“So there we have two whales, a mother and junior traveling together,” Frank Future called to the excited tourists on his cruising catamaran, floating off the NSW coast.
“Mum probably hasn’t had a proper meal now for about six months, so she is in a hurry to get to the southern oceans to feed.”
Frank Future loves whales. His eco-tourism business Imagine Cruises operates at Port Stephens, two hours’ drive north of Sydney.
Its small fleet is usually packed with whale watchers, keen to get up close to the giant marine mammals swimming along what’s known locally as ‘humpback highway.’ But international and state border closures have limited visitor numbers this year.
A humpback breaching off the coast at Port Stephens. Source: Michael Butler
Like many tourism operators, Frank’s business has struggled during COVID-19.
“We have social distancing, so normally we could take 50 passengers, but today we are taking only 25,” he said.
“During lockdown, we were closed for 10 weeks. So it’s been a difficult winter.”
“Job keeper is the saving grace for us obviously, as a small business.”
His passengers are mostly from Sydney these days. They are treated to a spectacle offshore as more than 35,000 humpback whales, including nursing mothers and their calves, head south after wintering in the warm tropical waters.
“We see mothers and calves by the dozen, and we expect almost 3,000 baby whales to travel this year,” he said.
As a passionate conservationist, Frank spent decades fighting to end commercial whaling in Australian waters.
Frank Future fought to protect whales in Australian waters. Source: SBS
“We chased whaling ships in freezing cold water in the southern oceans, to get people to stop whaling,” the 66-year-old said.
His efforts were rewarded in 1978, when Australia stopped commercial whaling. One year later, an anti-whaling policy permanently ended all whaling in Australian waters.
For Frank, whose beloved whales had been hunted to near extinction, it was a pivotal moment.
“I feel fantastic about it and I'm proud of Australia, because we took that initiative.”
Humpbacks stay close to the coastline in spring, many herding calves into shallow waters.
“We are moving along at 2.5 knots and the whales are swimming at the same speed, and they are just happy to be tagging along with us,” Frank said behind the wheel of his 54-foot sailing catamaran.
The humpback and what Frank identified as its two-year-old calf, waved their tails near the boat, to the delight of visitors.
“It’s just amazing to be out, and to be so close, and have everyone sit there and enjoy it with you,’ said whale watcher Tracy Breese.
“Now we’ve seen them I am very happy, but I hope to see them jumping more,” said Vanshika Sehgal from Sydney.
A former British Merchant Navy seaman, Frank migrated to Australia in 1974 and later built boats for a living. He opened his own whale watching business at Port Stephens in 1995.
“When we started, I was told that there were probably around 1,500 to 1,800 humpbacks on Australia’s east coast,” he said.
“Now there are more than 35,000 humpbacks migrating south, to the krill-rich feeding grounds of the southern oceans.
“They are increasing by around 10 per cent each year.”
The pandemic has impacted most tourist areas, including Port Stephens. Local resort owner and chair of Destination Port Stephens Andrew Macdonald described 2020 as a 'real rollercoaster'.
Tourist Mandeep Singh photographing a mother and calf. Source: SBS
"During the initial shutdown, it was devastating and everything stopped very, very quickly," he said
'After lockdown ended, we went into a really, really positive July, one of our best ever! Then August was one of the worst months we've ever had."
As coronavirus restrictions ease, hopes are rising for a better summer season.
"Christmas is, of course, our busiest time. And the volume of people looking for getaways out of Sydney in particular is immense. So it's going to be massive."
The coalition government is providing $250 million to boost tourism and infrastructure in Australia's regions. The October budget set aside $50 million for a regional tourism recovery initiative, to assist businesses in regions heavily reliant on international tourism.
Whales swimming along the Australian coast also face ongoing challenges, according to CSIRO marine ecologist Dr Eva Plaganyi.
“They still face a huge number of threats, and that includes from plastic pollution and climate change, which is reducing the food that they rely on, as well as noise pollution in the ocean.
“Humpback whales are filter feeders and have their mouth open as they go through the water. They can ingest small particles of plastic, which can affect their health.”
The CSIRO says three quarters of all rubbish found along the coastline is plastic. The science organisation is striving for a 90 per cent reduction in plastic leaking into the Australian environment, by 2025.
Whales are filter feeders and are affected by marine plastic. Source: Michael Butler
Dr Plaganyi says whales may also become tangled in discarded fishing nets and even fishing lines.
To help protect marine life, Frank Future has donated more than $40,000 to research, over the past 25 years.
“There are not too many good news stories in conservation, around our natural environment,” he said.
“But these humpbacks are Australian animals. They've all been born in Australia waters.
"And to see them come back, oh it’s wonderful!”
