Whale Watching Tips

Preparation	Photo Tips
if feeling queasy	Video Tips
Vantage Points	Children On Boats
Things to Bring	General
The Perfect Shot	Motion Sickness Tips

• Take a good pair of binoculars.
• Choose clear, calm days
• Select a prominent headland or visit an area in your boat or aircraft where whales have been reported previously.
• Look for the blow of a whale, that is the cloud of spray or mist that appears as the air is exhaled through the blowhole. This is usually how whales are first seen.
• Within 300 metres of a whale, move at a constant slow speed no faster than the slowest whale or at idle, 'no wake' speed
• Avoid sudden or repeated changes in speed or direction
• Stopping? Allow your motor to idle for at least one minute before turning it off.
• No more than three vessels should attempt to watch a whale or group of whales at one time.
• Do not allow the whales to become boxed in, or cut off their path, or prevent them from leaving
• Do not approach mothers with young calves. Move away slowly at idle, 'no wake' speed to at least 300 metres from closest whale
  

preparation
Prepare Yourself and Your Family

When cruising 10-20 miles off shore in the ocean it is better to be safe than sorry. If you are a first time whale watcher, you may want to consider motion sickness medications. These can usually be found in most convenience or drug stores. Prescription medications are also available through your doctor. Talk with your doctor to determine what might work best for you. Most medications must be taken a few hours prior to the trip. Be sure to check the label.Once your trip begins, it is too late to take anything.

A good breakfast is key! Very often people will go on their first whale watch fearing they may get sick. They will skip breakfast thinking that no food in their stomach means they won't get sick. In fact, the opposite is true. An empty stomach produces acids and, in turn, can actually make you sick. Eat a good carbohydrate breakfast. This includes things like bagels and cereal. Avoid fatty or fried foods. Keep munching on light snacks like crackers or ginger snaps during the trip! This reduces stomach acid build up and can prevent sea sickness.

Don't get dehydrated! When on the ocean it is recommended that you keep hydrated by drinking water, ginger ale, tea or even sports drinks. Avoid drinks that are high in sugars. Most boat companies will allow you to bring your own food and beverage on board. However, glass bottles and alcoholic beverages are usually not permitted on board. Check with the company beforehand.

Keep Warm! It is always colder on the ocean than on land. Dress in layers and bring extra clothes. Sometimes on choppy days people can get wet and chilled.

Don't forget the sunblock! Water reflects and magnifies the sun rays. Without protection, you can get severely sunburned during a 3-5 hour trip. Also, be sure to bring your sunglasses to protect your eyes from glare on the water.


A few helpful hints if you start to feel queasy

Remember sea sickness can sometimes be stopped if caught in time.

• Stay outside. The fresh air helps a lot.
• Take some nice deep breaths. Sometimes this is all that it takes.
• Go to the lowest deck. The closer you are to the water, the less motion is felt.
• Nibble on crackers and sip on ginger ale. It can really help to have something in your stomach.
• Look at the horizon. Looking at something that is not moving helps the equilibrium.
• Start looking for whales and other animals. This keeps your mind occupied. The excitement of seeing these beautiful, magnificent creatures is enough to make anyone feel better. Whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and birds can usually be seen at anytime during a trip. You never know what you can see until you really start looking.
• Finally, strike up a conversation with a friend. Again, keep your mind occupied.
  

Following these simple tips can really save the day.

The best place to see the whales

Upper deck verses the lower deck:
When on the lower deck one is closer to the whales, especially if the whale is in a curious mood and visits your boat. The upper deck allows you to see further out and may have better visibility.

Starboard (right side) verses the port (left side):
Whales are extremely unpredictable. You can never really tell where they may pop back up. Sometimes they even swim around the vessel.

Strict guidelines dictate the Captains maneuverability. The Captains may not always be able to maneuver the boat the way you want them too. If a whale is traveling, then the Captain can parallel the course from beside or behind the animal at a distance greater than 100 feet. When a whale decides to check the boat out, the Captain must put the vessel in neutral and can not maneuver until the whale is more than 100 feet away. Have a little patience. The Captains always do their best.


Things to bring

Here is a short list of things you may want to bring on your trip.

Binoculars -- Usually the whales are close enough to see better without binoculars. They may, however, be useful if bird watching is also on your agenda.

Rubbersoled shoes -- A moving vessel is not usually the best place for high heels. Sneakers have much better traction. Remember that sometimes the decks get wet and slippery.

Picnic Lunch -- It is nice to have your favorite foods while out for the day. If it is not convienent for you to pack and lug a picnic, check to see if the boat company sells food. Usually they do. Also, you may want to check if bringing your own food or a cooler is allowed.

Warm clothes or even a blanket -- You may want to consider a heavy winter coat or a blanket if your trip is in the colder months of spring or fall.

Sunscreen and Sunglasses -- On sunny days you can get quite a sunburn on a three hour trip. Sunglasses will help protect your eyes from glare off the water as you scan the horizon for whales.

Camera or Camcorder (see below tips on photographing or videotaping whales) -- Bring plenty of film, tapes and batteries.

A book or playing cards -- It usually takes a bit of time to reach the whales. Travel times average between 30 minutes to 2 hours. This time will depend on where the whales are located at the time of your whalewatch trip and the speed of your boat. Sometimes they are near shore and sometimes far offshore. You just never know until you actually find them. A good book or a game can help pass the time.


Photo tips

Batteries and film always tend to run out just before the perfect shot. Be sure to have plenty of film. Also, if you can't remember when you last changed your batteries, you may want to bring along some extras just in case. Film may be available onboard, however batteries are usually hard to come by. 400 speed film is recommended, but 200 works well too. a 70-300 zoom lens works best. It is difficult to take pictures without a zoom. Usually the photograph comes back with mostly ocean and very little whale without it. Sometimes, however, the whale does come over to peek at you. Don't use all your film on far away whales. Patience is a virtue. Watch the sun direction. Photos do not come out well when the whales are in the sun. A polarised lens will sometimes help with sun glare. When a whale comes over to your boat, the polarised lens allows you to see the whales body below the surface of the water. You can get some amazing shots.


Video tips

Make sure your batteries are fully charged. The average time spent watching the whales is between 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Start your recording at wide angle not zoom. When fully zoomed in on an animal the recording can look jerky due to the movement of the boat.


The perfect shot

After a whale dives, do not concentrate on the exact area it went down. They rarely come back up in this spot. Instead, try to determine the direction it was moving in and have your camera pointed in the same direction. In other words, think like a whale. When humpback whales go on a deep dive, they first arch their backs. Be focused, centered and ready to snap your shot. A photograph of the fluke as it is first coming up with water streaming off the trailing edge can be a very beautiful picture. Researchers usually wait a few seconds later, when the tail is completely out of the water and the underside is visible. You will notice a black and white pattern, called a fluke print. This is unique to every whale and is how we can identify individuals. It is kind of fun to take these pictures. You may be able to later identify your shots by contacting the boat company you went with. If they can't identify the whale for you, they may be able to get you in contact with someone who can. Everyone hopes to get the ultimate picture- the breach. This behavior is as unpredictable as the animals themselves. Sometimes they breach for hours (this is your best chance) and sometimes they breach just once (to tease you). The perfect shot is pure luck. You must look in the right place at the right time and snapping the shot at the precise moment.


Children on boats

Children tend to get bored easily, especially on the trip out. Plan ahead by bringing crayons and coloring books for the young ones, sketch pads and journals for older ones. Cards and travel games are a good idea as well. Be sure to bring their favorite snack and plenty of it. Eating always takes up a little time. You may want to call ahead to see if your boat company has special activities for kids. For safety reasons do not allow your children to run around the boat. Boats are made of metals and sometimes have nonskid surfaces. A fall can lead to an extremely painful injury. It is also not a good idea for them to stand on benches. One wrong movement from the boat can send a kid flying. Please ask your children to refrain from screaming. Loud noises will put the crew on alert. Lastly, do not hold your child in your arms while standing or have them sit on your shoulders to get a better view. This is extremely dangerous for both you and your child. If your child is having trouble seeing or getting to a railing ask a crew member to help. By thinking ahead and preparing yourself you should get the most out of your trip. Make it safe, make it fun.


General

Unless you're an expert whale-watcher, binoculars may not be very useful. Looking through them is hard on a moving boat, and even on dry land, they restrict your view to a small area.

If you see a whale spout, you can expect it to spout again in the direction it's moving (south in winter, north in spring). They move about 5 miles per hour, or the speed of a child on a bicycle.

Grey whales normally swim in a cycle of 3 to 5 blows, 30 seconds apart, followed by three- to six-minute dive, and they often show their tail flukes just before they dive.

Dress Warmly, in layers. Any time of the year it will be colder out on the water than it is on the shore.

In winter, you may want to bring gloves or mittens (an extra pair of socks make a good emergency substitute).

Even if it isn't raining, some of the smaller boats can kick up quite a spray. Bring a waterproof jacket with a hood.

Wear sunscreen, no matter what the weather. Even if you sit in the shade, 60% of the sunlight bounces back up from the water's surface, and you can sunburn even under cloudy skies.

Wear sunglasses. The glare from the water can give you a headache.

Wear a hat or visor to shade your eyes.

Young children can get bored on a whale-watching trip. Bring along something to entertain them.


Motion Sickness Tips:

• The earlier in the day you go, the smoother the ride will be. The wind often picks up and causes choppiness later in the day.
  
• Be prepared. If you're prone to motion sickness, bring your favorite remedies.
• Eat lightly, and avoid greasy foods, alcohol and carbonated beverages.
• If you find yourself getting queasy, find a place to sit on deck where you can get lots of fresh air and see the horizon. Try to keep your eyes focused on it.

 

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