Month-by-month sightings
- June – July: First Southern Rights arrive; numbers building.
- August: Reliable sightings; quieter crowds.
- September – October: Peak season. Mothers and calves often within metres of the boat.
- November: Still excellent. Whale Festival weekend in early October draws large crowds.
- December: Whales begin returning to Antarctica; sightings taper off.
Best time of day
Light winds typically build through the afternoon, so morning departures often have the calmest seas. That said, whale behaviour varies — afternoon trips frequently produce the most surface activity. Booking two trips (save 10% on the second) is the surest way to see it all.
Other species through the year
Southern Right Whales dominate the bay June–December, but Humpbacks migrate past from May to November and Bryde's Whales hunt sardines year-round.