Wee Whale Watchers

Okay, he either said, "move to the back of the throat," or he "wants a root beer float"." ~ Dory, Finding Nemo

Seaweed ball on Bashams Beach, South Australia

Nearly 13 years ago my sister and I packed up our camping gear and drove.  We headed north from Brisbane to Hervey Bay, Queensland's whale watching mecca.  We drove for 5 hours, endured an overnight storm (yes in our tent!), paid for a boat to take us out into the bay to enjoy whale watching.  All to no avail.  The company even offered us a credit for a return journey.  We never made it back!

Today we drove a couple of hours south of Adelaide to Basham's Beach and spent most of the day enjoying watching a mother whale gracefully swim up and down the beach caring for her playful calf.

The Southern Right Whales have been sighted each day over the last week so if you are in Adelaide, head down to take a peek.  You will be well rewarded.  The SA Whale Centre has a useful resource tracking daily sightings.

Look at that enormous rounded body, such gentle graceful curves.

Photos just cannot do justice to the experience we shared.  The whales were very close to shore, perhaps 100m away, just past the breakers and easily visible from where we played on the beach.  It was absolutely awe-inspiring to be observers of these magnificent creatures of the deep.

Little Eee loved to sit and dig in the sand, not yet understanding the enormity of what she was seeing - both in the size of the whale and calf and in the experience of being able to spend some time with them.

Ess however, is now old enough to love and appreciate the whales and sat for many moments on the dunes watching the mother and her calf, seeing them pec and tail slapping, spyhopping, playing and swimming up and down the beach.

There were more whales further out to see.  In the above picture you can see its waterspout.

After all these years, I've been whale watching for free with such little effort.  Indeed so many beautiful things in South Australia are quite understated, perhaps one could say underrated, and have not yet been capitalised upon.  I do find it very easy to live simply in this lovely state which I have come to adore.

Bashams Beach is a beautiful place to explore in itself.

Indeed it is a shell-lover's haven.

I confess, I collected a few shells too and have brought them home and sorted and arranged them on little Eee's windowsill.  Showing you can wait until another day if you are interested.  Oh there are so many that are just so pretty, so colourful, so unique.

A wonderful day drew to a beautiful close with a very pretty rainbow stretching out across the Southern Ocean.

A very fitting way to celebrate the birthday of my very dear husband, and my own as well as Tuesday was a very busy day here.

Happy Birthday my dear Generous Gentleman.

Oh and when we finally arrived home after 7pm, would you believe they were screening Finding Nemo.  We all got a big laugh out of the scene where Dory imitates whale :)