A whale of a time

For a few moments, all is quiet. Then – whoosh – the stillness is broken as a humpback breaks the surface in a massive breach, entirely clearing the water before crashing back down. 

After a pause, her new baby tries to do the same, nudging its nose out of the water and wobbling over with a small plop. But practice makes perfect, and despite being over four metres long, this calf is no more than a few weeks old. It will have plenty of time to learn from its mother. 

Seeing whales in the wild is one of my favourite memories – and I’m not alone. Many travellers book small-ship expeditions just for the chance of seeing these beguiling creatures in real life, whether it’s bowhead whales in the Arctic, orcas in Antarctica, humpbacks in Cape Verde, Bryde’s whales in Costa Rica, blue whales in Baja California or sperm whales in the Azores. 

These experiences are so special that even the experts are sometimes left speechless. Whale-watching guide Paula Thake recalls being blown away when she glimpsed false killer whales swimming with a pod of bottlenose dolphins. “Both species immediately and fearlessly approached our boat and breached alongside us,” she recalls. 

Saying encounters like these can be life-changing may sound cliché, but there’s truth in it. Personally, if it weren’t for the fascinating wildlife encounters I’ve been lucky enough to experience I doubt I’d be a specialist marine conservation writer today. I had no interest in science at school. 

For Elizabeth Cuevas Zimbrón, the chance to see grey whales during the breeding season in Baja California when she was nine years old set her on a career path. She now works for the World Cetacean Alliance. 

“I remember the beautiful, peaceful scenery combined with incredible excitement when I saw these majestic mammals,” she says. The incomparable experience of being the only boat in sight surrounded by majestic grey whales hasn’t left her to this day.

We love to see whales because they’re intelligent, curious and often playful. But they also play an essential part in the ecosystem. When whale populations are struggling, there’s usually an underlying cause within the ocean they call home. 

While whaling is, thankfully, illegal (Japan, Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland still engage in commercial whaling), humans still harm whales through overfishing, bycatch and noise as well as via chemical and plastic pollution. 

Unmanaged tourism can be problematic, too. “Sometimes you’ll see irresponsible tour boats chasing whales and dolphins, ‘leapfrogging’ to get in front of them, or splitting pods by trying to get too close. This is unacceptable behaviour that causes serious stress and even physical harm,” says Cuevas Zimbrón. “Seeing whales and dolphins in the wild must never be at the expense of their wellbeing.”

Done correctly tourism can benefit conservation by inspiring people to care about the wildlife they saw on a trip. “Making a connection with whales on a whale-watching boat can have a profound impact on people,” says Donna Kalez from the Dana Point Whale Heritage Area. 

Seeing these mammals in their natural habitat can inspire a lifelong passion. It may also encourage more sustainable life choices. “People will always want to protect what they see,” adds Gisele Anderson, also from Dana Point. 

When you’ve travelled to see wildlife it's understandable to want a close encounter, but giving the animals their space doesn’t mean you won’t see them clearly. As highly intelligent and curious beings whales are often intrigued by boats and want to come over to check you out (juveniles are particularly curious), while dolphins love to wow people with their acrobatics. When you allow the whales to come to you, they can initiate the encounter on their terms and will often hang around longer." 

I remember a cheeky young humpback – probably around a few weeks old – trying to edge around its protective mother to swim up to our boat and figure us out. We were perhaps the first humans it had seen. 

Of course, you can see whales in movies or wildlife documentaries, but seeing them in real life gives you much more. 

“Growing up with Free Willy and its simple message, I had always been fascinated by killer whales, but it wasn’t until I saw them in the wild that I understood that they should never have been caged in the first place” says Janet Middleton from Plett Tourism. “The aim is for an authentic encounter, not ‘canned’ tourism.” 

When people book a small-ship expedition to achieve their dream of seeing a whale in its natural habitat, the last thing they want to do is unintentionally harm the animal. 

“More and more people want to see whales and dolphins authentically, in their natural habitat, but it’s important to ensure that this demand is being met sustainably,” Cuevas Zimbrón says. 

She recommends checking operators’ websites for information about sustainability, whale-watching guidelines or any formal certifications they have received. Choosing an operator that follows responsible tourism guidelines – such as watching quietly from a respectful distance, slowing down and allowing the whales to have the right of way and supporting research through citizen science. Ultimately this not only protects the animals, but lead to a more pleasant encounter. 

Some destinations, including the Azores, Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica and the Whitsundays in Australia, have been designated as Whale Heritage Areas in recognition of their outstanding responsible whale and dolphin-watching opportunities. 

Whale Heritage Areas also celebrate the coastal communities that protect these animals and benefit local businesses by attracting sustainably minded tourists. When more people want to go whale watching, it also creates more funding opportunities and highlights the importance of conservation in the area. 

Seeing whales in the wild helps tourists understand what their lives are like. “We were watching a huge feeding frenzy in the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area with two humpback whales and hundreds of common dolphins,” says marine biologist Holly Lohuis. “It was taking place in the middle of the international shipping lanes and a huge container ship traversed right through the feeding frenzy.”

Watching from a safe distance, Lohuis and her colleague Hiroko Benko were able to explain to passengers why fast-moving vessels pose such a threat to these animals. “We were able to share this important conservation initiative and help people connect the dots between the increase of consumerism and the potential impact of large container ships running over whales,” says Benko.

But, above all, says Thake, who serves on the Madeira Whale Heritage Area committee: “Whale watching is a wonderful way of bringing people closer to the ocean.”