Humpback whales spotted in Evans Bay, Wellington delight commuters travelling along SH1

She said she felt lucky to be able to see them on her way to work.

The whales could be seen surfacing just metres from passing commuters.

Another man videoed a whale half breaching the surface and raising its tail in the air just a few metres from the shore, as a seemingly unaware cyclist coasted past.

“I could see a few people looking towards the water on my way to work in the morning, so I waited patiently and first saw one whale swim close to the road, and a couple of seconds later I saw what to me looked like a mother and younger whale,” Dimitri Breidenbach said.

“I am used to seeing cetaceans in Wellington, but it’s definitely always a bit more exciting when it’s whales to me, since they come less often than dolphins.”

Matthew Zawodny glimpsed the animals from Lower Hutt on Monday.

“I couldn’t make out what type of whale it was as I was quite far away,” he said.

“A flock of birds flying around above caught my eye as I was having lunch at the seashore in Petone.”

He said the sighting was “very cool” as it was his first time ever seeing whales, though he was “always looking for them”.

Zawodny believed the pair could be a mother and baby due to the difference in sizes.

Department of Conservation (DoC) senior science advisor Anton van Helden confirmed the whales were humpbacks, which he said were “frequent visitors to the New Zealand coast”.

Humpback whales were spotted in Evans Bay, Wellington on Tuesday.

“There have been a number of reports of the same species off Pukerua Bay, Paekākāriki, and the Kāpiti coast in the last few weeks.”

DoC believes there are about three or four whales in the group.

The sightings tie in with the northern migration of the whales, particularly to the east Australian population which has now recovered to pre-whaling numbers, he said.

“We are seeing more animals each year, although a Cook Strait whale census has not been undertaken for some time.”

There was also some evidence of calving along the New Zealand coastline, although this may always have happened, and the greater number of animals “may mean we are likely to see more of this soon”.

It’s believed there are three or four humpback whales in the group, and one may be a calf.

“It is very exciting to see these animals, but remember they are vulnerable to activities in the coastal environment and along their migratory routes,” van Helden said.

Anyone keen to get a closer look at the whales should follow DoC guidelines for sharing the water with marine mammals. Extensive guidelines can be found on DoC’s website.

If you’re travelling at sea near marine mammals:

Travel no faster than idle or “no wake” speed within 300mMake sure there are no more than three vessels within 300m, including any aircraftApproach from a direction that is parallel and slightly to the rearDo not circle the marine mammals, obstruct their path or cut through any groupsIdle slowly away

For whales including orca and pilot whales:

Stay at least 50m away from any whaleStay at least 200m away from any baleen or sperm whale mother and calfDo not swim with whales

“We’re lucky to share our local spaces with some fantastic wildlife, and it’s always a joy to see such magnificent creatures here in the capital,” van Helden said.

“People can report sightings of whales like these to our conservation hotline 0800 DOCHOT (0800 362 468), or online.

“Reports of sightings are always valuable and help increase our knowledge of whale distribution and movements around New Zealand.”

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 12 years.