Joanna James
Those looking for adventures at sea choose to go whale watching with the objective of observing these giant creatures at close range. However, there are a number of things you should keep in mind when doing so, as described below.
You should always be careful when you reach sea areas containing whales and observe the area before going in or coming out. If you see a pod of whales, make sure to look out for behaviour changes that may indicate that the whales are in distress. Signs to look out for include rapid changes in swimming patterns, displays such as tail slapping and females guarding calves by shielding them; if you notice these signals, leave immediately.
Although whales will sometimes approach boats and ships out of curiosity, it is always advisable to maintain a safe distance when possible. It will be appropriate to position yourself no less than 100 yards from a whale; for some species of whales, you should keep even farther away. If you feel that you are approaching a whale too closely, halt at once and move away from the area. If you happen to be in a motorboat, do not turn off the engine, but remain in the neutral gear till the whale moves away.
Although it may seem exhilarating and enjoyable to traverse the ocean waters at a rapid speed, this will be disconcerting for the marine creatures you wish to observe. When entering an area containing whales, it would be advisable to keep the speed of your vessel to under 10 knots. By doing so, you will keep accidents involving whales to a minimum; in recent years, many whales have been killed or stranded due to injuries caused by colliding with ships.
In fact, the ideal way to draw near to whales would be from a parallel positioning, whilst maintaining a suitable distance. You should always keep away from the whales' path and always avoid cutting them off. Additionally, if you happen to be in proximity to land, take care that you are not preventing the whales from reaching deeper seas.
Although you may feel tempted to observe these majestic creatures for extended lengths of time, this may be very upsetting to the whales. Keep in mind that the presence of your vessel and the noise it makes may keep them from foraging for food, affect their social interactions and perhaps even affect their natural breeding. It is thought that noise pollution can cause whales to alter their routes of migration. Generally, you should not observe whales for a period of more than 30 minutes. For whale watching in Sri Lanka, an eco-excursion provider to consider would be _
Cinnamon Nature Trails_. Depending on when you go out to sea, you may have the opportunity to even view ablue whale in Sri Lanka.
As you might expect, trying to swim with whales may be disconcerting for these marine giants, and may even cause the whales to alter their natural behavioural patterns. Additionally, it may also be dangerous to yourself; animals in the wild are always unpredictable and you may be seriously hurt by attempting to interact with a colossal marine mammal. Touching whales can result in the transmission of diseases. Feeding them is also inappropriate as the food you give the whales may make them ill or cause them to become dependent on food handouts from humans.
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