Enjoy them, but don't get too close to these animals...

It’s cold, the weather is gorgeous on the east coast of Australia for sailing, but don’t get sucked in by the natural beauty of whales migrating north for the winter.

There are strict rules governing the approach and viewing distances in relation to whales, and this winter the authorities are out in force to patrol whale watching hot-spots. If you’re not sure of the rules, or you just need a quick refresher, we’ve put together a handy guide to keep you out of trouble when viewing whales of the coast this winter.

At all times, you must endeavor to stay 100m from whales in all directions. You also cannot approach from directly behind (chase the whales) or sail in front of the whales and wait for them to swim to you.

If a whale does swim towards you, either try to slowly sail away from it. Or if you’ve lowered your sails (or you’re in irons) let the whale come to you. Whales are very inquisitive, so if a whale wants to have a closer look at you, let it do so and consider yourself extremely lucky.

Be extra careful if the whale pods have calves in tow. These are large animals, but a muppet in a boat can easily startle them!

There are a few types of watercraft you cannot use to go and observe these natural beauties, including jet skis, underwater scooters, parasails and hovercraft. All of which are noisy and disruptive, so must stay at least 300m away from animals at all times. ‘

Finally, a word of warning with video evidence of such encounters. If you are lucky enough to get extremely close to a whale (as in the photo above). Before you post it online, be very very sure you’ve followed the rules. You wouldn’t be the first excited sailor to chase down a whale, post the video and receive hundreds of angry letters from conservationists and whale lovers about how you broke the rules.

So stick to the rules, share your video online and enjoy the wonderful experience of getting up close and personal with a whale this winter. For more information on sailing with whales, read this info page from the Department of Environment. Happy watching!