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Monday, December 14, 2009

BUSY WEEKEND AWAY


I'll start the week off with another Aussie Christmas card.

I feel a bit like this myself tonight. We've just arrived back from a four and a half hour trip north to Hervey Bay to have an early Christmas with relatives who live there. That's four and a half hours up on Saturday and four and a half hours back on Monday with a family gathering for 14 thrown in there.

My parents and brother all live there as well as a few other relatives







Hervey Bay is a beach resort well known in Australia for whale watching. Humpback whales pass through heading north early in the year ( June/ July I think - Winter in Antarctica where they come from ) heading for warmer waters to give birth to their babies then return around September with the babies that were born in the warmer tropical waters.



Hervey Bay is a bit of a rest stop for them on this big journey and they take a break and frolic and play in the bay before heading off again down the coast to Antarctica as the summer arrives. It is a very pleasant, quiet bayside fishing resort but the whale watching industry has helped it develop enormously in the last 5 or 6 years.



Australians, on the whole, have a real soft spot for whales and I'm told if you are among the lucky ones who manage to have a close encounter with a whale on one of these expeditions ( whale watching ) and make eye contact when they swim up close to the boats to have a close look at the people, it is something you will never forget.

Some of them are very recognisable and are given names like Migaloo.






This amazing albino whale swims up the east coast every year creating great excitement as he swims past. This year he seemed to have a companion - we hope it was a lady friend - and we have eagerly awaited the sighting of a pure white baby but nothing on that score yet !




If you would like to read more about Hervey Bay and Migaloo as well as whale watching try this site:   http://www.discoverherveybay.com/Whales/

Cheers

5 comments:

  1. Hi Helsie,
    It's so wonderful to have an Aussie friend! I'm learning so much about your great country. I love this post on the whales. Glad to hear you saw your relatives to celebrate Christmas with them. We decided to continue our tradition of driving to Ohio to spend Christmas with our families. My brother and my hubby's twin brothers are still back there (parents have passed) and we enjoy spending time with their families. This is the first year I have thought about staying home (we have never spent Christmas in our own home). But I'm glad we are going I would miss everyone so much if we didn't. We don't have any children to keep us at home. Keep Cool!

    Teacup Lane (Sandy)

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  2. Hi Helsie, what another fascinating post - like Sandy I love the Australian connection, the Whales are fantastic!! I would loooove to see one! No wonder you are feeling a little tired you had a long journey and it sounds like a lovely family gathering. Thank you! Kim x

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  3. G'day Helsie
    Fancy finding you on the other side of the world & find you live 'just down the road'... ha ha... good Ozzie slang eh?...
    I found you via Mrs Twins blog... small world... Ohh Hervey Bay so many wonderful holidays I've had there with my Auntie... ummm memories... Love your blog & will be back to read some more... OOroo from Down the Road... B

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  4. Helsie,
    These photos are fantastic. What gorgeous beaches! Also those whale shots really good how you captured them.
    Enjoyed your post very much.
    Hugs and Love to you,
    Sue x
    Thanks for popping over! To this cold UK!x

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  5. Thanks for your reply, Helsie, Yes we got a little rain but as I was out shopping today I ran into some really heavy rain going to Mt Gravatt shoppping centre but, was all finished when I came out... but hubby said we didn't get any heavy rain here in Bethania... ohh how we could do with a day or too of the good stuff... B
    bethelofbethania@gmail.com

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