Family Traveler

70THERE SHEBLOWS!RICHARDHAMMONDonethicalwhale-anddolphin-watching–andwheretofinditFewwildlifeencounterscanrivaltheexhilarationofstandingwithinabellyflopofamajestic50 -tonwhale.Justencounteringthesemagnificentcreaturesinthewildisspecial,butifyou’relucky,youmayseeonebreachthesurfaceor,perhaps,liftitstailflukeclearofthewaterbeforeslappingitdownwithtremendousforce.Whale-watchingtripsarenowavailableinmorethan 120 countries,andithasbecomebigbusiness.Yetthereareconcernsthat,giventhefinancialrewardsandpressureonoperatorstoprovidethebestpossibleexperience,thewelfareoftheanimalsisbeingputatrisk.Inanefforttoencouragemoreresponsiblewhale-watching,theWorldCetaceanAlliance(WCA)hascreatedaschemethataimstoshinealightonthemostethicalplacestogowhale-watching.WCA’s‘WhaleHeritageSite’accreditationisbeingawardedtoareasconsideredcentresofexcellenceandwhichactivelyengagetheirowncommunitiesandvisitors,connectingpeoplewithmarinelifethrougharts,science,educationandevents.‘Thebestwaytoprotectoceanwildlifeistoencouragepeopletoseeitforthemselvesinaresponsibleway,’saysDylanWalker,SecretariatoftheWCA.‘If,throughWhaleHeritageSites,thosesamepeoplecanalsoexperiencecoastalcommunitiesthatcelebrateandcarefortheirmarinenaturalheritageandunderstandtheimportanceofasustainableapproach,wemayyetwinthebattletosaveouroceans.’TOP 11 HO TSPOTSTO WATCH WHALESANDDOLPHIN SRESPONSIBLY1THEHEBRIDES,SCOTLANDPartoftheWWF’sDolphinAdoptionfundsgotosupporttheHebrideanWhaleandDolphinTrustatTobermoryontheIsleofMull(wherelittleonesmightrecognisetheCBeebiesseriesBalamorywasfilmed!).AnewinteractivedisplayopensthisJuneintherenovatedvisitor’scentre,withamazinginsightsintowhaleanddolphinsightings.lFromMaytoOctober,volunteerscanjoinresearchyachtSilurianandbecomemarinemammalscientists.Twosurveysareforteensaged 16 -1 7 andcostfrom£950.Forwhale-watchingtripsinthearea,checkoutwisescheme.org;whaleanddolphintrust.co.uk2THEAZORES,PORTUGALTheAzoresarchipelagoisvisitedbyoverathirdofallwhaleanddolphinspeciesthroughouttheyear,andhasbecomeameccaforwhale-watchers.Thankfully,whale-watchingiscarefullymanagedthroughguidelinesenshrinedinAzoreanlaw.Headthereinspringtoseemigratingbaleenwhalessuchasbluewhales,finwhalesandseiwhales,while``````wrappingupwarmforwhale-watching``````iniceland