The destruction by mankind of our Oceans and the wildlife that lives there is horrifc.  This is primarily due to pollution and overfishing while the effects of Climate Change will potentially make the situation worse.

As sailors and divers we are looking at any ways that we can assist to try and reverse the damage.

OceansWatch is currently working with the following monitoring organisations to help collect data and conserve the marine environment.

Reef Check

Coral Watch

Earthdive

Whale Identification in the Pacific

Encountering marine mammals is one of the many privileges of the cruising lifestyle.  See below for our

Guidelines for encountering whales, dolphins and dugongs

If you are interested in doing some Marine Biology study we would love to share with you the different courses that we have found that are available.  Please email kym@oceanswatch.org for more information.

Please let us know your experience working with these organisations if you are not doing it directly through us.

Guidelines for Encountering whales, dolphins and dugongs.

    Photo courtesy: Glenn Edney                                                                                              

Encountering marine mammals is one of the many privileges of the cruising lifestyle. For many of us these encounters heighten our sense of connection with the marine environment. We can’t help but marvel at these highly intelligent, air-breathing mammals that have so perfectly adapted to life in the ocean. However, our desire to get “up close and personal” with marine mammals has the potential to negatively impact their natural behaviour including important functions such as feeding, socializing and mating.

There are several different families of marine mammals in the world including seals and sea-lions, sea otters, walruses, polar bears, manatees, dugongs and of course, whales, dolphins and porpoises. It is this last group, otherwise known as cetaceans that these guidelines are mainly concerned with.

The aim of these guidelines is to promote a thoughtful, considerate, safe and rewarding approach to encountering and interacting with marine mammals. It is important to remember however, that these are wild animals in their natural environment and should be treated with the same degree of respect, caution and common sense we would employ when encountering other wild species.

Open Ocean Encounters

Most sailors would prefer to avoid any close encounters with large whales while on passage and indeed there are numerous accounts of yachts being damaged by accidental collisions, especially at night. Apart from keeping a good watch there is little we can do to avoid these situations. It is worth noting though that migratory species, such as humpback, blue, fin and minke whales migrate between polar seas and the tropics during the autumn months and return during spring and early summer. In the Pacific this coincides with the cruising season so there is an increased chance of encounters.

If a whale is sighted it is advisable to be ready to alter course if necessary and may even be worth starting the engine, or otherwise making some noise to alert the whale as to your presence if it looks like you may pass in close proximity. It is worth noting your position and if at all possible taking photographs of the tail fin, dorsal fin and head of the whale for possible identification. (See Marine Mammal ID Guidelines) Also be aware that some species migrate in small groups so there may be other whales in the area to look out for.

Coastal and Enclosed Waters

Encounters are much more likely in coastal or enclosed waters. Many areas have resident populations of small whales and dolphins and some areas act as winter breeding grounds for larger species. The islands of the South West Pacific including Tonga, Niue, New Caledonia, Samoa, Fiji, The Cook Island and French Polynesia are visited by migrating humpback whales between June and November each year.

This provides a wonderful opportunity to experience these animals in a relatively calm and accessible environment but also increases the risk of adversely impacting on their behaviour.

The following guidelines may be useful when marine mammals are encountered in these areas, but in no way do they over-ride or supersede any local laws or regulations that may impose additional restrictions or requirements.

It is your responsibility to be aware of and follow local regulations, customs and guidelines.

Approaching Cetaceans with your Vessel

Before approaching the animals spend time observing their behaviour so that you can recognize any change or disruption to their behaviour as you approach. Examples of changes in behaviour include:

• Changes in swimming speed or direction to avoid your boat.
• Changes in breathing or diving patterns
• Stopping or changing activity patterns such as feeding, nursing, socialising or vocalising
• Changes in group size and cohesion
• Surface behaviours such as peduncle tail slaps, forceful, loud blows or aggressive and rapid swimming towards vessel.

If you see any of the above or any other sign that the animals are disturbed by your presence do not try to approach any closer and slowly move away.

The best direction to approach a whale or dolphin is from the side and slightly to the rear of the animal. Avoid approaches from head on or directly from behind.

• A distance of 100m – 300m is considered the caution zone and any approach within this distance should be made with the upmost care. Vessels should not actively approach closer than 100m from a whale and 50m from a dolphin, including the area directly in front and behind a pod. This is considered the no-approach zone.
• Avoid approaching from up wind or up current of the animals, where there is a danger of drifting down onto them or into the no-approach zone.
• Within the caution zone, approach the animals at no more than idle speed if they are stationary or at no more than the speed of the animals if they are moving.
• If there are any other vessels within the caution zone of a whale or a dolphin do not approach any closer than 300m.
• Don’t disperse or separate a group of cetaceans and avoid making sudden or repeated changes in direction or speed.
• Don’t chase, encircle or block the direction of travel of cetaceans and try to avoid positioning yourself so you end up in the middle of a pod.
• If whales or dolphins approach your vessel, slow down gradually and put engines in idle.
• If dolphins approach your vessel to bow-ride, maintain a slow and steady speed and avoid sudden changes in course.

Pods of cetaceans containing calves are particularly vulnerable to disturbance and should be treated with extra caution.

Always allow the animals to dictate the nature and duration of any interactions. The most rewarding interactions usually happen when you are passive and allow the animals to control the encounter.

• Don’t attempt to touch a cetacean.
• Don’t attempt to feed a cetacean.
• Don’t make any loud or sudden noises.

Cetaceans are highly sensitive to sound and use a variety of sound and electromagnetic wavelengths to communicate and echolocate. Minimize noise around cetaceans and if possible (without compromising the safety of your vessel) turn off equipment such as depth sounders, fish finders and sonar.

Swimming with Cetaceans

In many countries and territorial waters it is illegal to intentionally enter the water with cetaceans. In other areas swimming with cetaceans is tightly controlled and is only allowed with a licensed guide. In areas where swimming with cetaceans independently is allowed there are usually strict regulations as to which species may be approached as well as rules governing the encounter.

It is your responsibility to make yourself aware of local laws and regulations.

If you are in an area where swimming with certain species is allowed please consider the following points before making a decision to enter the water.

Despite our romantic view of whales and dolphins as friendly and gentle creatures, cetaceans are large, powerful animals and there is a real risk of injury if they feel threatened by your presence in the water with them.

In addition, there may be potential short and long-term negative impacts for the animals, which may include increased stress levels, interruption of normal behaviour patterns and avoidance of traditional feeding, resting or breeding areas. It is therefore extremely important that you evaluate the situation carefully before entering the water.

Please put the wellbeing of the marine mammal before your own desire to get up close and personal with them. If you are in doubt, stay out of the water.

If you do decide to enter the water please consider the following recommendations.

• Only attempt swimming with whales or dolphins if your vessel and the animals are stationary, or if the animals are milling around your vessel and seem actively interested in you.
• Do not attempt to swim with large whales if they are engaged in active surface behaviour.

• Enter the water quietly and avoid splashing or sudden movements.
• Approach stationary cetaceans slowly from the side, avoid approaching from directly in front or behind the animal and avoid approaching closer than 15m.
• Remain passive and stay on the surface at all times. If the cetacean moves to avoid your approach by turning away from you (maybe presenting their tail) stop your approach and move slowly away.
•  If the cetacean approaches you closer than 15m remain passive and avoid sudden or exaggerated movements.
• Avoid swimming with dolphins if young calves are present, or if the pod is engaged in other behaviour such as feeding, mating, nursing young or travelling.
• Do not put more than 4 swimmers in the water with any whales or dolphins and always have a competent person remain on-board the vessel.
• If your vessel needs to manoeuvre to pick up swimmers, be careful to avoid approaching the animals too closely. Have the swimmers move away from the animals first.
• Do not use any underwater breathing apparatus and avoid the use of underwater flash photography or video lighting.

In addition to the above points it is very important that you check for any local laws, regulations or guidelines to ensure you are acting in a legal and culturally sensitive manner.

Special Consideration for Dugongs

Dugongs are highly territorial animals and in some places are on the brink of local extinction. Dugongs are herbivores and feed on sea grass, usually in shallow bays. They are very vulnerable to habitat degradation and pollution. Please consider the following when in an area inhabited by dugongs.

• Avoid anchoring on sea grass beds. Your anchor is likely to drag and will destroy large areas of feeding habitat (and you will have to re-anchor, possibly, in the middle of the night).
• Don’t use your toilet unless it is fitted with a holding tank and do not discharge your holding tank or bilge water in proximity to the sea grass beds. This will cause algae to smother the sea-grass beds.
• Don’t throw any rubbish overboard as sharp object may cut the dugongs soft lips while they are feeding. They may also inadvertently ingest plastics while feeding.
• Use extreme caution when using your tender near dugongs. There is a real danger of hitting them when they surface to breath and the noise from high revving outboards may disturb their feeding pattern.

If you are planning to swim with dugongs please consider the following recommendations.

• Be aware that they can sometimes be aggressive towards divers.
• No more than 4 swimmers in the water at any one time.
• Limit the time that you spend observing them to 15 minutes per group and have a minimum 15-minute gap between groups.
• Avoid disrupting their feeding pattern by staying on the surface rather than diving down to them. If you do dive below the surface, stay at least 5m from the feeding dugong.
• Don’t approach them closer than 10m when they come to surface to breathe.
• Check for any local laws, regulations or guidelines concerning dugongs.

It is not our right to interfere in the lives of other species

But when our paths cross

It is our responsibility to behave in such a way

That we do no harm