Best Practices for Watching Humpback Whales in Turks & Caicos
Six Tips to Ensure You Know the Etiquette Before You Go
Each winter, the Turks and Caicos Islands play host to a magical phenomenon. From late January to early March, humpback whales from Canada, Europe, and as far north as the Arctic Circle venture down to our tropical waters to mate, give birth, and teach their calves their whale ways. You never forget your first time seeing humpback whales up close in the Turks and Caicos—lolling about in the crystal-clear waves, flapping their flukes, and breaching into the warm air before crashing down onto the surface.
1. Keep a Safe Distance
Whales are among the largest animals on Earth—and with their playful nature and frequent fin and tail flapping, humpbacks are the most entertaining ones to watch. As exhilarating as it is to see them up close, it is crucial to maintain a safe distance to avoid disturbing them and their natural patterns of behaviour. The recommended distance varies, depending on local regulations. In Turks and Caicos, the government recommends keeping a minimum distance of 50 meters away from the whale, regardless of whether you’re in a boat or in the water. Getting too close to the whale can stress them and disrupt their natural behaviour, which puts the animal at risk. Overcrowding from other humans or other tour boats can also increase the whales’ stress levels.
2. Watch for Signs of Distress
Pay close attention to the behaviour of the whales. If you notice any signs of distress, such as rapid changes in direction, fluke slapping, or vocalisations, it is essential that you move away from the whales slowly and give them plenty of space. Stressing the animals can have negative consequences for their health and well-being and your own—when animals are stressed, the tour can become dangerous for observers, too. Alert your boat captain if you think a whale might be in distress.
3. Swim Cautiously Around the Whales
One of the reasons why tourists visit the Turks and Caicos Islands every year to encounter humpback whales is that our tropical waters make swimming with these animals possible. Several of the charter operations on Providenciales, Salt Cay, and Grand Turk allow you to snorkel alongside humpbacks. Remember that once you are in the water, you are in another animal’s habitat—the whales should initiate the interaction. Keep a safe distance from the whales and avoid diving down, as they can interpret free diving as an aggressive behaviour. Be especially wary of approaching a whale if she is swimming with a calf. Always remain within swimming distance and earshot of the boat to ensure you can hear and follow your captain’s directions.
4. Keep Quiet, Calm, and Avoid Sudden Movements
Sometimes, our first instinct as human beings is to point, shout, and wave our hands around when we spot an elusive creature, even though doing so can disturb, frighten, or upset them. Once you have spotted a humpback whale, it is essential that you avoid making any sudden movements or loud noises that could startle them. This goes for boat captains, too—they should avoid using horns, whistles, or loud motors around the animals. Engine noise can disrupt whales’ communication with one another and make it difficult for them to navigate and find food. To avoid polluting the environment with noise, many operators “idle” around whales or use electric motors with a lower sound footprint.
5. Dispose of Waste Properly
The Turks and Caicos Islands are proud to be Beautiful by Nature—keeping the environment clean, free of waste, and safe for humans and wildlife is a source of national pride for our small country. Protect our seasonal cetacean visitors by disposing of any trash or waste your boat produces during your whale watching excursion. Plastic pollution and other debris can pose serious threats to marine life. If ingested, plastics can lodge themselves in the stomachs of whales and accumulate over time, eventually killing them. Ensure that all garbage is securely stowed and disposed of properly once you have returned to land.
6. Book with a Reputable Operator
A reputable whale watching operator puts the safety of their passengers and the animals first. This means limiting the amount of time the boat spends observing the whales, cutting the engines when approaching or leaving the whale zone, and not engaging in reckless behaviour like chasing the whales, blocking their path, or getting too close. The vast majority of whale watching tour operators in the Turks and Caicos Islands are run by professional captains with many years of experience hosting safe, enjoyable, and sustainable tours.
Hummingbird Luxury has great working relationships with these operators, whom we confidently recommend to our valued guests. Reputable operators abide by the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Whale Watching Voluntary Code of Ethics. The government takes this code very seriously—in fact, it encourages travellers to report companies who do not abide by the code to the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources. You can read more about the country’s whale watching policy here.
Share Your Photos with Turks and Caicos Humpback Whale Research Project
Citizen scientists are working together to share images of humpback whales in the waters of TCI with the Marine and Coastal Ecology Research Centre which are contributing to the Turks and Caicos Humpback Whale Research Project.
Started in 2017, this initiative allows scientists to match contributor photos to their database of photos. Knowledge is gained on these magnificent creatures’ life history, breeding and calving areas and migrations as well as to investigate the dynamics of the whale watching industry. If you have photos to share they can be contacted HERE or on their Facebook Page and you can contribute to this valuable initiative.
Let Hummingbird Luxury Lead You To Your TCI Whale Watching Excursion
Our team at Hummingbird Luxury has a wealth of experience planning vacations in the Turks and Caicos Islands. You can trust us to connect you with the right crew and provide you with best local knowledge to elevate your eco-tourism experience. Ready to witness this incredible migration for yourself?
Get in touch with us today to plan your encounter with the magical humpback whales of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
