Police spot humpback whale in Port Phillip Bay near Mornington
WATER police had a whale of a time after a humpback was spotted in Port Phillip Bay, off the coast of Mornington.
Inner South
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WATER police had a whale of a time last week after a humpback was spotted in Port Phillip Bay, off the coast of Mornington.
The whale, which was spotted on August 15, was believed to have been migrating north for the mating season.
Sen-Sgt Lachlan Holding said the police stopped a few hundred metres away so they didn’t disturb the whale.
“They turned their engines off to minimise noise and vibrations and that is when the whale swam over,” he said.
“The whale was surfacing for about 30 seconds every five minutes. It was rolling over on to its back.
“We think it may have confused our boat with another whale and that is why it was being so friendly.”
The whale was joined by dolphins and seals in the nearby area.
Sen-Sgt Holding said there were strict regulations around how close boats and jet skis can get to marine life, to ensure the safety of the animals and people.
Recreational boats must stay 200m away from whales and 100m from dolphins, while jet skis must stay 300m away from all marine life.
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