An Australian photographer’s years of relentless pursuit and determination finally bore fruit on a fateful day when he captured the elusive Migaloo, the iconic albino whale, in all his majestic splendor. Ray Alley, a seasoned photographer, had dedicated nine years of his life to the quest of photographing the enigmatic Migaloo, and his unwavering persistence finally paid off when he immortalized the 50-ton marvel off the coast of Nelson Bay in New South Wales.
These exclusive images of Migaloo, reported by Daily Mail Australia following his sighting in Sydney, were the culmination of a lifelong dream for Alley. The all-white Migaloo, on his annual migration from the frigid Antarctic waters to the tropical warmth of North Queensland, made an exceptional stop at Nelson Bay, treating onlookers to a rare display of showmanship.
Utilizing a lightning-fast shutter speed, Alley immortalized the stunning moment when Migaloo breached the waters of Nelson Bay, just north of Newcastle. Reflecting on this extraordinary image, he described today as the “holy grail” of his 27-year photographic career.
“I expected to see him today because I got the call from one of the guys at Imagine Cruises saying ‘we’ve got him.’ But to get a full breach, it’s kind of like seeing Madonna drop her gear on stage, you really want it to happen but you don’t expect it too,” Alley exclaimed, still reveling in the shock of the incredible shot.
Alley shared that the image “eclipses” his previous best photograph from 2004, a triple breach of humpback whales off the Nelson Bay coast. Today’s image, however, holds a special place in his heart, marking the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition.
The photograph, captured with remarkable precision using his high-powered Nikon camera, captures the sweeping panorama of Migaloo’s complete breach, from his ascent out of the water to his graceful descent.
Having dedicated years of his life to this endeavor, including enduring six to seven consecutive days on whale watching boats during peak migration seasons, Mr. Alley asserted that the events of that Friday were worth every moment of anticipation. He acknowledged that the chance to replicate such an experience may never come again.
Friday’s whale watching expedition became a popular event for Nelson Bay’s vessels, with all vying for a glimpse of the great white whale in action. Alley attributed Migaloo’s unexpected breach, which occurred approximately an hour after following him, to the departure of a rival cruise boat, Moonshadow Cruises, which made a sudden turn toward shore minutes before Migaloo emerged.
Migaloo shares his distinctive albino appearance with just one other white whale in the world, a Norwegian counterpart. He was first sighted this year by a member of the public just off the coast of Green Cape in southern New South Wales on Tuesday. Subsequently, he made several appearances on Thursday, delighting camera crews as he breached off the coast of Sydney. Migaloo was photographed and filmed leaping in the waters off Botany Bay, Cronulla, and Bondi, continuing his three-month migratory journey from Antarctica to North Queensland and back.
