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A presentation for the Caribbean Tourism Organization Eco Tourism
Conference
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Whale watching in Dominica was started commercially in 1988 by Fitzroy Armour, of Anchorage Dive Center. Vivid in my childhood memories are whales swimming right past our house. Older people were claiming, almost in disgust at the incapability of our fishermen, that if these whales were anywhere else they would have been profitably harvested! Later, our sailing trips were regularly punctuated with whale sightings and the accompanying cries of young cousins and aunts in fear of the boat being capsized. Later yet, seeing whales on a fishing trip was always an unexpected bonus for the clients. We often felt that they were more interested in seeing whales than in pulling up fish.
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| My brother started going out in search
of whales with or without clients, doing some photography. Then we
were asked to act as the local guide for a live aboard which was whale
watching a number of islands and from then started our research and
experimentation in earnest. Soon people were starting to hear about
the whales in Dominica. We knew we were on to a good thing when Peter
Benchley of Jaws fame came down with camera crew. His objective being
to be caught in the same frame as a sperm whale, even if it was a
baby (calf). Seeing a sperm whale underwater for the first time is
a unique blend of exhilaration and fear. Acting as scout boat for
a group from Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology I was hanging onto
the boat's lead rope and could see the dark brown chunks of life swimming
directly twards me. Adjusting my mask I put my head under water to
see the other ninety percent of their bodies. My chest picked up the
vibrations of multiple sonars targeted at me and the unmistakable
sound of their clicks were becoming jumbled. I searched underwater
for these descendants of the whale which swallowed the biblical Jonah.
Nothing. Nothing but the dark blue sea three miles west of Dominica.
Putting my head back above water I realized that there were seven
of them and they looked larger, much larger. Their blows puffing out
forward and to the left assaulted my sense of smell with a unique
musky oil. A little less than one minute later I was trying to justify
to myself why I was on the boat rather than in the water!
The Present Currently excursions are being conducted by The Anchorage Hotel & Dive Center. Typically these excursion depart at two p.m. and return to the dock at our just before sunset. Trips may also be done during the mornings on request or prior arrangement. Generally trips range from just south of Scotts Head to Salisbury or the southern half of the island. At present there exists a loose form of co-operation whereby the two operations do trips on a Thursday afternoon and share information by VHF radio as to any Cetacean sightings. That group is subsequently shared by both vessels. The use of hydrophones has become a standard practice and is helpful in locating the whales as well as affording the clients a chance to listen to the highly vocal Sperm Whales and to a lesser extent Dolphins and other Whale species. Other boats in the vicinity also assist by calling us on the VHF to inform us of mammal sightings. Furthermore, high vantage points are often used to look out for the telltale white puffs before the trips. Our company, Anchorage, uses the boat's stereo system to amplify the clicking sound of the Whales and thereby adding another dimension to the whole experience. Knowledgeable crew employed who can give the clients a good briefing either on shore using audio visual aids or in the boat cockpit where a talk with illustrative charts is conducted. Dominica has received increasing recognition as an ideal destination for the viewing of social units of Sperm Whales. The opportunities to see the interactions of females, males, juveniles and young calves may be unsurpassed anywhere else in the world. Information which has been gathered by researchers off Dominica appears to be new and previously unknown. Other areas where whale watching for sperm whales is conducted include Norway, New Zealand and the Azores. With the exception of the Azores, these areas do not have our extent of social interaction. Why Dominica? The same whales which are sighted off Dominica can be sighted off the west coast of the Windward islands from Dominica to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. however, it is believed that our West Coast which is completely sheltered, deep water represents an ideal calving and breeding ground for this planets' largest toothed animal, the Sperm Whale. Dominica's topography is characterized by steep, tall mountains. These contours continue to our underwater landscape and therefore conditions which land themselves to Sperm Whale adaptations (i.e. deep water bottom feeding) can be found close to the shore. Naturally, these conditions are also excellent for conducting safe, short whale watch excursions featuring minimal discomfort for the clients. When - The Whale Watch season Our experience shows that Sperm whales are present in the general area all year round. This is based on the fact that our trips whether whale watching or sport fishing and reports from yachts and commercial fishermen has seen whales even during the summer months. However, it must be stressed that success rates on whale watch trips are much higher during the winter months from the end of November to March. Where in Dominica are Whales seen This is possibly the biggest contradiction in our informal research differed. We continually logged our areas of sightings or hearing whales using a GPS and subsequently plotting these points on a map. We arrived at a theory of areas of concentration off Scotts Head, Roseau, Layou and Point Round. On the contrary formal research has indicated that during season whales are heard equally distributed all along our west coast. How Persons interested in doing whale watching in Dominica may do so easily by contacting the Anchorage Hotel and Dive Center. Other Cetaceans seen in Dominica Spotted and Spinner Dolphins are frequently seen in large mixed pods sometimes numbering well over five hundred. Their spectacular acrobatic performances and willingness to bow ride and surf the wakes of our boats makes them a sure crowd pleaser and a good consolation on the occasion where whales are not sighted. Bottle nose, (often seen between islands in the channel) and the well marked Risso's dolphin are seen though less frequently. Pilot whales are often seen in pods of fifty of sixty. The Acoustic Humpbacks are heard more regularly than seen, particularly in January and February. Research and Assistance Over the years we have been fortunate to get the benefit of some good field research by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) who have done months of research from their vessel "Song of the Whale". Dominica has been the venue for an IFAW sponsored international conference for Sperm Whale researchers. All operators were invited as observers and was considered by all an excellent exchange of information. Dr. Bill Watkins of the US has done extensive research off Dominica. His area of contribution has given good insight to the dive profiles, surface intervals and movement pattern of these animals. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Association of England has conducted training sessions set guidelines for successful non-intrusive whale watching as well as publishing literature on Whale and Dolphin watching in the Caribbean which included Dominica. What we require now is more research to establish some of the unknowns such as (a) where do the large males migrate from and where do they go
to afterwards. We need venues like this to explain to the key persons in institutions at the core of the eco tourism movement that our whales are yet another justification in considering Dominica the model eco tourism destination of the Caribbean. We need your help in persuading our governments to keep the faith in the nature tourism route being the best and most profitable direction for us as a nation in the long run. We need your help in getting the good news of Dominica to the right "publics" through newsletters and consumer magazines. A small country at the infancy stage of its tourism industry such as ours is at a distinct disadvantage in competing with the more established destinations if we have to pay for all our publicity. We need the eco oriented institutions to consider Dominica as an ideal destination for their membership trips. I speak on behalf of the entire country in guaranteeing you all a warm welcome in Dominica. Thank You. Your comments are welcome:
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