Bondi Beach abuzz as flamboyant male whale makes early appearance

AUSTRALIA’S most famous beach is abuzz after it received an early visit from a very flamboyant guest. See the amazing photos.

Bondi photographer Eugene Tan caught this snap from the water. Picture: Aquabumps<a href="http://www.aquabumps.com/"/>

AUSTRALIA’S most famous beach is abuzz after it received a visit from a very flamboyant guest this morning.

In a rare sight this early in the season, a young male whale put on a show for onlookers at Bondi Beach as part of its migration north.

It was doubly unusual because the whale was travelling not with other whales but with a pod of dolphins.

The young male whale puts on a show off Bondi Beach this morning. Picture: John Grainger

The head marine biologist at Bondi-based Marine Discovery Excursions, Will Jones, said calm, flat conditions made it perfect for spotting the sea mammal this morning.

“It’s particularly rare, it must be said,” Mr Jones said. “It’s just amazing.”

He said today’s sighting was most likely of a young male with a full stomach getting an early start on the trip from Antarctica to Hervey Bay.

Surfers, paddle-boarders and kayakers lined up to catch a glimpse of the visitor. Picture: John Grainger

Mr Jones said the growing male was exhibiting the same sort of behaviour you would see from young men on the beach.

“It’s really quite cool that they come into Bondi because they’re much like the testosterone-filled men who populate the beach, establishing their own territory, looking for girls,” Mr Jones said.

Bondi photographer Eugene Tan said the whale came around the headland from Bronte about 8am and had spectators enthralled as it breached and flapped its fluke.

“It was a show pony, very flamboyant,” Mr Tan said. “This guy was on fire.”

Mr Tan said you could hear the whale from the shore, so he swam out on a board and took a snap, making sure to keep a safe distance from the animal.

Bondi photographer Eugene Tan caught this snap from the water. Picture: Aquabumps<a href="http://www.aquabumps.com/"/>

“It was a little bit daunting,” Mr Tan said. “At one point it turned and came for me.”

Mr Tan said the whale put on a show for the locals for about 45 minutes.

“It was incredible to see them so close,” he said.

There was another very early sighting of a whale off North Bondi last Saturday.

The peak time for spotting whales at Bondi is usually around the winter solstice on June 21.

The whale makes a splash. Picture: John Grainger

Originally published as Bondi Beach abuzz as flamboyant male whale makes early appearance