The Massive 2022 Humpback Whale Migration
By Lloyd Edwards

1. News

Wow wow wow, that is all I can say about this year’s Humpback whale migration. Since setting up Raggy Charters 25 years ago, this year had the most humpback whales and especially calves, that I have ever seen! In fact, I am convinced that this is the largest migration ever witnessed, since the Durban whaling station was commissioned in 1908. When whaling was ceased in 1976, less than a hundred of these magnificent creatures were left. Against all odds, they have now bounced back to pre-exploitation levels. Our East coast population was estimated at 15 000 individuals. I can quite convincingly say that we saw well over a thousand calves this season, never mind what we didn’t see! The same was reported by our networks that stretch from Gabon in West Africa to Kenya in East Africa.

We saw our first Humpback whales on their Northern migration passing Cape Recife on the 8th June this year. By great coincidence it was during our “Welcoming of the Whales Festival” at the Willows Resort in Port Elizabeth. During June 2022 we saw 30 adults on cruises, while in June 2021 we saw ten adults, the first arriving on the 10th June. During November 2022 we saw around 100 adults and 75 calves, not to mention the many blows and splashes we observed on the horizon. During December 2022 we saw eight adults and four calves, the last pair on the 8th. There is still a juvenile hanging around between Coega and North End which we last observed on the 15th. It is not uncommon that these loners hang around this area, possibly feeding on Mantis shrimp that flourish on the nutrients discharged from the salt water flats sewage works. In December 2021 we saw six adults, the last being on the 31st.

During our first 15 years of operation, it was not uncommon to see humpback whales passing Algoa Bay up to the third week in January (see the image from our logbook). Keeping detailed records is so important for research. It was because of these records that I managed to get the seismic survey stopped off Algoa Bay during 2013. I arrived at a meeting with the chief geologist and seismic operator, who had been flown out from London, carrying my logbook. When I showed them the entries of Humpback whales passing Algoa Bay with their calves up until the third week in January, they had no option but to change their plans. We similarly assisted with the thwarting of the recent seismic surveys.

A strong humpback population is also great news for global warming. Carbon dioxide is taken in by phytoplankton, which is consumed by zoo plankton, which is in turn eaten by these whales. When the whales die, they sink and take all of this stored carbon to the depths. This feeds an entire ecosystem, something which has suffered due to whaling and the lacks of whales. We can never know how much damage whaling caused!

This was sooo close! Taken with a Nikon D810 full frame, ISO 360, 200mm zoom, f/10 and 1/1600th second. Having the Boat Based Whale Watching Permit allows us to approach whales and dolphins to up to 50 metres. This was pretty much on the border!

This adult uses its gigantic flippers to start swirling. St Croix Island is nicely in focus in the background. Note the rorqual pleats on the belly which expand during feeding.

The flippers are the largest appendage on any animal that the earth has seen. They are very effective in repelling killer whale attacks. The calves are however not always as lucky.

If you look above the middle of the left flipper you will see Bartholomew Diaz's cross on St Croix Island. It was erected in 1488 when they were the first Europeans to visit Algoa Bay. Algoa means "On the way to Goa (in India)."

You can imagine the tsunami caused by a 40 ton animal reentering the water!

An image from our logbook recording a humpback whale seen on the 19th January 2000. We have not seen a migrating humpback whale in January for the past ten years.