Fantastic day of whale watching!

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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Another DRone and I took a trip to Samana yesterday and had a fantastic day of whale-watching. I can give you contact info for this particular tour in PM, if you want.

I went last year and had a great experience, but yesterday was just sublime. We were in a catamaran that was capable of a fair degree of speed and was quite stable. (I took Dramamine just in case, as I am prone to seasickness....no natural sailor I.)

We got off to a bit of a slow start, but then we saw whale after whale after whale. There was a female teaching a calf how to breach, and we saw at least 6 spectacular breaches. We got plenty of dorsal fin waves, we saw faces up close, and there were several whales that came quite close to the boat. We had one swim under the boat, which is a leeeeeetle beeeeet nervous-making, I do freely admit, despite the fact that I consider the humpback whale to be my spirit animal/patronus.

We had great weather and the sea was not choppy, just big, gentle swells. Samana is such a pretty town, and we had a stop at Dudu on the way back.

Great tour, great day, great company. Breakfast and dinner were provided and both were pretty good. The bus was very comfortable.

I saw elsewhere that the cetologists were saying numbers are slightly down this year, but based on our experience yesterday, what's there is "cherce." (Which, for the uninitiated, is Brooklyn for "choice.")
 

anng3

Bronze
Jan 12, 2007
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Went with Boom Events out of Puerto Plata.  Very professional tour.  Would definitely recommend them. Breakfast, lunch, drinks, whale watching, beach and then a stop on the way back to Dudu.  Got to swim in a cave.  Was too chicken to do the pulley drop off into the water.  
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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Ann has the pictures. I went last year for the first time (with a different vendor) and was so busy taking fots that I sort of missed out on the "watching" part of whale watching. This year I decided to just enjoy the experience. (I was also a tad loopy from the Dramamine.)

Ann: can you post your fots?
 

jd426

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Dec 12, 2009
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Meems,
Have you tried Tansderm Scop ? the round behind the ear patch...
Some people like myself are very allergic, and I mean in a BAD way. and i dont get seasick, but i tried it once as a just in case ..
But for those who can use it , it hear its very good.. Plus the best part, when you are DONE with it, rip off the patch, and it leaves your body, cuz the patch releases it slowly.. so it does not stay in your system and make you sleep all day like Dramamine..
 

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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I saw elsewhere that the cetologists were saying numbers are slightly down this year, but based on our experience yesterday, what's there is "cherce." (Which, for the uninitiated, is Brooklyn for "choice.")

Loads of sightings on Saturday with some at very close quarters. Fourth visit this one and many more sightings of different whales this time (sadly the first visit was the only time when I saw one jump clean out of the water). It was calm with a steady swell Saturday which helped. And to avoid the tourist trap of the wrong side of Cayo Levantado on the way back made me happy with laid back chilled out Las Galeras in my sights for a couple of days and nights. With side trip to picturesque Playa El Valle on the way back.

On reflection, I do think that the whale watching has become so very commercialized out of Samana since my first trip 8 or 9 years ago, with so many boats out there now and the more powerful ones charging from sighting to sighting before whisking their package customers back to Cayo L. after a set time on station. It used to be policed by the park attendants much better. I did like what Timotero posted on another whale thread taking a private hire from Las Galeras because in reality a lot of the whale watching is off Punta Balandra (where there is a whale watching point) and you can include a stop off at Playa Fronton on the way back....needs to be calm though and one of the covered boats from Las Galeras imo.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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L I did like what Timotero posted on another whale thread taking a private hire from Las Galeras because in reality a lot of the whale watching is off Punta Balandra (where there is a whale watching point) and you can include a stop off at Playa Fronton on

This is good advice. I will try this next time, because I agree that it has turned into a bit of a circus out there.
 

jd426

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Dec 12, 2009
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I've used scopolomine in the past. It knocked the crap out of me. Can you buy it OTC here?

I honestly dont know ,but can find out with a call .. I got mine here in the US, but my doctor never had a clue that i would have a really bad reaction to it .. it was ugly..this is why i say IF you can and are not allergic.. that stuff is Strong.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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I honestly dont know ,but can find out with a call .. I got mine here in the US, but my doctor never had a clue that i would have a really bad reaction to it .. it was ugly..this is why i say IF you can and are not allergic.. that stuff is Strong.

I used it with a prescription before going out on a party boat from Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn in May years and years ago. I didn't throw up, but I didn't fish, either. I believe I slept in a very smelly interior space and staggered above decks to observe the festivities for a moment or two before retiring to my supine position on the Naugahyde bench.

For the amount of time I actually spend riding in boats, I am fine with Dramamine. The only time I am ever in boats (except for communing with my patronus charm) is when I take a boat to snorkel further out than I can swim. And the Dramamine high, I gotta say, is pretty mellow.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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took whale trip once and can describe it with 3 words: lots. of. PUKING.
 

irishpaddy

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Sep 3, 2013
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what would the cost of this by private boat be ...anyone have an idea
it sounds like a spectacular way to spend the day.....but I am not a fan of large groups.....whales yes...people no
 

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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what would the cost of this by private boat be ...anyone have an idea
it sounds like a spectacular way to spend the day.....but I am not a fan of large groups.....whales yes...people no

Timotero posted this on the earlier thread about a trip out of Las Galeras:

We ended up getting our own 24' open boat with a crew of 2 (pilot in the stern, spotter in the bow).  We paid $100 for the whole boat. That included as much whale watching as we wanted. As much snorkeling off a great secluded beach as we wanted. And as much food and drink as we wanted. There were maybe 5-6 similar boats and I think they all join together to use a single cooking crew who prepare the beach BBQ while your out whale watching.

Overall, good experience. We saw dolphins and 3-5 whales. Food was decent. Drinks were beer, rum, soft drinks or water. Scenery was stunning! Secluded beach against the cliffs with line of trees adding some green to the white sand and blue sky background. 

And because the boat was all ours, we could stay as long as we wanted, or return as early as we wanted



I was approached in Las Galeras for such a trip too but after we had been out of Samana. Las Galeras is a the perfect base for a long weekend and a whale watching trip. And the scenery down that east coast of the peninsula is really stunning as posted above.

I was quoted 8000rd for a private hire out of Samana but that was higher than the norm which from previous experience was nearer 4500rd mid week when things were quieter.
 
Apr 8, 2005
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How long is the ride from POP? A few years back I traveled from SDQ. Next time I'll be going from POP. I'm excited to experience the journey...!
 

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
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How long is the ride from POP? A few years back I traveled from SDQ. Next time I'll be going from POP. I'm excited to experience the journey...!

It's about 2.5-3 hrs from POP to Samana City. Go on-line and check out Whale watching with Kim Beddall. This is a decent size boat and she is a scientist. Many of the tours are in skiffs which are large wooden boats that are very low to the water. If you get sea sick at all you will in this type of boat. Kim's boat is two levels and has an enclosed area if needed. Whales are in the DR from mid Jan- mid March. Good luck and good travels.