Whale Watching
The white sand beaches and sparkling blue waters of the
Caribbean have made the region one of the top travel destinations
in the world. Today, though, visitors are looking for more
than just a day at the beach, they want to explore the islands
and learn more about the Caribbean culture and environment.
In
addition to hiking, mountain biking, scuba diving, windsurfing,
and horseback riding, visitors are now seeking out a new
adventure – whale watching. Whale watching has become
one of the fastest growing sectors of the Caribbean’s
tourism industry – generating upwards of US$20 million
annually to local economies.
Visitors can now go whale watching
in a number of Caribbean countries including: Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts & Nevis, St.
Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, . Whale watching
vessels are usually medium- to small-sized vessels carrying
less than 75 people, which offer an excellent opportunity
to get a great view of the whales.
Marine life is abundant
in the Caribbean. In fact, there are an amazing thirty species
of whales and dolphins in the Caribbean. The most frequently
spotted species include humpback and sperm whales, and bottlenose,
spotted and spinner dolphins.
Whale watching is a growing industry
in the Caribbean, in fact it is the fastest growing sector
of the region’s
tourism industry, and brings much-needed financial revenue
to the region. By 2007, the industry was generating an estimated
US$22 million annually.
Described as the “Whale Watching
Capital of the Caribbean,” Dominica
leads the eastern Caribbean islands in developing both the
whale watching industry and its guidelines in the region
(discoverdominica.com/site/watersports.cfm;
Hoyt 1999). The island offers excellent whale watching
opportunities – including spectacular sperm whale mother-calf
pairs, whose spouts can even be seen from shore.
The Dominican
Republic also tops the list, with fantastic opportunities
to see humpback whales during their breeding season. Males
are often seen leaping from the water in dramatic displays
that has earned them the nickname of “acrobat
of the sea.” Females give birth to their young and
nurse them before heading back north to their feeding grounds.
Both day trips and live-aboard whale watching experiences
are available in the Dominican Republic.
St. Lucia, Grenada,
and St. Vincent & the Grenadines
top the list of countries developing their whale watching
operations, having realized the huge potential that exists
in these countries. Of these island nations, St. Lucia is
most actively seeking to grow its whale watching industry,
and recently estimated its earnings from whale-watching to
be around US $ 2.9 million.
Realizing the positive economic
impact that whale watching brings to the Caribbean, whale watch
operators have now joined hands with tour and hotel operators
in the region to form their own association – CARIBwhale.
The association hopes to encourage and promote responsible
whale-watching, in particular helping small operations to develop.
Many
Caribbean whale watch operators, as well as hotel and tour operators,
fear that the decision by some Caribbean nations to support Japan’s commercial whaling program
will undermine the Caribbean’s reputation as an international
whale watching destination. This could cost the industry
millions of dollars in revenue.
“Take Action” today
to protect whales and the Caribbean’s thriving whale
watching industry.
Caribbean whale watching operators:
Dominican Republic
Whale Samana / Victoria Marine
Nadime Bezi, Avenida Malecon
#3, Samana, Dominican Republic
Tel: +1 809 538 2556
Fax: +1 809 538 2098
St. Lucia
Hackshaw’s Boat Charters
Chris Hackshaw P.O. Box 973,
Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies
Tel: +758 453 0553
Fax: +758 458 1250
Email: hackshawc@candw.lc
www.hackshaws.com
Grenada
Kido Project
Dario Sandrini, Carriacou, Grenada
Tel: +1 809 473 443 7936
Fax: +1 809 473 443 7936
Email: kido-ywf@caribsurf.com
www.members.aol.com/ywf/home/kido.html
Dominica
Dive Dominica
Ginette Perryman, PO Box 2253, Roseau, Commonwealth
of Dominica
Tel: +1 809 767 448 2188
Fax: +1 809 767 448 6088
Email: dive@cwdom.dm
www.divedominica.com
Anchorage Dive and Whale Watch
Anchorage Hotel and Dive Centre
Castle Comfort, PO Box 34,
Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica
Tel: +767-448-2638
Fax: +767-448-5680
Email: manager@anchoragehotel.dm
www.anchoragehotel.dm
St. Vincent
Sea Breeze Nature Tours
Hal Daize, Arnos Vale P.O., St Vincent
Tel: +1 809 784 45 84969
seabreeze@vincy.com
Turks & Caicos
Pirate's Hideaway
Victoria Street, Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies
Tel/Fax 649-946-6909 - Cell 649-244-1407 or 649-231-6663
Email: piratequeen3@hotmail.com
www.saltcay.tc
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