Family Traveler

72summeristhebesttimeforAtlanticspotteddolphins,pilotwhalesandstripeddolphins.lFuturismorunsdailytripsledbyqualifiedbiologistsandnatureguides,£42forathree-hourtour.futurismo.pt3NORTHVANCOUVERISLAND,CANADATheseabetweenwesternQueenCharlotteStraitandthenorthernStraitofGeorgiaoffthenorthofVancouverIslandisoneofthemostreliableplacestoseekillerwhales(orcas)andhumpbackwhales.ThankstotheworkoftheNorthIslandMarineMammalStewardshipAssociation(NIMMSA),about 25 localwhale-watchingoperatorsadheretoacodeofconductforresponsiblewhale-watching.lKingfisherWildernessAdventuresrunsafour-day‘FamilyKayakwithWhales’trip(designedforchildrenagedsixto 14 )toseeorcas,humpbacks,seals,sealionsandporpoisesfromitsFamilyOrcaWatersBaseCamp.From£607pp.kingfisher.ca4MASSACHUSETTS,USThedrawforvisitorstothesewatersisthesheervarietyofwhalespecieshere,includinghumpback,minke,northernright,pilot,sperm,seiandfinwhales,aswellasAtlanticwhitesideddolphinsandharbourporpoises.Theareaisknownforextensivemarineresearch,anditwasherethatresponsible-whale-watchingprogrammeWhaleSENSE(whalesense.org)wasfounded.lCapeAnnWhaleWatchinGloucesterrunswhale-watchingtoursouttoStellwagenBank,anationalmarinereserveoffthecoastofGloucester,fromabout£3 4 peradultand£23forchildrenunder 16 (under-3sfree),whichincludesamarineconservationeducationalprogramme.seethewhales.com5ICELANDFromApriltoSeptember,youcanseeover 20 speciesofcetacea,includingorca,minke,humpback,andbluewhales,intheNorthAtlanticandArcticoceansoneithersideofIceland.ThankstotheeffortsofIceWhale,theIcelandicWhaleWatchingAssociation,operatorsadheretostrictguidelinesthataimtosafeguardthesustainabilityoftheisland’sfast-growingwhale-watchingindustry.lElding,afamily-ownedcompanyinReykjavik,operateswhale-watchingtoursfromthecapital,includinga‘WhalesandNorthernLights’tourfromabout£104peradultand£5 2 perchild.elding.is6ELVIZCAÍNOBIOSPHERERESERVE,MEXICOControlledaccesstotheshallow,well-protectedLagunaSanIgnacioinElVizcaínoBiosphereReserve(Mexico’slargestprotectedarea)hasensuredtheareaisoneofthebestplacesintheworldtoseeNorthPacificgreywhale.Othermarinemammalsyoumayencounterincludebottlenosedolphins,harbourseals,Californiasealions,northernelephantsealsandturtles.lSearcherNaturalHistoryToursrunsa 12 -daywhale-watchingboattriptoBajaCalifornia,alsoincorporatingLagunaSanIgnacio,from£3,374,whichincludestheMexicanConservationPassporttoaccessNaturalProtectedAreas.bajawhale.com7TONGATongaisoneofthebestplacesintheworldtoseehumpbackwhales,whomigrate5, 000 milesfromtheirfeedinggroundsintheAntarctictothewarm,shelteredwatersofTonga’sVava’uislands.RegulationsfortheTongaWhale-watchingOperatorsAssociationweredrawnupwithinputfromtheSouthPacificRegionalEnvironmentProgramme,andtheInternationalFundforAnimalWelfare.lWhale-watchingVava’u,whosemottois‘Maximumencounter–Minimalimpact’,hasrunwhale-watchingtripsintheareasince 199 3,operatingtwoboatsthatcarryamaximumofeightpassengersperboat.Adaytripcostsabout£110pp.whalewatchvavau.com8SILVERBANK,DOMINICANREPUBLICThewarm,shallowwatersoftheSilverBank–asubmergedlimestoneplateaubetweentheDominicanRepublicandTurks&Caicos–isthewinterbreedinggroundforthousandsofNorthAtlantichumpbackwhales.ThegovernmentoftheDominicanRepublichasestablisheditasa‘SanctuaryfortheMarineMammalsoftheDominicanRepublic’,limitingthenumber,frequencyanddurationofsightseeingtripstothearea,andminimisingthedisturbanceofthewhaleswhileprovidingaluckyfewwithaccesstoanexclusiveexperience.lConsciousBreathAdventuresoperatesaseven-nightlive-aboardwhale-watching``````someoperators``````employnaturalists``````toeducatechildrenLIMITEDNUMBERSMAKEFORANEXCLUSIVEEXPERIENCE