Whale of a time: Holidaymakers treated to rare sea spectacle near Phuket

Holidaymakers on a leisurely boat tour around the Racha Islands, located south of Phuket, yesterday were privy to a thrilling spectacle: the rare sight of a whale in its natural habitat, a relatively unusual occurrence in these parts.

The Star Sailing Club’s head, Ilya Saldaev, captured and shared footage of the majestic creature breaking the water’s surface on social media. This occurrence was reported by Novosti Phuketa, The Phuket News’ Russian language affiliate. It’s worth noting that this is the second time a whale has been spotted in these waters since August.

“Today we were yachting and met a whale not far from Racha. Who knows what breed? Now is the time to go to sea. The prices are not astronomical, and you can encounter whales.”

Among the comments on the video, some speculated that the whale could be a blue whale, while others suggested it might be a humpback.

The last recorded sighting of a humpback whale (scientifically known as Megaptera novaeangliae) in these waters happened towards the end of August. The whale was spotted in Phang Nga Bay, apparently journeying from Phi Phi to the Racha Islands.

The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has not yet verified whether yesterday’s sighting was indeed a humpback. However, they did confirm that the whale spotted in August was a humpback. Although humpbacks are not endangered, they are seldom seen in Thai waters. The DMCR records show that the last confirmed sighting in this region was in 2009, near Phuket’s Ao Por Bay, reported Phuket News.

The DMCR has yet to comment on the recent whale sighting. Saldaev’s video demonstrates that the boat maintained a respectful distance from the marine mammal, posing no threat. Spectators watched the whale from a safe distance, though the creature only appeared for a fleeting moment.

Maritime officials have issued a word of caution to those who might encounter whales in the waters off Phuket. They advise keeping a safe distance and sailing with care and respect. They also encourage reporting any future sightings to the authorities, providing as much information as possible, including date, time, and location or coordinates.