You need to go Whale-Watching!

[f0r5aK3n]

One of the most AWESOME event I have experienced in my life!! The closest I got to the whales was actually around 2 feet from the boat.

Mind you, this isn't like being on Sea World and seeing those trained, captured whales. This is going out onto a boat in the middle of the ocean and looking for them. It is just so amazing and unbelievable that there are creatures of this calibre!

[mary_poppins]

Dude! I knew you'll make a thread on whale-watching! :D
YOu been to Monterey?

YUP, what an experience I've been told. Three hours, right?
I wanna go I wanna go!

[f0r5aK3n]

mary_poppins: :lol: One of my team-members in Senior Project is from Mendocino County. He said that there are a bunch of whale-watching excursions in Ft. Bragg too. :)

The whole excursion lasted about 4 hours... From 9am to 1pm

[mary_poppins]

yeah...i knew they have it at ft bragg!

did u get to feed them with galunggong?

[f0r5aK3n]

I guess, it's not that special when you whale-watch at work.. :lol:


mary_poppins: :lol: nah, I don't think feeding them was allowed. Not environmentally friendly that way... Most whales eat CRILL. They eat the crill by the swarm.

[nothinFancy]

I've been on a whale-watching tour last month around Victoria (Vancouver Island, British Columbia), home of the largest population of Killer Whales (Orcas) in the world (approximately 100 whales in total).

During the months of April through October, the salmon populations are migrating through the Southern Vancouver Island area on their way to the spawning grounds.

During these months, Killer Whales spend most of their time around Victoria and San Juan Island feeding on the natural abundance of salmon, one of their principal diet sources.

These whale-watching tours ensure a very high percentage of finding whales. $90 CDN for 3 hrs. is worth every penny of it. Guaranteed!

Take your kids up here and they'll love you forever. I did!

[f0r5aK3n]

nothingFancy: That's awesome!!!! That's one thing I know I'll be doing when I go for a Seattle/BC trip! Thanks for the info!!!

The whales you see around Monterey are of the Humpback, Blue, and Gray variety. According to Marine Biologists, these whales feed on crill which can be found along the deep canyons of Monterey Bay which are along the San Andreas Fault. This long months of feeding enable them to gather enough energy for their long migration to the tropical waters of South America for breeding.

Whales have unique markings under their tailfins which identify them. It is like their fingerprints. That's how Biologists keep track of where and when they are in a particular place in the world.

Blues and Humpbacks are still in the Endangered Species List.

[mary_poppins]

nothinFancy - hey that sounds so interesting!

fOr5aK3n - :lol: shhhhh :sssh:
What's CRILL?

[heymikey]

Originally posted by nothinFancy
These whale-watching tours ensure a very high percentage of finding whales. $90 CDN for 3 hrs. is worth every penny of it. Guaranteed!
Is that $90 CDN per person? We'll be going around British Columbia (specifically around the Vancouver-Victoria area) two weeks from now for some vacation and this whale-watching thing seems fun. Where exactly in Victoria does the tour start and what time? Thanks.

By the way, this may sound stupid but in order for me to have an idea what exactly a killer whale looks like, I just want to ask: is Shamu from Sea World a killer whale?

[Ice Burn]

Shamu is a killer whale...I just went to Sea World again after 13 years. :) Actually, this time I was no longer amused by it. I felt a whole lot of pity for the performing animals. Imagine, they do the same routine several times each day, day after day. :(

mary_poppins...
It's actually KRILL. And Krill are small marine crustaceans (basically small shrimp-like plankton) which are the chief food of baleen whales.

Whale watching...I plan to go one day to Donsol, Sorsogon, more on spotting the Whale Sharks though. :)

Wild dolphins are also cool. Went on a boat ride once where the dolphins were swimming beside our moving boat. :)

[f0r5aK3n]

IceBurn: Thanks for the correction. :*) Just goes to show you how many new things we learn everyday.

[clawed_out]

want to see whales for free? go to oregon coast..

i often seldom go there but everytime we cruise by the cliffs eh we see whales.

sam sentiments here Ice Burn, i don't like going to zoo's. i pity those caged animals.

[Dunedain]

Come to think of it, this experience is worthwhile. But I'm also thinking kicking this a few more notches. Like watching Great White Sharks. I remember one link that leads to San Diego, but there's also on Farallon Islands near SF - detail to tour is here (http://www.sfbayadventures.com/great_white_shark.html).

[noserider]

i've seen a whale shark in baler while out surfing few yrs ago.. he/she was feeding on planktons by the rivermouth where we were at.. scared the sh*t out of me at first cause it was huge! about 20ft or so.. i thought it was a real shark.. i was about to say my prayers cause i thought i was a goner then the locals i was with told me it was indeed a whale shark.. i've seen them on tv.. but damn it's so different when u see them up front.. it swam directly underneath me! it was a neat experience...

yes wild dolphins r great too.. i get to see them almost every weekend while surfing.. when the waves are big.. they would go for a ride too! there was even a time a dolphin jumped out of the wave i was on.. it was awesome.

remember to pack your trash when you guys go to the beach. help save our blue planet!

[nothinFancy]

Originally posted by heymikey
Is that $90 CDN per person? We'll be going around British Columbia (specifically around the Vancouver-Victoria area) two weeks from now for some vacation and this whale-watching thing seems fun. Where exactly in Victoria does the tour start and what time? Thanks.
Yup. 90 for adults and 65 for kids. But, prices vary with different places. There are lots of whale-watching tours around Victoria Harbour or check on the net.

I recommend that you spend at least a week on the island to enjoy all the beautiful hidden corners of it. Rent or steal a car :D, just drive! You'll see what I mean.

I just came back from camping in Tofino (2 beautiful hours of driving from Nanaimo) and I saw a lot of whale watching tours out there. Check out Tofino. Just camp out for a few days on Long Beach. You could also pick oysters and mussels on the beach, if you get bored. If you're not into sleeping on the beach, there are tons of hotels, cabins and cottages with beds and TVs and all kinds of junk in their rooms there. Just make reservations before you go cuz this is the peak season. It's hard to find accomodations at good places if you don't book ahead of time.

Bring all your stuff cuz you might stay for good! :D Have fun in Beautiful British Columbia!

[sea sprite]

Originally posted by Ice Burn

Whale watching...I plan to go one day to Donsol, Sorsogon, more on spotting the Whale Sharks though. :)



i did this a couple of summers ago. it was an amazing experience. we saw around three whale sharks. we were so excited that we jumped into the water immediately. you're not supposed to get too close to them but this huge whale shark actually approached me and passed so close to my feet that my fins actually touched it. that was great! sadly, i wasn't able to bring along an underwater cam to record the experience. incidentally, may mga disposable underwater cams na raw. P700 ata yung 24 shots. i think kodak yung gumawa.

[zen_virgil]

We went to Sea World, San Diego too last spring. The stunts were amazing of course. But if you come to think that these whales and dolphins were performing just for fish, then I pity them, same goes to the caged animals in zoos.

I've been to Monterey, too. But we never strayed far from the coast. Uhmm, regarding the whales, what kind were they? Sperm whales? killer whales? I'd love to go whale watching.

[f0r5aK3n]

The ones that feed in and around Monterey Bay are Humpbacks and Blue Whales. The Blues are the ones that release water from their blowhole that reaches up to 30ft! It was amazing.

[mawmoset]

Whale watching in Provincetown in Cape Cod, MA was really fun. 3 or 4 hrs trip ata then $25 per adult or around that. You can see humpback whales and other whales (sorry, wasn't really paying attention to their names.) Sulit kasi ang daming whales ****, siguro mga 20+ whales nakita namin ang mga 4 kinds ata yon. Kahit hindi ka whale lovers enjoy pa rin.

Of course Seaworld is fun too kaso si Shamu lang kita mo pero at least sobrang up close.

[zerone]

I've done whale watching here in South Africa as well! The best place to go whale watching here is in Hermanus! I've seen Dolphins in Cape Town as well. There are Penguins in Cape Town din! It was really amazing! :)

[clawed_out]

i know, you don't have to go to seaside or somwhere really far.

go to your local bar (a country-like atmosphere. in short , dive) and for sure, you'll see cows & whales at every corner!

[f0r5aK3n]

Originally posted by clawed_out
you'll see cows & whales at every corner!

wow! cows that swim??? :p :D

[zen_virgil]

Originally posted by f0r5aK3n
wow! cows that swim??? :p :D
he must have meant sea cows (manatees, dugongs) :D