Seven whales were spotted off the Eurobodalla as the HMB Endeavour replica sailed past on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, including an exciting sighting of a rare pygmy sperm whale.
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National Parks and Wildlife Service whale expert Geoff Ross is aboard and said the crew had seen between five and six whales a day since leaving Sydney on Tuesday on their way to Eden.
The 44-metre square rigged ship is scheduled to enter Twofold Bay at 10am on Friday, before coming alongside the breakwater wharf at Snug Cove an hour later.
Fairfax Regional Media spoke to Mr Ross as he sailed off Bermagui on Thursday afternoon at about 3.45pm.
“Yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, off the Eurobodalla, the Endeavour spotted four humpback whales, all heading in a south-west direction and taking their time,” Mr Ross said.
“The endeavour mingled with them for a short while and then we departed.”
Yesterday, the crew was fortunate enough to see a pod of three sperm whales - two adults and a calf - swimming off Moruya.
Although too late in the season for right whales, plenty of humpback and sperm whales were sighted on the trip.
“The southern rights would have left NSW waters by now,” Mr Ross said.
He said one crewman saw a pygmy sperm whale yesterday.
“They are pretty uncommon,” Mr Ross said.
“We were able to get a really good look at it.
“It was really exciting.”
He said numbers were what he expected this late in the season.
“They are not laid on very thickly, but we have been seeing a constant number every day,” Mr Ross said.
“We are quite late in the season, so you would expect not to see quite as many as you would in June or July.
“The numbers this year have been very similar to last year."
Describing the experience as “absolutely awesome”, Mr Ross said it was the first time he had been on a vessel to count whales offshore.
“It’s staggering out here,” he said.
“It is remarkable to be sailing like the olden days.
“There are people up the mast and setting sails and you can hear the sails flap in the afternoon sun.”
Paying crew who want to join the Endeavour as it heads home from Eden are encouraged to click here to apply.