Whales!

[mann]

Hello everyone,

I've read in Lonely Planet, that Whales come to DR after 15th of January. We're planning our trip in the very beginning of January, from 2nd till 12th. Is it possible to see whales earlier?

Thanks lot,
Anna

[FireGuy]

Originally Posted by mann

Hello everyone,

I've read in Lonely Planet, that Whales come to DR after 15th of January. We're planning our trip in the very beginning of January, from 2nd till 12th. Is it possible to see whales earlier?

Thanks lot,
Anna

Maybe - but not a good bet.

That's pretty much up to the whales. The normal time frame is mid-January to mid-March (sometimes a bit earlier, sometimes a bit later) but they arrive and depart on their own schedules; not by our calendars. The month of February is a pretty safe bet but January and March can be a bit iffy.

Good luck.

It is also very important where you plan to be, The DR is a large country, by Caribbean standards, and the whales are only in one small area.

Gregg

[daydream]

I went at the end of January this year and when I was looking to book a tour, the earliest date offered was Jan 15th.

I have to say, if I was to go again I would probably opt for the helicopter flight as you get to see more that way, from above. Don't know how much it is though - I imagine quite expensive!

Daydream

[Ken]

Usually the tours start on the 15th of January because the tour companies don't want to send groups until there is a reasonable chance they will see whales.

However, there have been years when large numbers of whales entered the Bay of Samana earlier than usual and some excursions were offered before the 15th. But whales are wild animals and follow their own schedule. Consequently, any decision to start before the 15th will be a last minute one.

The best excursions are offered by Kim Beddall of Whale Samana/Victoria Marine in Samana http://www.whalesamana.com/newseason.html I recommend you contact her and see if she has any plans now to start the excursions during the time you will be here.

[samanasuenos]

We were down there last winter and saw not a one in January.

However, we did see some in March. A few.

We were told that the whales were late last year. Perhaps the water was too warm for them?

If you HAVE TO see whales, forget about going in January. Late February seems a better bet.

As posted above, Victoria Marine/Kim Bedall is the way to go. And riding alongisde in a boat beata a helicopter, hands down.

If you have a death wish, a big potato in your pocket, or too much adrenaline, you can do as we saw a local lad do - paddle out in a kayak! REALLY!

[Ken]

Originally Posted by samanasuenos

We were down there last winter and saw not a one in January.

However, we did see some in March. A few.

We were told that the whales were late last year. Perhaps the water was too warm for them?

If you HAVE TO see whales, forget about going in January. Late February seems a better bet.

As posted above, Victoria Marine/Kim Bedall is the way to go. And riding alongisde in a boat beata a helicopter, hands down.

That's right, the whales were late last year. Observing animals in the wild more chancy than going to a zoo or aquarium because they follow a schedule unknown to us humans.

When the humpbacks migrate from the north, their destination is Silver Bank about 75 miles off the north coast. This very large area of reef and shallows is the primary gathering place for the North Atlantic humpback whales. They may be arriving there now. Time passes and some of the whales start moving around between a few other areas, including Samana Bay. These areas are like singles bars for the whales. The males go hoping to find females, the females are looking for a male to mate with.

Mothers with calves are searching for calm, protected place to give birth and nurse their calf for the first few critical weeks. Samana Bay is a desirable place for this, which is why whale watchers there often see mothers with calves

During the height of the season, mid to late Frebruary, there may be as many as 200 whales in Samana Bay at the same time, but there will be thousands on Silver Bank.