The whales are most often seen where they relax and play in an area of the bay known as Platypus Bay, formed by Fraser Island. Whereas whale watching boats at other venues need to keep moving to keep pace with travelling whales, in Hervey Bay the boats often remain stationery for long periods of time, allowing the whales to approach the boats much more closely than boats are permitted to approach the whales. Ospreys, or sea eagles live in nests of sticks lined with bark and grass, built atop poles erected at Point Vernon and on Round Island, just outside the Urangan boat harbour. Ospreys look for fish by hovering over the water. Then they dive into the water with wings swept back, thrusting their talons forward at the last minute to grab the fish below the surface.
Adults are successful about once every four dives.
Photographs kindly contributed by Daniel Tweed and Absolute Graphics . All rights reserved.