Every year, humpback whales go on long migrations between the cold, nutrient-rich feeding grounds of Antarctica and the warmer waters off the east coast of Australia where they give birth, breed, and socialise. Over the last two whale seasons, I have had the privilege to work in Hervey Bay, Queensland, where the humpback whales come into the shallow and sandy waters of Platypus Bay. Here, we observe the whales and spend full days looking at curious juveniles ‘mugging’, a term that describes inquisitive whales coming close to boats. While a mugging is happening, a whale may also lift its head out of the water in a so-called ‘spy hop’. This is a way for the whale to get a closer look at its surroundings, often spinning around in a pirouette as its eyes are located on the sides of its face.

That feeling you get when a whale lifts its face out of the water, right next to the boat, locking eyes with you as it spins around, is exhilarating. Once you start to see the whales up close, you begin to take note of certain things. The first time I got a close look at the face of a humpback whale and that first wave of excitement subsided, I was amazed to see what was actually there.

Over the last seven years, I have had the incredible opportunity to view and photograph whales on a daily basis through my work. The last two years I have had the pleasure of working alongside marine mammal veteran of over 35 years, Peter Lynch, onboard a whale watching boat in Hervey Bay. Humpback whales are the main species of whale encountered here and visitors keep getting blown away by their extraordinary behaviour in the bay. With camera in hand, I have managed to capture some of these incredibly close encounters. On day three of my job, I had my first close interaction with a humpback whale in the bay. A pod of juvenile whales approached the vessel and one individual instantly carried out a spy hop, seemingly investigating us. As I sat down at the end of the day to go through my photos, I started to look closer at the face of the humpback.