Augusta Whale Watching: Humpback & Southern Right Tour

4.94

(137 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the cold salt on my lips — not sure if it was from the wind or just excitement. We’d barely left Augusta’s jetty before someone shouted, “There!” and everyone rushed to one side (I nearly spilled my tea). Our guide, Dave, grinned and pointed out a pair of humpbacks surfacing. He said they were heading north — something about migration patterns I half-remember now, but honestly, I was too busy watching their backs slide through the water like moving shadows.

I didn’t expect to hear so much — the slap of tails, a sudden whoosh when one exhaled. It’s louder than you think. At some point, a kid near me asked if the dolphins ever race the boat. Dave laughed and told us about bottlenose dolphins showing off for tourists (“They’re basically locals here,” he said). The sky kept shifting from blue to grey; someone passed around biscuits while we tried to spot sea birds skimming the surface. It felt like everyone on board was quietly rooting for another breach.

We saw southern right whales too — slower, almost gentle compared to the humpbacks. There was this moment when everything went quiet except for gulls and that low hum of the engine. I still think about that view: wide water, spray hanging in the air, everyone just standing there together not saying much at all. If you don’t see any whales (apparently rare), they let you come back free within a year. That takes some pressure off — but I hope you get lucky on your first try.