AGM's Interview with Bass And Flinders!

Our Interview with Bass And Flinders!


AG:How many whales do you normally see?

As whales are wild animals, we are never exactly sure how many we are going to see. On a good day, we can see up to 12.

AG:How long have you been operating __.(Please give us
your company's full name.) for?

Bass and Flinders has been operating for over 10 years. We have a number of different branches – including Whale Watching Sydney.

AG: What species of whales are most likely to be extinct?

Unfortunately many species of whale are facing extinction. Some of these include the southern right whale, the blue whale and, the most commonly seen for Whale Watching Sydney, the humpback whale.

AG:During the migration,how many whales die due to illness or other
reasons? And why?

We’re not sure how many whales due during migration. Young whales can die from exhaustion on the long trip. Also, orca whales and large sharks are not afraid to attack a young, sick or elderly whale for their next meal.

AG:How long does a baby whale need to feed on its mother's milk before
it can find it's own food?

Baby whales are weaned off their mother’s milk by the time they are 11 months old. They can spend up to a year or longer in their mother’s company before going off on their own.

AG: So tell us the migrating patterns of the whales.

Humpback whales mate in Northern tropical waters during the wintertime and migrate South to spend summer in the Antarctic. The best times to view their migration off the coast of Australia is in June, July and August.

AG:Do the whales like the boat?

The law requires that all vessels stay at least 100 metres from the whales. However, whales are curious creatures and regularly approach the boats to say hello.

AG:How do you find these whales?

The crew members will use their eyes to spot any telltale signs of whales – such as spurts of mist coming from the blowhole as the whales come up to breathe. They are also in communication with other boats and fishermen who will tell them where whales have been recently spotted.

AG:Are there any important rules when you go whale watching?

Take a good pair of binoculars, make sure you take a sea sickness remedy if you get sea sick easily and keep your eyes open – you may see dolphins and seals as well as whales!

AG:How does a whale milks on its calf?

Whales don’t have lips to suck so the milk is squirted into the mouth of the calf from the mother’s nipple.

AG: How often do you see new calfs?

New calves are seen ever year during the migration.

AG:What is the normal lifespan of a whale?

Humpback whales have a lifespan of 45 to 50 years.

AG:How many baby whales can a mother whale produce during her lifetime?

A female humpback can give birth every 1 to 3 years.

AG:What is the gestation period of a whale?

11 to 12 months.

AG:If they fall ill,what kind of disease do they have (normally)?

Not much is known about whale diseases but we do know that they can have many parasites living inside them. The barnacles that you see on whales are also a kind of parasite.

AG:Do you have any advice for AG readers looking to get a carrier similar to your own?

There are several things to keep in mind when looking for a whale watching tour and you should ask yourself the following questions: Does this company have success in seeing whales in the past? Is the boat comfortable and enclosed from wind and rain? How long is the cruise and how long will we get to look at the whales? Do they have a history of following the rules to keep the whales and everybody on board safe?

AG:White whales are very rare,and did you ever saw one before? (If not,tell us about locations white whales would be spotted)

We have seen a white whale calf on our cruises in the past. The most famous white whale is Migaloo the humpback who has been spotted in the waters off Queensland.

AG:Do female and male whales both sing? (Tell us more about their songs and how they sing.) How many whales sang for the cruise before?


Both female and male whales have the ability to make sounds but it is only the males that create the complex melodies that we call “singing”. We aren’t exactly sure why they do this but it is most likely to attract a mate or communicate with other whales over long distances. Our cruises can hear the “trumpet” noise they make when sound comes out of their blowholes.


AG:When did you bought the boat and when did you operate your first cruise?

Bass and Flinders has a number of boats and have been running successful whale watching cruises for several years. Visit us at whalewatchingsydney.net