The members were called to a whale sighting off the coast of Mornington to ensure the safety of the whale, little did they realise how close they would come.
It’s believed the whale was migrating north for the mating season, however it seems it may have taken a fancy for the water police boat on the way.
“Our members stopped a few hundred metres away as to not disturb the whale. They turned their engines off to minimise noise and vibrations and that is when the whale swam over.” Senior Sergeant Lachlan Holding said.
“The whale was surfacing for about 30 seconds every five minutes. It was rolling over onto its back.
“We think it may have confused our boat with another whale and that is why it was being so friendly.”
The whale was joined by dolphins and seals in the nearby area.
S.Sgt Holding said that the display of affection from the whale was a great moment on the job, however he would not encourage members of the public to seek out a similar experience.
“There are strict regulations around how close boats and jet skis can get to marine life. It is for the safety of both the people and the animals.” S. Sgt Holding said.
Recreational boats must stay 200m away from whales and 100m from dolphins, while jet skis must stay 300m away from all marine life.
