Family Traveler

73WHALE-WATCHINGcruise,includingfivedaysontheSilverBank,from£2,754perperson.consciousbreathadventures.com9PENINSULAVALDEZ,ARGENTINATheshelteredwatersaroundthePeninsulaValdezoffArgentina’seastcoastarehometothesouthernrightwhale,whichcanbeaslongas15 mandweighupto 60 tons.Fivelocaloperators(TitoBottazziWhaleWatch,JorgeSchmid,PekeSosa,HydrosportandWhalesArgentina)worktogetherinaninnovativeschemethatsharesboatstoreducethedisturbanceoftheanimals.lTitoBottazzi’sbilingualguidesrun90-minutewhale-watchingboattripsfromPuertoMadryn.titobottazzi.com10SOUTHAFRICAFromJune,humpbackwhalescanbeseenastheypassuptheeastcoastofSouthAfricatotheirbreedinggrounds,andthenagainfromNovemberwhentheyreturn.Otherspeciesthatcan``````bespottedthroughoutthesummerincludesouthernrightwhales,Bryde’swhales,minke,aswellasbottlenose,commonandhumpbackdolphins.Inmanyareas,justoneoperatorispermittedwithin50mofwhales(allotherboatscomenocloserthan 30 0m).lRaggyCharters,whichworksinconjunctionwiththeBaywatchMarineConservationProjectandorganisesregularbeachcleansinthePortElizabetharea,runsguidedwhale-anddolphin-watchingcruises,mostofwhichareledbyconservationistLloydEdwards.Half-daytripsfromPortElizabethcostabout£5 4 perperson,£30forchildrenunder 12 .raggycharters.co.za11OUTERBARRIERREEF,AUSTRALIAVisittheOuterBarrierReeftoseeminkewhaleswithoneoftheninepermittedwhale-watchingoperatorsandyourrecordedsightingswillhelpfeedintoamanagementplanofthemarinepark.lEyetoEyeMarineEncounters,(whichhas 30 years’experienceworkingonthereef),providesluxurylive-aboardtripstoswimwithminkewhalesontheOuterBarrierReef.Itisestablishingamarineresearchandeducationalorganisation,‘GreatBarrierReefLegacy’.Afive-daywhale-watchingtriponboarda70ftboatcostsfrom£728perpersonperday,notincludinganenvironmentalmanagementchargeof£8.70perperson.marineencounters.com.au``````GUIDELINESChecktheoperatorfollowsasetofguidelinesorcodeofconductthatincludesprovisionforapproachinganimalssafely.Insomecountries,theseguidelinesarealegalrequirement;inothers,theyareadoptedvoluntarily.``````ENVIRONMENTALIMPACTCheckwhateffortstheoperatorismakingtoreducetheirimpactonthemarineenvironment.Examplestolookoutforincludecarbon-reductionprogrammes,beachclean-upsorat-searemovalofmarinelitter,propellerguardstoreducetheriskofcollisionswithmarinelife,andspeedrestrictionstosaveonfuelandminimiserisktomarinelife.``````GUIDESCheckthetripincludesanexperiencedguidewhocanteachyouaboutmarinelifeandplacesofinterestalongtheway.Often,theverybestwhale-watchoperatorshavebeeninvolvedinresearchprojects,andcanprovideinsightsintothemarinelifeyouencounter.``````RESEARCHCheckiftheoperatorsupportsscientificresearchorconservation.Someallowscientiststoconductresearchontheirvessels,andthishasledtoagreaterunderstandingofconservationandwelfareissuesaffectingtheanimalsandtheirhabitats.Otherssupportnatureconservationbycommittingfundstoarelevantconservationprojectorcharity,orbybeingactivelyinvolvedinlocalmarineconservationefforts.``````MOREINFORMATIONworldcetaceanalliance.orgwhaleheritagesites.org``````Forfabulouscetaceansfacts,visitfamilytraveller.com/holiday-type/nature-wildlife/fascinating-cetaceans-factsTIPSFORBOOKINGAWHALE-WATCHINGTRIPaninnovativeboat-sharingschememinimisesdisturbancetotheanimalsGIANTSOFTHEDEEPClockwisefromopposite:snorkellersjumpinforabetterviewinTonga;adolphinaccompaniesaboatinMexico;winterwhale-watchinginIceland;ahumpbackdwarfsadiverinTongaPHO nTOGRAPHS:GETTY/ROBERTHARDING/ELDING