Whale of a time

AS the boat we stood on rocked gently on the deep blue waters off the Gold Coast, I thought to myself, life doesn't get much better than this.

I was standing there in awe of two beautiful humpback whales, swimming just 30 metres away from our boat, edging closer and closer to us as they casually played together in the water.

The trip was a birthday present from my fiancé David, and I couldn't have been more excited when I found out where we were headed.

As we boarded the boat in the early hours of the morning, my excitement got the better of me as I started to jump up and down acting more like a child rather than someone who had just reached her mid-20s.

After a quick tour around the canals, it was off to the ocean where I hoped and prayed we would see some whales.

The thing about whale watching is it really is a gamble - some days you may be lucky enough to see them, others you might not be.

Fortunately for us, luck was on our side.

Within 40 minutes the whales appeared and they didn't disappoint.

As they swam majestically through the water, they edged closer to the boat as if they were keeping an eye on us.

Occasionally, while coming up for air, they would pop their heads out of the water, and I began to wonder who was watching who?

As our three-and-a-half-hour cruise came to an end, my heart sank at the thought of heading back to land.

As if they too couldn't face the sight of us leaving, they instantly began to show off, laying on top of the water on their backs, smashing their tails on to the water.

The good news for us was it worked and the boat turned around.

Our guide said they often used this technique as a way of communicating with other whales, but in my strange mind, it was them saying goodbye to us.

Throughout the entire morning, every single person on that boat, including me, wished and hoped they would breach out of the water so we could see the sheer size of them.

But it wasn't until the very end that they began to jump, the cheeky things.

They may have been some 200 metres away, but we could still clearly see them as they jumped right out of the water, which was followed by an enormous splash.

Again and again they did this, playing in their natural environment much to the delight of onlookers.

But sadly, all good things must come to an end and we headed back to shore.

Is this something I would ever do again? Or recommend to anyone?

As we headed back to land, I vowed there and then I would make this an annual event.

So the answer to my question is yes, I would most definitely go again and can't wait to do so.

As for my recommendations, I can honestly say it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I would urge everyone to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat.

So what are you waiting for?

This is a must see for everyone.