UNIQUE WAY TO GET UP CLOSE WITH WHALES

FRAMED on a stunning backdrop of the Gold Coast skyline two whales slap their tails as cheers erupted from the small crowd on-board.

The Humpbacks and Highrises research project lived up to its name within the first 20 minutes out on the water.

Humpback whale volunteer research expeditions run on the Gold Coast about five times a year during migration season, giving locals unique insight into the impressive creatures.

The expeditions are a far cry from the luxurious whale-watching vessels operating on the Gold Coast, but the experience is next level.

Aboard a six-metre boat, not much bigger than a tinnie, with head researcher Olaf Meynecke, it is the closest a member of the public can get to a whale.

Laws restrict jetskis from getting within 300m of a whale, while boats can reach 100m, but with Dr Meynecke’s research permit he can get breathtakingly close – within 50m.

At times you can feel the ocean spray as a whale breaches the surfaces nearby.

Skipper Bec Krojs expertly navigates the waters off the Gold Coast, encountering four or five pods as she takes the boat about 10km off shore.

It costs almost $500 to join the three-day expedition, and volunteers are expected to assist with documenting whale behaviour, collecting skin samples and measuring the size of the mammals.

It is a new form of responsible tourism – giving back in exchange for a unique experience.

Dr Meynecke said without members of the public, he wouldn’t be able to collect research as often.

“We can basically run a part of the project just from those expeditions, they really help to fund new research,” he said.

“We have had to cancel our August trip because we didn’t have the numbers, so that’s time where we won’t have data for.”

Dr Meynecke said the data, collected over the past 10 years, will help to show whales use the Gold Coast as a rest and socialising area on their long journey, which will help with conservation in the future.

If you want to join the expedition, visit thescubacoach.rezdy.com/15 8498/3-day-humpbackwhale-research-expeditionexperience-of-a-lifetime

Picture: MARK BUCKLEY PHOTOGRAPHY Whales put on quite a show for the Humpbacks and Highrises expedition, which is run by Olaf Meynecke (inset) to help gather research and give whale-watchers a unique insight into the creatures.