Whale sharks may be moving on from Ningaloo Reef, but there is still a BIG reason to visit and stay at Luxury Lodge's of Australia accommodation, Sal Salis, over the next few months.
Humpback Whales have arrived in our pristine waters, and Western Australia’s Ningaloo Marine Park is one of the few places on Earth that you can actually take a dip with them!
Sal Salis' preferred operator, Live Ningaloo, has reported some amazing interactions with humpback whales so far this season, which commenced on 1 August.
Passengers aboard Live Ningaloo’s luxury vessel, Wave Rider, have enjoyed up to five swims per tour with humpback whales, and some have been treated to very special interactions with mothers and their young whales.
A recent group were snorkelling with a mother humpback whale and her yearling. The mother initially concealed her yearling from sight until she’d had eyeballed the group for a little while. Upon judging they weren’t a threat she lowered her guard and allowed the group to have a peek.
Live Ningaloo’s Sonia Beckwith said humpback whales were constantly communicating through passive and non-passive behaviours.
She said: “Whether it’s singing, doing a belly turn or a mother showing us her yearling – that’s them communicating amongst themselves and sometimes with us. It’s a magical feeling when there is an exchange because it’s intentional with humpbacks.
“Humpback whales are active above and below the surface. Spotting them in action while you’re on a boat, in the water with them, or from the Sal Salis lodge deck is an awe-inspiring experience.
“This is only the third year the swimming with humpback tours have been allowed, and it is reassessed each year. As such, we never know if these swims with humpback whales at Ningaloo Reef will continue in future seasons. So, if you really want to tick this amazing experience off your bucket list, we recommend doing it soon!”
Live Ningaloo will continue to offer tours to swim with humpback whales until 31 October.
This article was originally published by Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, a tourism operator based on Australia’s Coral Coast. The team at Australia’s Coral Coast did not review or approve this story.
