Swim with Whales in Tonga

THE biggest-ever whale swim season in Tonga – both in numbers of whales and travellers – has been chronicled in two compelling, new, short videos produced for Majestic Whale Encounters that capture the beauty and power of swimming with the gentle humpbacks in the kingdom’s tropical lagoons. The inspiring and moving clips – both under four minutes long and now available for viewing on www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

Following a bumper whale swim season in Tonga for Majestic Whale Encounters, with more whales than ever and bookings for the Australian eco operator up 15 per cent on last year, Majestic Whale Encounters will offer eight eight-night whale swim tours in Tonga in 2018.

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The Big Blue

A series of unique natural habitat guest experiences that blend the spirit of sustainability with a stylish stay has been announced by Cantaloupe Hotels Group at each of its two boutique hotels in Galle, on Sri Lanka’s stunning south coast. 

Cantaloupe Aqua, which opened in Talpe in 2013, features 15 contemporary rooms overlooking the beach, while Cantaloupe Levels, opened shortly afterwards, faces Galle Bay in Rumassala, looking out over the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort with short-walk access to Jungle Beach near the iconic Peace Pagoda.

The two hip hideaways have combined to offer ‘Big Blue’ experiences, taking guests out into the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and to the heart of one of the most ideal breeding grounds for marine animals in the world. With nothing but an expanse of ocean separating #SriLanka from Antarctica, the waters off the island’s south coast are home to a breath-taking array of marine mammals, including dolphins, sperm whales, pilot whales and blue whales. And with the breeding ground for a 200-strong pod of blue whales lying just six miles offshore, there are few better places to see the largest animal ever to inhabit the Earth in its natural environment.

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Picture Credit: By "Mike" Michael L. Baird, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.

Whale watching in the Dominican Republic

JANUARY through March, thousands of Humpback Whales migrate from the polar North Atlantic to the northeastern peninsula of the #DominicanRepublic. Visitors to Punta Cana can now see this amazing natural phenomenon with two different #Whale watching #excursion options to choose from.

Samana Bay has long been the home of one of the largest and most important Humpback breeding grounds in the world. Large pods of whales make their way to the warm waters of the Caribbean to compete for mates and birth their calves. With around 300 whales present in the Bay at anytime during these winter months this is what has earned the Samana Bay the classification as one of the top Whale watching destinations in the world.

Due to strict regulations protecting the whales, the only way to get a glimpse of these magnificent creatures is through an authorized whale watching tour.

• Private Plane Excursion, which in addition to whale watching, includes a bonus visit to the renowned Limon Waterfall. 

• Whale Watching tours by bus, which travels along the recently constructed Uvero Alto - Miches Highway. 

Both excursions include a visit to the beautiful island of Cayo Levantado.

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Follow the Whale Trail

FROM May to November the waters along the New South Wales coastline will see more than 20,000 whales making their annual migration.

The state’s tourism minister Stuart Ayres says: ‘Whale-watching is one of the most popular activities for visitors to Sydney and New South Wales, with more than 237,000 visitors enjoying a whale or dolphin experience in 2015. The state boasts a huge variety of #whale-watching opportunities from islands, lighthouses, look-outs, foreshores, and national parks right along the coast.’

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase adds: ‘I encourage everyone to take full advantage of this special time of year and go whale-watching in #NSW. Don't miss The Eden Whale Festival which is held on the last weekend of October, celebrating the annual migration and offering visitors the chance to have a close encounter with a whale.’

Where to see the whales:

• Spend a couple of days whale-watching from one of the 1920-1950's eco-certified beach shacks in the Cape Byron Conservation Area.   

• The Central Coast has many whale-watching vantage points.  

• The Pacific Coast's Whale Watching Trail features 71 of the best places to spot a whale between Avoca Beach and Tweed Heads. 

• See whales from the air in Sydney with Blue Sky Helicopters on a 60-minute flight over Botany Bay and Cape Banks, heading north up the coast towards Palm Beach and Broken Bay. 

• Jervis Bay has land- and sea-based whale-watching options. 

• Eden on the Sapphire Coast … where whales stop in the calm waters of Two Fold Bay. 

www.visitnsw.com
www.wildaboutwhales.com.au 

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SeaWorld California to phase out killer whale displays

#SEAWORLD #CALIFORNIA is to phase out controversial public displays by killer whales. Chief executive, Joel Manby, announced that 2017 will be the last year of the show in San Diego. 

He said that the move was part of a strategy that seeks to reverse falling visitor numbers at the company's 11 parks across the US. The company has faced intense criticism by animal rights activists who say keeping the whales in captivity is cruel and unnecessary.

The company’s shares have halved in value since the release of a critical documentary film, Blackfish, two years ago.

Displays by killer whales are the centrepiece at three parks operated by SeaWorld, in California, Florida, and Texas.

A SeaWorld spokesman told the BBC that the changes reflect ‘input received’ in San Diego. ‘It does not affect our other parks,’ he added.

The company yesterday announced ‘a new approach’ to in-park activities with a focus on veterinary care and animal rescue operations.

Mr Manby added: ‘We hope that experiencing animals in our parks moves our guests to a deeper understanding of the plight of all animals – and an increasingly threatened natural environment – and inspires those guests to help conserve the world we share.’

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Off to the Azores!

AS BOTH Ryanair and SATA International now fly direct (in under five hours) to the Azores from London, holidaymakers have the opportunity to explore the relatively little-known Portuguese archipelago for the first time this summer.

The nine islands in the group offer a world of green volcanoes and wildlife hidden in the middle of the Atlantic.

Here are some of the things to do on #TheAzores:

Swim with wild dolphins –The #Azores is the only destination in Europe where wildlife lovers can swim alongside numerous species of dolphin in their wild, natural habitat. Species include the bottlenose, spotted, and striped dolphins. No pens involved; just jump off the boat into the ocean. Swimming with dolphins excursions with local operator Futurismo (www.futurismo.pt) on Sao Miguel Island.

Stand up paddle board in a volcano crater –Few can claim to have glided across the waters of a lake in a volcano crater. Rent a paddle board or take to the water with an instructor for a stand-up paddle boarding lesson at the lakes of Sete Cidades on Sao Miguel Island. Azores Adventure Islands (www.azoresadventureislands.com).

Eat dishes cooked in the crater of a volcano – Discover the art of cooking in a volcano in Furnas, Sao Miguel Island; a subtropical valley and historic village inside a sleeping volcano crater. It is here that villagers prepare the traditional dish, Cozido das Furnas, before burying pots of the stew in the ground. The earth here is so hot that it cooks the dish in a morning.

Look a whale in the eye – There is nothing quite like looking a whale in the eye, and there are few better places to do that than in the Azores. Rib boats go out to the oceans surrounding Sao Miguel, Pico, Faial, and Terceira islands in the spring, summer, and autumn in search of the 25 resident and migratory species.
Blue Whales can be seen in the Azores most commonly in the spring. Whale watching trips with Pico dos Adventurous (www.picosdeaventura.com).

Dive with sharks and pelagic sea life –Experience the adrenaline-rush of plunging into the Atlantic Ocean in search of pelagic sea life and Blue Sharks. Wary at first, these curious predators tend to approach and inspect each diver as they gain trust. After this, they will often swim slowly among a group. Dive from sites such as Condor Seamount (accessible from Pico and Faial), where average sightings typically range from five to 15 sharks per trip.

Walk through ancient magma chambers –There are ancient magma chambers on Pico. With hard hats and torches, travellers can take tours through the volcanic formations.

Drink volcano wine in UNESCO vineyards –Sample the Azores' volcano wine at UNESCO vineyards in the foothills of Pico Mountain, where walls of black lava stone protect the vines from the salty Atlantic Ocean. The main wine produced here is a white Verdelho wine, which can now be enjoyed and paired with seafood at restaurants across the islands.

www.visitazores.com


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Picture Credit: "DSC07951 (373824538)" by Feliciano Guimarães from Guimarães, Portugal - DSC07951Uploaded by tm. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons, http://www.flickr.com/photos/34607557@N04/3736497413">DSC_0199</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license), "Lagoa fogo, são miguel" by Weedonio - Own workby uploader. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons, http://www.flickr.com/photos/82622112@N00/6009363444">Wine and volcanoes - Pico Island</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

See the whales … don’t eat them

A FREE 'Whappy' app, launched in #Reykjavik by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has information about restaurants which have pledged not to serve whale meat, plus #whale-watching operators, whale-friendly souvenirs, and an identification guide for whales and dolphins that can be seen in Icelandic waters.

Sigursteinn Masson, IFAW's Icelandic representative, said: ‘The new app is another way of informing tourists visiting our beautiful country about the wonder of whale watching, but it also helps them to make whale-friendly decisions. Many tourists are not fully aware of the contradiction of going whale-watching and then later eating whale meat. Icelanders have very little appetite for whale meat these days, so if tourists sample whale meat in our restaurants they are contributing directly to the number of whales being killed.’

In collaboration with whale-watching operators, IFAW operates a summer Meet Us Don't Eat Us campaign in Iceland, a project launched in 2010 after it became apparent that with only a tiny percentage of Icelanders claiming to eat whale meat regularly, tourists had become a significant part of the domestic market for minke whale meat.

At the time, whale meat could be found on the menu of all but a handful of restaurants in central Reykjavik. The percentage of tourists who say they have tasted whale meat has more than halved over the last five years from 40% in 2009 to 18% in 2014. The whale friendly restaurants scheme has resulted in less than 50% of restaurants now offering whale meat. The rest have pledged not to serve whale meat and display a whale-friendly sticker.

Masson added: ‘We hope tourists and tour operators will use our Whappy app and help to enhance tourists' experience. Iceland is one of the best destinations in Europe for whale-watching with the opportunity to see a huge variety of species of whale and dolphin.’

Whale-watching is one of the top tourist attractions in Iceland, generating approximately £10 million annually and attracting more than 220,000 tourists a year.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31190896@N08/8058715493">Whale Watching Hervey Bay Australia by eGuide</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/47577668@N08/14094318412">Waterfall in Iceland</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)

Whale-watching in Western Australia

WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S six month whale-watching season is just around the corner, with whale-watching charters set to commence from the new Augusta Boat Harbour in the Margaret River Region. 

The region’s whale-watching season is one of the longest in the world. From the end of May, up to 35,000 Humpback and Southern Right Whales, and even the rare Blue Whale, travel through the waters of the Margaret River Region on their migration from feeding grounds in the Antarctic to warmer waters.

Tour boats will be operating from the Augusta Boat Harbour, which caters for the growing commercial and recreational fleet in the area. Naturaliste Charters and Legend Charters will be offering two-hour whale-watching tours from the end of May to August.  Tours cost from AU$80 (£41) per person.

www.whales-australia.com.au
www.legendcharters.net.au
www.westernaustralia.com

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Picture Credit: Whale watching gold coast by Chensiyuan - Chensiyuan. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons

Double celebration for seabird centre

THE Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, has two reasons to celebrate: the first gannets of the year have landed on Bass Rock, and the centre has been named Nature Reserve of the Year by the BBC’s Countryfile magazine.

The gannet sighting is a significant milestone at the start of the nesting season on the Firth of Forth islands. 

The area is of international importance for seabirds and over the coming months it will be home to approximately 500,000 seabirds.

They will Include puffins, cormorants, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, shags, and terns. 

Scotland is home to some 60% of the world's population of North Atlantic gannets. 

By the summer, the Bass Rock – 2.5miles – from North Berwick, will be crammed with more than 150,000 gannets.

Boat trips to the Bass Rock start from March 21.

www.seabird.org

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Picture Credit: "Arctic Tern Sculpture at the SeaBird Centre, North Berwick - geograph.org.uk - 1198452" by Barbara Carr via Wikimedia Commons; "Razorbills (Alca torda) in a shower" by Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland via Wikimedia Commons.

SeaWorld Florida makes conservation charity pledge

THEME PARK giant SeaWorld is to make donations to conservation charities from the UK sale of special ‘extras’ tickets to its parks in Florida.

The company’s treatment of killer whales has been highlighted in the wake of a 2013 film, Blackfish, which criticized SeaWorld.

The company says that SeaWorld Parks Extras tickets are to be offered for sale in the UK, including additional in-park dining packages and quick queue tickets.

For every in-park ticket sold at the company’s Florida parks – including SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa and Discovery Cove – $2 will be donated to the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which will then go to UK conservation charities.

The donations will help raise additional funds for wildlife via the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which has raised more $11 million in 11 years.

SeaWorld said the money raised will go directly to charity as the company pays all administrative costs.

The fund has supported 800 wildlife conservation projects across the globe since it was established in 2003, from tracking the migration of penguins in the Antarctica peninsula to funding anti-poaching technology to protect rhinos in South Africa. It has also supported worldwide initiatives led by UK organizations including the Zoological Society of London and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

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Picture Credit: "Sea World Sky Tower Panorama" by Debarguy - Own work via Wikimedia Commons

Where to see the whale sharks

WESTERN AUSTRALIA is preparing for another big whale shark season, following sightings of the world's largest fish near Exmouth in the State's Coral Coast region ....

More than 19,000 people visited the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef in 2014 to get up close with the creatures, who migrate to the Western Australian shores between March and August each year to feed on plankton and krill.

Whale shark swim tours will begin from Coral Bay and Exmouth from mid-March until August, allowing visitors the opportunity to have a face-to-fin encounter with whale sharks – which can grow up to 59ft in length.

www.westernaustralia.com

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Picture Credit: "Requin baleine" by zclemz - Own work via Wikimedia Commons.

Watch out for the whales

FAMILIES looking for alternative Easter holiday ideas can head to the shores of the Italian region of Liguria for whale-watching break. 

The protected coastline is one of the richest areas for marine life in the Mediterranean, with frequent sightings of fin, pilot, and sperm whales, as well turtles and dolphins. 

The Ligurian whale-watching season starts in April when tours depart from Genoa and other ports along the coast. 

The tours, which take four to five hours, are accompanied by biologists.

Tours cost £24 for adults and £13 for children.

www.whalewatchliguria.it
www.whalewatchgenova.it
www.turismoinliguria.it
www.whalewatchimperia.it


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Picture Credit: "Sperm whale 123". Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; "Map-of-liguria-map-en-wiki" by Twice25 - Own work via Wikimedia Commons 

Bass Rock world’s biggest northern gannet colony

THE Scottish Seabird Centre in East Lothian says that a count of northern gannets has shown that the Bass Rock – 2.5 miles from North Berwick – is now the world's largest colony.

In 2014, independent counts found 75,000 apparently occupied sites, an increase of 24% since counts were made in 2009.

Sarah Wanless at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said: ‘Our long-term research on North Sea seabirds aims to understand how species such as the gannet will cope with the rapid pace of environmental change. This is our fifth census of the Bass Rock in the last 30 years.

‘It is particularly heartening to see them doing so well when so many other seabirds in Scotland appear to be in trouble. However, Bass Rock is a small island, and the gannets have now filled most of the available nesting habitat. The colony now has only very limited capacity for further increase.’

Tom Brock, chief executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: ‘Scotland is of international importance for seabirds, and is home to more than 60% of the world's population of Northern gannets. Every year, the Bass Rock turns brilliant white with the sheer number of gannets crammed onto the Rock and not, as some people think, with their guano.

‘While this is fantastic news, we cannot ignore the fact that although gannet colonies are currently thriving, other seabird species are not. Many seabirds are now under threat, and as a conservation and education charity we will continue to work in partnership with other organizations across Scotland to undertake further research and appropriate action, where we can, to conserve Scotland's amazing wildlife for future generations.’

Visitors to the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick - www.seabird.org - can control interactive live cameras and zoom in on the gannet action on the Bass Rock. The centre's boat trips to Bass Rock will start at Easter.

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Picture Credit: "Bass Rock Gannets_5" & "Bass Rock Castle lighthouse" by Lisa Jarvis via Wikimedia Commons.

Fancy a bite with a great white?

IN an Australian first, Adventure Bay Charters on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula has launched an aqua submarine, perfect for observing sharks in their natural environment without getting wet. 

The six-seater underwater pod sits at the back of the eco operator's newest boat, MV Shark Warrior, and is surrounded by glass for 360 degree views. 

Passengers also have the option to enjoy drinks and a nibble whilst observing the jaw-dropping aquatic wildlife.

The trip costs from AU$395 (£206) per adult and AU$285 (£150) per child (3-15 years), plus AU$100 (£52) to step into the cage or Aqua Submarine.http://adventurebaycharters.com.au/


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Azores tops green tourism league

THE Azores have been ranked as the world's most sustainable tourism destination.

The volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic achieved a score of 8.9 out of ten in a survey by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. The survey looked at 100 tourist destinations worldwide, rating tourism policy, nature, environment, society, culture, and green economy.

The Azores makes effective use of renewable geo-thermal energy, and its main industries are agriculture, dairy farming, livestock ranching, fishing, and tourism. 

Only around 5% of the Azores is urbanized.

Wildlife options including whale and dolphin watching, swimming with wild dolphins and blue sharks, scuba diving for pelagic fish and marine turtles, bird watching, big game fishing and horse riding. Outdoor activities include hiking and cycling on well-regulated volcanic trails, kayaking, rock climbing, paragliding, surfing, golf, and sailing.

www.greendestinations.info/top100
www.VisitAzores.com

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Picture Credit: 'SMA VPO 20090827 SantoEspirito poolMaia' by Ruben JC Furtado (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons; "30 ilha de são jorge, açores" by José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa via Wikimedia Commons.

Where to watch the whales

THE whale-watching season in the Dominican Republic runs from January to March, when the Bay of Samana on the country's north-east coast attracts more than 40,000 tourists who take the 30-minute boat ride get a close look at humpback whales.

Visitors can also see the whales from an observatory on the shore.

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Picture Credit: 'Anim0920 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library' by Lt. (j.g.) Tony Perry III, NOAA Corps. (NOAA Photo Library: anim0920) via Wikimedia Commons