A humpback whale has been saved after being entangled and released from fishing ropes.
The distressed whale was sighted off Port Macquarie at 3.30pm last Thursday by Cruise Adventures’ whale watching vessels Discovery and Apollo.
The whale had become caught up on fish trap ropes 2 miles off Tacking Point lighthouse.
Cruise Adventures crew alerted Sea Rescue and National Parks and Wildlife Service, who were responsible to effect a rescue.
For half an hour passengers aboard the two cruise boats had a first hand experience at a real life whale rescue in the making.
Luckily the 13 metre whale then broke itself free and cruised northward.
The northern migration is almost at an end with most humpback whales now heading south.
So far ten whale calves have been seen by Cruise Adventures amongst northbound whales.
Last year 26 baby whales were seen before whale pods turned and started heading south.
“This year’s northern migration whale watching season has seen less babies and was regularly hampered by the worst weather in seven years of whale watching,” says John Fowler, owner of Port Macquarie Cruise Adventures.
