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A CLOSE encounter with mother and calf whales has left the passengers of an historic boat with an amazing memory. Graham Kent, a Devonport alderman and skipper of the Julie Burgess, said passengers on the restored ketch had seen something they might remember for a long time. He said most passengers were from the North-West and some had been whale watching in Queensland but had never seen a whale before. ``Here we have it right at our back door,'' Alderman Kent said. The photographer who captured the images is Devonport man Shane Walker, who was in the right place at the right time. ﻿GALLERY: Whales in the Mersey Mr Walker said he was following the Julie Burgess when he saw a splash in the water. He kept an eye on the splashes and had his camera ready. Mr Walker had a tip for people chasing their own whale photo. ?``Timing is the key. Follow the splashes and be prepared with fast shutter to capture the moment of [the whale] exiting the water,'' Mr Walker said. Alderman Kent said he had been closer to whales but the massive animals never became less impressive. ``Nature at its best,'' Alderman Kent said. He said seeing the whales was not a regular occurrence. ``There seems to be more prevalent in the last few years,'' Alderman Kent said. ?

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