IT IS shaping up to be a bumper whale season, with whale volunteers at Cape Solander already spotting 101 more whales than at the same time last year.
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So far, 245 whales have been spotted, most of them humpbacks and a few minke whales.
Two years ago, 2202 whales were counted from Cape Solander, the highest number in the history of the count. The number fell to 1729 last year.
National Parks and Wildlife Service whale expert Geoff Ross said this did not mean whale numbers were declining.
No one really knew how many humpbacks remained in Antarctica each season.
"The count this year is the sign of a beautifully growing population," Mr Ross said.
"Sydneysiders are spoilt by having such a fantastic whale watching spot as Cape Solander, which is a beautiful opportunity to see whales in the wild."
The only downside of the whale watching season is that some boats get too close to the animals.
