An “inquisitive” humpback whale that wandered from its usual migratory route and into the centre of Sydney Harbour is causing “navigational challenges” for ferries and vessels as its tour of the world-famous harbour continues.
The sub-adult whale was spotted by commuters on a harbour ferry service near Fort Denison about 8am on Wednesday. It swam to Circular Quay – Sydney’s central ferry terminal – before moving east towards the defence base of Garden Island then to Watsons Bay and north to Balmoral Bay.
Speaking from a New South Wales Maritime boat shadowing the creature, the whale expert Dr Vanessa Pirotta said it was “not every day a whale takes a detour and hangs out in Watsons Bay”.
Its harbour trip was posing a “navigational challenge” for ferries and vessels, she said.
“NSW Maritime and NSW National Parks and Wildlife are literally escorting a school bus-sized mammal out of the harbour,” she said. “It’s so easy for vessels to strike whales.
“They do things when you least expect it – [we’re] making sure it has space and is escorted out of the harbour, because this one is very inquisitive.”
A NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson said its crews were in small boats moving alongside the whale as it swam freely in the harbour.
To avoid accidental collisions and to keep the animal safe in the “very busy city harbour”, they said the vessels stay in formation to the side and rear of the whale to mark an exclusion zone and stop other vessels from getting too close.
Transport for NSW said the whale caused minimal delays and disruption to its F3 Parramatta service at about 9am. Ferries were not being impacted on Wednesday afternoon, but TfNSW was “keeping a close eye” on the whale’s movements.
While it’s not unusual for a whale to briefly leave the “humpback highway” running up and down Australia’s east coast – four humpbacks have been seen in the harbour this migratory season, Pirotta said – it was “crazy” for the creatures to be as inquisitive and explorative as this one.
“Most will hang out around Manly and then work out it’s not in the right place and swim away, but this one is having the full harbour experience,” Pirotta said.
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“It’s the most inquisitive whale. It’s thin but, from its behaviour, it’s very relaxed.”
In Balmoral Bay on Sydney’s north shore, the whale was on Wednesday afternoon seen swimming close to a paddle boarder with onlookers watching from the beach.
“This whale continues to surprise me,” Pirotta said. “It’s just hanging out and in such shallow water – I’d expect this from a southern right whale, not a humpback whale.”
She said the whale’s condition – which she described as “OK” – suggested it was migrating south and that it might have entered the harbour overnight.
Pirotta said the Wild Sydney Harbour project had “delivered” after commuters spotted the whale. One social media user said the whale had delayed a ferry on Wednesday morning.
The sighting was a chance to gather data and photos of the creature, Pirotta said, adding that every time she watched whales she learned “so much more about them”.
