WATCH: Incredible footage of whales off Mackay’s coast

Calls for Mackay-based whale watching trips after fishers close encounter with natural wonder.

IN A broken down boat floating off Mackay, a Victoria Plains man came face-to-face with one of nature's most magnificent sights.

Tim Tristram said he was "stranded" off Keswick Island as he struggled with engine problems on his boat early Saturday morning.

Suddenly the water started rocking, as two migrating whales splashed down into the water in a playful display just metres from his boat.

"We went to go fishing at the crack of dawn (on Saturday)," Mr Tristram said.

"I started having engine troubles at the south eastern side of Keswick Island.

"Just as we were able to take off, then the whales turned up.

"It was pretty much luck of the draw."

 

 

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Mr Tristram said the pod of two whales were playing right next to him and his fellow anglers, sometimes frolicking within 40m of their boat.

"They came right up close," he said.

It was a magnificent annual experience Mr Tristram said should no longer be a secret to just Mackay boaties and fishers.

"They're literally everywhere out there," he said.

"Any boatie will tell you they're everywhere."

 

 

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Mr Tristram said he was "desensitised" to seeing the migration after watching the pods for years, but he said it was a shame not everyone had seen the whales up close.

He called for more whale watching tours in the region to open up the experience to everyone.

"It's always good for people to see nature," he said.

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