties for disturbing or harrassing them. Swimmers and divers
Powered and unpowered vessels (including surfboards)
Aircraft
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Information on the Humpback whale from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Organisation for the Rescue & Research of Cetaceans in Australia
See also the Whale and Dolphin Watch Australia web page (The Oceania Project) |
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