Whales!!!!!!!!!

Camden Tom

Bronze
Dec 1, 2002
736
39
0
Last night at about 6:30, I was sitting on our terrace when we spotted a small pod of whales swimming east toward Cabarete. It's the first time we've spotted them, very exciting. I didn't think to post right away but, if we see them again, I'll post asap in case anybody in Cab is close to the beach.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
It takes tremendous luck or lots of experience to get good photos of active whales. When they breach, for example, it is unexpected and most of us stare in amazement before getting the camera in position. By the time we do, the whales are back in the water again.

Also, whales that look close are often further away than you realize--and discover when you get the pictures developed.
 

Camden Tom

Bronze
Dec 1, 2002
736
39
0
Now this is strange. In the 7 or 8 years we've been coming down here, we've never seen whales even though our house is right on the beach. Last night, we, as well as 4 family members were dining at the Waterfront in Sosua. We were standing along the wall closest to the ocean, watching the sun set when we suddenly spotted another group of whales that appeared to be coming from the direction of the bay. Then, this morning at about 8:15 while eating breakfast, Mary spots a blow. I grabbed the binoculars and we ran out on the terrace and sure enough, there is a pod of whales swimming east from Cabarete. This has really been quite exciting.

Ken, we need to get together soon, it's been too long. I'll call you later in the week.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Even though you haven't seen them before, whales have been swimming along the coast for years. Colombus reported seeing them along the coast when he was here.

The primary gathering place for the humpback whales that visit our area in the winter is Silver Bank, a large, shallow area with many reefs about 75 miles offshore from Puerto Plata. During the winter, whales leave Silver Bank and go to the several smaller areas that are popular with whales. One of them being Samana Bay. They don't stay in these smaller areas, but the males check them out looking for females and the females go looking for males. It is like humans checking out the single bars. So all winter long you have whales circulating between Silver Bank and the smaller areas. The major area continues to be Silver Bank, but at any one time there are whales in the smaller areas and whales enroute to the smaller areas or back to Silver Bank. Depending on the direction of travel, the whales you saw were either headed to one of the smaller areas or back to Silver Bank.