Whale watchers treated with the sight of a whale leisurely swimming through the winter ocean as Zamami re-opens whale watching tours

Whale watchers treated with the sight of a whale leisurely swimming through the winter ocean as Zamami re-opens whale watching tours

A breaching whale spotted on the first whale watching tour of the season. December 29, off the coast of Zamami Island (photograph by Hiroji Sano)


January 6, 2021 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Hirokazu Otsubo

The Zamami Whale Watching Association (ZWWA) reopened the whale watching season December 27, launching their first tour on December 29. The postponed tours on the 28th due to poor weather. On December 22, there were reports a whale sighting aboard a regular high-speed ferry.

Around 11:00 a.m. on the 29th, a whale spotter observed a spout in the water around three kilometers north-east Zamami Island from the Inazaki Observatory, after which they set out on a whale watching boat around noon. Around 10 minutes after embarking the watchers encountered two humpback whales as part of an enjoyable two-hour tour.

Ship captain and photographer Hiroji Sano, 47, said, “I’m glad that the first tour went smoothly and that we were able to meet some whales. Since the whales breached shortly after departing, almost all of the passengers were able to see it, which was great.”
The association plans on running tours through April 5.

(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)

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