Meet the Marine Biologist from Spirit of Gold Coast Whale Watching.
Meet the Marine Biologist from Spirit of Gold Coast Whale Watching.
Perhaps the best thing about Winter on the Gold Coast is the fact that we get front row seats to the migration of whales along our coastline. And now that it is prime time to see these majestic creatures, we thought it best to get to know Marine Biologist Shari Kempshall from Spirit of Gold Coast about her love for the giant mammals and the Gold Coast!
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I was born and bred on the Gold Coast! I moved away for a few years for work and study but moved back at the beginning of this year.
Tell us about your professional career to date.
Since graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 2016, I worked for a few years as a Marine Biologist and Tour Guide on Lady Elliot Island on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. I left at the beginning of 2020 to start my Master of Environment, and I’m currently studying full time while working at Spirit of Gold Coast. My days consist of watching these beautiful animals as they travel past the Gold Coast on their winter migration, and sharing information with all of our excited passengers about what they’re seeing!
What’s the one thing you love the most about whales?
Everything! What’s not to love? They’re so big, majestic, intelligent and acrobatic. The sound of their blow is my #1 favourite sound in the world because it means that whales are close!
Tell us an interesting fact about whales that many people may not know.
While I think people understand whales are big, it’s hard to grasp exactly HOW big they are! Each of their lungs is the size of a small car, and whales can weigh the same amount as 11 elephants!
How many whales have you seen at once?
Generally humpback whales are more solitary, however we often see small pods of 2-4 migrating together. There has, however, been a few times this season where we are surrounded by multiple pods and don’t know where to look! The most I’ve seen close-up is 10-15, a courtship heat run came past fast and it was all over very quickly, but it was one of the most exciting moments of my life!
How close do whales travel to the Gold Coast shoreline and roughly how many whales pass the Gold Coast each year?
When heading back down south, the whales tend to hug the coastline, particularly mothers and calves. This means they can be just a few hundred metres offshore! We are lucky to see around 30,000-35,000 humpbacks travelling up and down the east coast each year. This number is growing by about 10% each year, as the whale populations are still recovering from intense whaling where there was an estimated 300-500 whales left on our east coast.
Do you have a favourite memory of a time when you were out on a cruise?
Recently we had a pod of around 70+ common dolphins stirring up three humpback whales! While the dolphins love the whales, sometimes they’re just a little too playful for the humpbacks. But on this occasion it resulted in the whales throwing their fins around and they all put on quite a show for us!
What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café: Stable Coffee in Currumbin
Coffee spot: Any coffee on the beach is a winner! I love getting takeaway and walking Burleigh Hill or heading to Point Danger Lookout.
Restaurant: Balboa Italian
Bar or pub for a drink: Currumbin Surf Club – that view!!
How do you choose to spend your weekends? At the moment I’m spending them watching whales! But if I’m not whale watching I probably heading out into nature with my loved ones.
For discounted tickets to Spirit of Gold Coast Whale Watching – click here.
As we saw from that viral video of swimmers getting up close and personal with a Humpback at Snapper Rocks it’s officially whale watching season! In case you missed it, keep scrolling as we’ve included it below. Every year from May to November we are blessed to have thousands of Humpback Whales passing through the Gold Coast’s warm waters.
Everyone knows the magical feeling of spying one of the majestic mammals from afar so, in the spirit of sharing, we’ve found the top seven spots to see them (for FREE) from the shore.
Cabarita Headland
Just south of the border, one of our top whale-watching spots is Cabarita Beach’s headland. Take a little hike up the steps to Norries Headland for some seriously expansive coastal views. The elevation makes whale spotting a breeze. And, pro tip: swing by George’s Deli in Kingscliff to pick up a donut or coffee for the walk.
Point Danger Lookout, Coolangatta
This iconic spot sits right on the NSW-QLD border, boasting breathtaking panoramic views. Directly below lies Duranbah Beach (D’bah to the locals), a prime surfing hotspot. For those looking to relax with a coffee or a bite to eat while whales breach in the distance, Black Dingo Cafe offers a vantage point that won’t disappoint.
Kirra Hill, Kirra
Just a little further north is Kirra Hill, another picturesque piece of land. You can drive or walk up (be warned, it’s quite steep) and then enjoy the view, it’s pretty special! Once you’re done, head back down and check out one of the eateries with a view along Marine Pde. Our hots tips are Siblings or Kirra Beach House.
Tumgun Lookout, Burleigh Heads
Sitting atop the Burleigh Heads National Park is Tumgun Lookout. It’s higher than Burleigh Point and gives you a different angle all together (on a clear day you can see all the way to Coolangatta). Put on some activewear, run up Tumgun Lookout through the National Park and enjoy the breathtaking view, and keep a lookout for the BIG SPLASH!
Burleigh Point, Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Point is paradise, the most peaceful place on earth, not to mention a perfect picnic spot. It’s easy to spend a whole day here and not get bored. What a coincidence that it’s also one of the best whale-watching vantage points on the Coast. When hunger hits, continue the whale watching from The Tropic or Burleigh Pavilion.
Miami Hill, Miami
Located between North Burleigh Surf Club and Miami Surf Club is the Miami Hill lookout. The all-wooden verandah stretches around the headland and offers great views to the north and south. We suggest going up in the afternoon for whale watching and staying ’til dusk to see the sunset over the hinterland. Then take an easy walk down the hill and pop in for a cocktail at Sandfire.
The Spit, Main Beach
The Spit may not be the highest lookout on the Coast but it surely is closest to the action as it stretches way out to sea. It’s a great place to take your doggo for a walk and enjoy the scenery (go for a swim if it’s warm enough – we dare you!).
If you want to see the whales up close and personal jump on a whale watching cruise with Spirit of Gold Coast or Kokomo Cruises.
Words by Belinda Symons.
Watching a whale in its natural, salty environment is one of the most breathtaking experiences there is. Whether they’re leaping out of the water or simply cruising along, nothing compares to seeing an animal as big as a bus just 50 metres away.
Luckily, we on the Gold Coast are privy to this exact phenomenon every year and, you guessed it, whale migration season is upon us once again.
In honour of our favourite time of year, we’ve gathered some fun facts on Humpback Whale migration for your learning pleasure.
1. Over 27,000 Humpback Whales are set to make the annual migration along the East Coast of Australia this year. Only 30 years ago, there were less than 300 of the majestic beauties left in the world after they were hunted to near extinction.
2. The reason for their almost 5,000 kilometre migration is to breed and give birth after spending months down south loading up on a hearty diet of krill.
3. Regardless of the fact that adult Humpback Whales can grow to weigh over 30,000 kilograms, they love to launch themselves out of the water during playtime using their tail fin, which acts as a propeller. Known as breaching, the big guys do this both as a way of communicating and simply because it’s good old-fashioned fun. Pure magic to experience firsthand.
4. Humpback Whales have blowholes the size of a small car and return to the surface every seven to 15 minutes to breathe. Due to the amount of air they’re able to take in they can stay submerged for up to 45 minutes if necessary.
Whale watching season on the Gold Coast runs from June to October and you can catch these incredible Humpbacks in their natural environment aboard Spirit of Gold Coast who have over 20 years experience, plenty more whaley good facts and up to 30% off with their coupon here.
FIND THEM: Leaves from Mariners Cove Marina (next to the helicopter pad), Seaworld Drive, Main Beach seven days a week with tours departing at 9.30am.
Words by Kirra Smith
