The first whale sightings of the year occur around mid-May. Weighing forty-eight tonnes, the humpback whale should be easy to find. Determined whale-watchers, binoculars at the ready, look hopefully to sea from places such as Tomaree, Fishermans Bay and Stockton Beach. A minimum sighting would be a puff of spray jetting skyward above a dark rounded mass surrounded by breaking water. Lucky spectators will be treated to an hour of tail slapping, flipper waving and spectacular leaps out of the water. Charter boats take groups of people out into the blue waters off Port Stephens for a closer encounter. Stopping the required distance of hundred metres away from a whale, the boat will cut its engines if the whale approaches.

Both the humpback and the southern right whale are filter feeders. They travel north to idle away the winter in the warm waters of Queensland. Over the early winter months, about three thousand whales will pass by, with full bellies, and thoughts of a possible mate. To pass the time they sing and wave and loll about. Sometimes a whale will be seen scratching on a reef, rolling about like a friendly puppy. Every few years a whale will enter Port Stephens for a look around. News travels fast in a small town and in a short time hundreds of people will crowd the headlands to watch this special passing. It has become an increasingly frequent privilege to be able to watch the antics of this intelligent, friendly and enormous fellow traveller.