For what it's worth...
Yesterday we were hit by a humpback whale.
We were motoring in calm seas with the starboard
engine on doing 5 knots and bam the
boat stopped the port hull was lifted up and we turned and slide down and the whale hit again on the starboard hull then come out under the starboard hull.
It was massive, I believe it would have been as long as the boat, and about 3 meters wide. Maybe not that big, so hard to tell when you only see their backs.
I knew it was a whale as soon as we hit. I think it must have surfaced under us or been just under the
water. We didn't hit it with the bow. It was like a giant speed bump. Wayne was working on
fishing stuff and got thrown to the side.
Not to mention it was very freaky. There are whales along the
East Coast of
Australia, I had always been told that if you have an engine going they would stay clear. There was no sigh of whales so it was a total surprise. Kinda like being broad sided by a bus.
Everything seems ok, no
leaks or damage that we can tell. We can't dive on the boat because were in Cooktown and there are crocs here, but will have a good look when we get back out to the islands in a few days.
Just thought I would share that real life Mahe adventure from Vaya con Dios.
I said I wanted to see some whales... you will never hear me say that again in my lifetime unless I am talking about a Doco on TV!
Rozzie