Photo by Tom Conlin

Early spring, with tropical breezes and warm Caribbean waters of the Silver Bank, a select few travelers will have the incredible opportunity to get very up close and personal with one of natures most captivating creatures the Humpback Whale. The Silver Bank is the winter birthing and mating grounds for these typically gentle creatures. From aboard our ship and smaller launches we see groups of them cruising by gracefully.

Groups of males competing for females result in almost constant activity that will thrill and delight us. Mothers care for newborn calves and come within close range to explore these strange humans, us! This is not a whale WATCHING trip, when the whales are more sedate we have the unbelievable chance to slip into the water with snorkel gear and view these gentle giants in their own environment. Our encounters are quite safe with these intelligent, enormous creatures. This rare opportunity will truly touch your heart and speak to your soul.

The in water encounters are strictly up to you and the whales. Picture taking from our boat will give you more than you ever imagined. Evenings will be filled with videos and information educating us regarding whale behavior.

Particularly captivating are the famed Humpbacks songs, which can reverberate like loud music through your body. Using hydrophones we will have the rare chance to listen closely to their sounds, their unique conversations.

This trip is geared toward snorkeling and exploration; other wildlife includes tropical fish, seabirds, corals and possibly tropical spotted dolphins. Please bring your own snorkel gear.

BOAT: Live aboard boat, double cabins, sun deck, jacuzzi. Designed for safety, comfort, and stability. US Coast Gurard and SOLAS licensed. Staffed by an experienced, fully trained professional crew

COST: $2,595.00 includes accomodations on the boat and all meals. Additional costs: $150.00 govt. whale tax per person to go into the sanctuary waters, $150.00 fuel surcharge and port fee

NOT INCLUDED: Airfare to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Transfers from airport to boat, Tourist card approx.$10.00 and entry fee of approx. $20.00 which you pay at the airport. Bar tab and crew gratuity.

VERY LIMITED SPACE – Early booking recommended - $1,000.00 non-refundable deposit is required. This trip is open to women and men.

HUMPBACK WHALES OF THE SILVER BANK - GENERAL INFO

Whale Fluke

HUMPBACK WHALES.
The humpback whale is familiar to the general public because of its acrobatics, haunting songs and distribution near human activities. Humpbacks also are possibly the easiest whales to identify. Mostly black with a unique rotund shape, humpbacks viewed from the air look like a box with long ribbons hanging off the side. The "ribbons" are really the 15-ft. long pectoral fins that give humpbacks the generic name Megaptera, meaning long winged.

The flippers are often exposed when the whale breaches, an activity common to humpbacks. The dorsal fin, which is variable in size and shape, is mounted on a hump in the back. This hump, combined with the whale’s habit of arching its back before diving, gives the humpback its common name.

SONGS. The humpbacks are perhaps best known for their elaborate and complex songs. These songs, apparently sung only by the males, seem to be part of the courtship and territorial behavior. Heard mostly on the wintering grounds, the song in any given year is remarkably constant throughout the population and seems to evolve throughout the season. Dr. Roger Payne, founder of The Whale Conservation Institute, and colleague Scott McVay, first introduced the revelation that the apparently random utterances made by humpback whales are actually in the form of repeated patterns of sound, and thus are properly called songs. This led to the distribution of the record "Songs of the Humpback Whale" not only worldwide, but galaxy wide as the record was placed on Voyager I and II spacecraft.

DAILY ITINERARY

Day 1, Sat. Arrive Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. You will need to make arrangements with the office to be met by their driver who will take you to the commercial pier to meet the boat. Boarding is anytime between 5 p.m. and midnight. Dinner will be served on board and you will have the chance to meet the crew.

Day 2-6, Sun - Thurs. Among the whales in the Silver Bank. The boat will leave port in the wee hours, between 5:30 and 6 a.m. and arrive in the Silver Bank late morning depending upon weather. We will have an orientation on the whales and their habitat. In the summer the whales make their home in New England and Eastern Canada where they feed in the rich, dark waters. But winter brings them to the warm, clear and calm waters of the Caribbean to give birth and mate. Our captain will also outline very specific guideline protocol that will dictate our whale encounters.

Our ship is anchored in an area where dozens upon dozens of humpbacks tend to congregate. We live on the mother ship, but use launches (smaller boats) and venture out among the whales several times a day. They are extremely active at this time of year as groups of males, called rowdy groups, aggressively compete for receptive females. This lends itself to fabulous sightings with a great deal of action including constant breaching, ramming, slamming, lob-tailing and fin slapping. Our small boats allow us to get right next to the whales so the photographic opportunities are incredible and this amazing spectacle will leave you breathless.

Can you imagine being this close to a humpback whale? photo by Leslie Rapp.

The highlight of this trip though is the possibility for multiple soft-in-water encounters with the whales. This happens when the whales are more sedate, and most often occurs when a mother and calf approach us and indicate their interest in having us join them in the water. A VERY LARGE male escort usually accompanies them. When we join them in the water they often are very inquisitive and will swim around us, under us, roll over to get a better look at us or hang motionless in the water so we can get a better look at them. This will give you the extremely rare opportunity for an underwater photograph of a humpback whale that you will treasure for a lifetime. The thrill and once in a lifetime opportunity to snorkel with these gentle giants in their own environment will be one of the most moving and transformational experiences that you might ever have. The Dominican Republic government has issued a special permit so that we may be in the whale sanctuary. We are extremely sensitive to the whales and make sure we do nothing to upset or affect their normal behavior.

When we are not engaged in whale activities you may want to try out the sea kayaks, snorkel and explore the surrounding spotty reefs or scuba dive if you have your certification information with you. Scuba diving is strictly prohibited in the whale nursery area. Relaxing on deck and nighttime stargazing make for a relaxing end to an active day. Evenings will also be filled with videos, slide narratives, and information shared by our captain educating us about the whales.

Day 7, Friday. After breakfast we depart the Silver Bank arriving in Puerto Plata mid afternoon. The afternoon is yours to explore Puerto Plata, shop, beachcomb, or take a land tour. Dinner will be served on board or you may eat in town at a local restaurant.

Day 8, Sat. After breakfast you are free to transfer to the airport for your flight home. Taking with you close connections with new friends and memories of an experience with humpback whales that few people in the world will ever have.

SHIP ACCOMODATIONS: Our live aboard boat is a spacious 80 ft. vessel with 2000 sq. ft. of sundeck with Jacuzzi. The maximum number of guests on each trip is limited to 22. All guest cabins are "outside cabins" with large picture windows, carpet, drapes and 110V 60Hz US type electrical outlets. Each cabin has a wardrobe, a wash basin, and its own walk-in bathroom with full size shower and push button toilet. Each cabin also has its own independent air conditioning control. The chef and stewards will provide you an excellent variety of delicious cuisine in the scenic dining room.

SWIMMING ABILITY: You do not need to be an expert swimmer to participate in this program. Observing and photographing the whales from our ship and small launches will give you more than you ever dreamed. Some guests choose not to snorkel with the whales. Should you choose to, confidence in your swimming ability may enhance your experience. Might be a good time for some practice at your local YMCA before the trip.

SNORKEL GEAR: This trip is geared toward snorkeling and exploration. Other wildlife might include spotted dolphins, corals, seabirds, tropical and flying fish. The boat does not supply any snorkel gear; you must supply and bring your own. Buy good equipment that fits properly.

SCUBA DIVING: The availability of scuba diving while we are in the Silver Bank is entirely up to the discretion and approval of the crew. You must be properly certified and have all your information with you, tanks are available.

CLIMATE: Expect warm sunny, beautiful days with temperatures reaching the mid-eighties. Bring plenty of sunscreen, brimmed hat and sunglasses. Water temperature range from 75-78, you may bring a wetsuit if you wish.

PHOTOGRAPHY: The photo opportunities will be abundant and dramatic! Bring your telephoto lenses and plenty of film. We will be very close to the whales so expect sea spray, bring some protective covering for your camera and a towel. The disposable underwater Kodak’s work pretty well but investing in a better quality underwater camera might be worth considering.

Photograph by John Pence