2019-10-01 Wanderlust

The…irstwarningofthegiants’arrivalisaclick

fromthehydrophone–andanother,andanother,

closerandclosertogether.Thenaclusterof

vast,darkshapes,likeasquadronofsubmarines,

appearsbeneaththesurface.Loweringyourself

silentlyintotheclearCaribbeanSea,youhold

yourbreathastheworld’slargestandloudest

toothedpredatorsapproach.

Growingtoover18mlong,withitsdistinctive

squarehead,stumpydorsal…inandslenderjaw

crammedwithsome 52 massiveteeth,you’ll

knowaspermwhalewhenyouseeone.Or,as is

thecasearoundDominica,several:perhaps 300

individualsfeed,breedandcalveinthesewaters.

Onwhale-watchingtripsaroundScotts

Head,Roseau,LayouandPointRound,you’ve

agoodchanceofspottingthesemonumental

carnivores,whichdivetodepthsofover1kmin

searchoftheirfavouritefood:squid.Alsolook for

pygmyspermwhales,short-…innedpilotwhales,

melon-headedwhales,andpodsofFraser’s,

bottlenose,spinnerandspotteddolphins.

Toptips:Permitsforswimmingencountersare

limited.Humpbackwhalesmigratepastfrom

JanuarythroughtoMarch.

Alsotry:BluewhalesinsouthernSriLanka;

belugawhalesinHudsonBay,Canada;minke

whalesinwestandnorthIceland;southernright

whalesinPenínsulaValdés,ArgentinePatagonia.

Theclassic:Meetfriendlygreywhales in

theSeaofCortez,BajaCalifornia,Mexico

WHEN?
Resident year-round
in the Caribbean Sea,
the best time to
spot sperm whales
is between October
and March.

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sperm whales o Dominica