Scuba in whale watching area

From your title it sounds like you want to get in the water near the whales...

One of the regulations is:

"No vessel will permit passengers to swim with the whales."

FYI

Gregg

There was an incident last week in which tourists on a whale watching trip were injured by a whale. The newspaper reports didn't make it clear whether they were in the water or on the boat when it happened. It said that the current swept them too close to the whale, which struck them so hard with its tail that a couple needed to be hospitalised.

mizunderstood

I don't think the OP had the intention of wanting to dive with or around the whales. Perhaps he is searching for some guidance on good dive sites, dive centers, etc. to go diving in the greater Samana area. Such as : Cabo Cabron, Piedra Bonita etc. I, unfortunately, have only read of these places, never been.....

Any divers from the Samana Peninsula care to weigh in on good local dive sites and where to get tanks, etc?

Maggie6872 said:

I don't think the OP had the intention of wanting to dive with or around the whales. Perhaps he is searching for some guidance on good dive sites, dive centers, etc. to go diving in the greater Samana area.

Click to expand...

I agree now, but was just checking to be sure.

Gregg

Chirimoya said:

There was an incident last week in which tourists on a whale watching trip were injured by a whale. The newspaper reports didn't make it clear whether they were in the water or on the boat when it happened. It said that the current swept them too close to the whale, which struck them so hard with its tail that a couple needed to be hospitalised.

Click to expand...

dominican today

Tourists recover after whale tail lashing



Puerto Plata.- One of two U.S. tourists who were hit by a whale off the north coast of the Dominican Republic was released from intensive care on Saturday.

The injured tourists were traveling on board the Turks Caicos Aggressor II when the whale attacked during an excursion to the Silver Bank whale sanctuary area on Thursday. One suffered trauma to the spinal vertebrae when the whale lashed out with its tail. They were given emergency first aid on the scene before being rushed to Centro Medico Bournigal in Puerto Plata where they are being treated by orthopedic surgeons.

According to reports, the incident happened because the boat got too near to a whale with a calf. The group was whale watching in the area when a strong current carried them toward the whale, which flapped its tail furiously in response, injuring two members of the group in the process.

International conventions for whale-watching excursions stipulate that vessels must keep a minimum distance of 270 feet (80m) away from any adult whales, for passengers' safety as well as for the protection of the whales themselves.

According to today's papers they were actually diving. Isn't that against the whale watching conventions? Not to mention a potential Darwin Award nomination?

This apparently happened at the Silver Bank which is North of Nagua, not exactly in Samana and swimming is apparently permitted here.

Silver Bank

Gregg