Is it really non intrusive for the whales?
Photos: left copyright Elise Pouliot; middle purchased from Dancer Fleet;
right Joan Beattie with humpback calf, photographer unknown.
First and Foremost: We Are Guests
The first year I had the opportunity to come on this trip I was thrilled at the very thought of being able to get in the water with these whales I love so much. Yet I had reservations. It is their home, their habitat, and they're in the midst of having babies and mating. Was it possible to be in the water near them and not be disturbing? I didn't want to be party to having a once in a lifetime experience for myself at the expense of harassment to the whales. So I asked a lot of questions and did some research about the boat charter company, the Silver Bank area, and how it is regulated. What I learned then, in 1999, and in consequent years, makes me very comfortable getting into the water for three reasons:
One, the boat traffic is kept to a minimum and the ratio of humans to whales is extreme--in favor of the whales. By regulation of the Dominican Republic government, which has pronounced the area a marine mammal sanctuary, only three vessels at a time are allowed in the area. This is in a 75 square mile area. That's a lot of space for three boats! In Silver Bank the ratio of boats to whales makes it very, very easy for whales to avoid us at any time. The total number of guests and crew for all three boats is about 75 people. Each of the three large dive boats splits their group into two smaller groups when looking for whales in tenders. This means there are a total six small boats that travel separately and do NOT stay close together, but rather intentionally spread through Silver Bank on a given morning or afternoon for whale watching. Only one group of ten to eleven people are ever in the water with a given whale or group of whales at a given time. The overall ratio of humans to whales in Silver Bank in any week is approximately 75 humans to approximately to 5,000 whales.
Secondly, the isolated location of Silver Bank (an eight hour boat trip from land), makes day trips impossible. All three large dive boats moor for a week. This means that large boats are not traveling in and out of the area every day. In addition, because only hardy and serious whale lovers are willing to spend an entire week living at sea to be with them, there is not likely to be pressure on the government from consumers to allow higher numbers of dive boats. This is also likely to keep the ratio of boats/people to whales favorable to the whales.
Thirdly, the vessels must adhere to strict guidelines of non-invasive travel near the whales. In addition, the policy, procedures and personal values of the vessel's captain are based on a deep respect for the whales, and concern for the safety of both whales and humans beyond government regulations. Accordingly, we do NOT enter the water to swim after whales. We wait until whales come to us. And when they do come to our small boats and stay nearby, we don't noisily dive it and aggressively swim up to them. We enter quietly and simply float gently nearby. It is always the whales' choice to come closer to us, stay where they are or leave. And, absolutely no chasing of whales is tolerated, either by boat or by swimming person. I have been on trips to Alaska in small zodiacs where the boat operator chased whales relentlessly, amidst large, active feeding groups, putting both whales and humans at risk. This type of activity is not tolerated in Silver Bank. The country's regulations coupled with the captain's own practices and values, allow me to say with confidence that our presence with the whales on this trip is neither intrusive or harassing. If it were, I could not participate in it.
Excerpt from the official Silver Bank Regulations, Marine Mammal Sanctuary of the Dominican Republic:
"Soft-in-water" encounters are the only type of in water activities permitted within the Sanctuary when interacting with marine mammals.
A "soft-in-water" encounter is not scuba diving, nor is it aggressive swimming or free diving. It is passive, non-aggressive floating at the surface, in mask, fins and snorkel, allowing the whale to develop an interest in humans. It is finding a cooperative, tolerant and/or curious whale and meeting that whale in the water, calmly and peacefully, permitting a rare and treasured encounter between humans and Cetaceans © TLC.
Operators must have a staff member in the water at all times during "soft-in-water" encounters. They are to control and organize all in water participants from acting aggressive and getting too close to the marine mammals.
It is prohibited to touch, chase, swim after or free dive during "soft-in-water" encounters. Moving to another position and limited free diving is permitted with the guidance of the tender operator.
Mask, fins and snorkel must be used on all "soft-in-water" encounters. Participants must have the ability to move through the water quickly if necessary.
In water activity is prohibited during rowdy groups, breaching activity, fin slapping, lob tailing, tail slashing or any other type of aggressive surface activity. If any of these behaviors begin during a "soft-in-water" encounter, all participants must exit the water immediately until the behavior ceases."
