MEGAFAUNA g I heard a blow and lifted my head to see the back of one of the whales heading towards me . Putting my eye back to the camera , two large shadows appeared at the periphery of my vision and suddenly there they were , right in front of me .
Initially I was focused on taking photos as they passed me , no more than four to five metres away . Then as they were just moving out of my range of vision they turned around and came straight back towards me . They passed for the second time about three to four metres below me and one turned on its side and eyed me . At this point I was no longer looking through the viewfinder I was looking straight down at this most amazing sight . Their huge white pectoral fins were like bright beacons passing through the dark water below , and their huge dark bodies were like shadows in the night . I shuddered with
excitement as the humpbacks checked me out .
They spent the next two hours resting in the bay not moving far at all , but no further good opportunities presented themselves . After a while they started to follow the coast and head out into the sound . We followed at a distance and Peter manoeuvred the g
RAbove : Lying motionless hoping for
the whale to approach
SBelow : Richard celebrates his
encounter
SBottom : The inquisitive whales
came close to the boat
87