Swimming with Whales

[Five O'Clock]

This is probably going to sound a little crazy... but up here in Boston, the Stellwagen Bank Marine sanctuary is about 25 miles offshore, where there are major feeding grounds for humpback and Northern Atlantic right whales...

There are strict regulations as to how close you can get to the whales, and instructions as to what to do if you do not drive too close, but the whales come up to you...

has anybody ever heard of actually jumping in the water with the whales while they're close to the boat?? i know it seems like this is something on Shark Week, and a "do not try this at home," but has anybody heard that its very dangerous around the whales??

To preface this, i'm an avid SCUBA diver, i've dove in the wild with sharks and other sorts of predatory fish, both in a "controlled" feeding environment at Stuart's Cove, and coming across them unexpectedly, so I know the dangers of the open water.

Any thoughts or chastising is welcomed.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Swimming with Whales

I plead guilty.
Last year July on Stellwagen bank,about 10 miles north-east of Race Point in a 19 footer, I dove into the water and swam up to a humpback.I even touched him.
He did not seem to care,he just kept on swallowing sand eels.This thread is a report which I wrote in July 2007.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=211280&highlight=cape+cod

 

[Five O'Clock]

Re: Swimming with Whales

That's great rolmops... i'm sure you told a lot of people that story about swimming with the whales, did anybody come back and say anything bad about it?

such as dont ever do that again because they will go nuts if you jump in, but those one's just didn't?

i'd love to do this.

 

[AZMinyard]

Re: Swimming with Whales

The only warning I have ever heard is that the whales don't acknowledge your existence and can cause some serious damage if you happen to be in their way, or if their lunch happens to swim by you.

If you go, stay away from any youngsters and take someone (hopefully experienced) with you to watch your surroundings.

Oh, and take pictures to share!

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Swimming with Whales

MIght be worth doing some digging prior to entering the water. If they are a protected species, good chance you're not allowed.

In Hawaii, it is illegal to run your motor within 100 yards of a whale sighting. You must immediately cut your engines. As well, you are not to leave your vessel for any reason while they are within that range.

I know little about this subject other than the above that I learned while vacationing in Hawaii 2 years ago and it may be applicable to the species on the East coast as well.

 

[Five O'Clock]

Re: Swimming with Whales

looking at this website:

http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/visit/whalewatching/guidelines.html

there's nothing that says one cant swim with the whale, or one can't leave their vessel. I wouldn't swim around the whales with other boats in the area for safety reasons, but if i were alone for a while I would.

thoughts?

 

[rolmops]

Re: Swimming with Whales

looking at this website:

http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/visit/whalewatching/guidelines.html

there's nothing that says one cant swim with the whale, or one can't leave their vessel. I wouldn't swim around the whales with other boats in the area for safety reasons, but if i were alone for a while I would.

thoughts?

It is illegal to harass the whales.
That is very much open to interpretation,but the coast guard is always right......

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Swimming with Whales

It is illegal to harass the whales.
That is very much open to interpretation,but the coast guard is always right......

Yeah, I guess it would be their interpretation of whether or not your swimming and approaching them would be construed as 'harassing'.

 

[rndn]

Re: Swimming with Whales

There was a video floating around a few years ago of a woman off of Hawaii swimming with whales. The whale grabbed her leg and dragged her around and down 50 feet. The whale then turned around and brought her back to the surface or she would have died. She ended up okay, but her lesson was that whales are a wild animal and unpredictable. She was also ticketed for bothering the whales which is against the law.

 

[Wildman_fab]

Re: Swimming with Whales

I plead guilty.
Last year July on Stellwagen bank,about 10 miles north-east of Race Point in a 19 footer, I dove into the water and swam up to a humpback.I even touched him.
He did not seem to care,he just kept on swallowing sand eels.This thread is a report which I wrote in July 2007.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=211280&highlight=cape+cod

I have had one swim under my kayak while doing some light tackle fishing in the rips off Race point, made the hair stand up on the back of my neck real quick.
I have also had pilot whales swim next to the boat while trolling for blue fish, thats close enough for me!

 

[mthieme]

Re: Swimming with Whales

Well, you guys have more testicular fortitude than I do.
I run with the "if it's bigger than you, don't mess with" crowd.

 

[Five O'Clock]

Re: Swimming with Whales

wildman i'd be a little scared if they were swimming under my KAYAK... not that they cant crush my 25 footer, but if they popped up and my kayak was on top of it, i'd see myself going for a little ride...

i'll play it as a judgement call... if there are a ton of boats in the area i'll back off and not swim.. if there are few or none, and the whales seem to be calm and not feeding, i may jump in. i dont want a situation that rndn mentioned where the thing takes me under 50 feet and almost kills me... but then again, anyone can get killed driving down the street at 30mph