Six-day itineraries have people snorkel close to sperm whales
Don’t call any of these Untold Story Travel clients Ishmael. The British tour company – which says it “creates bespoke luxury travel experiences and life-enhancing journeys, opening doors to fascinating people and places around the world” – has a package that enables those vacationing in Dominica to get a close-up look at sperm whales, with those mighty creatures found in Dominican waters throughout the year.
And company cofounder Chris Brunning notes Dominica made international headlines when it 2023 became the first country in the world to create a sanctuary for those endangered cetaceans, with whales once ruthlessly hunted in much of the world, and their hunting the focus of Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick.
Environmentally conscious Dominica, which bills itself as the Nature Island, set aside some 300 square miles for the sanctuary.
Untold Travel’s whale encounters are led by a dedicated skipper and marine biologist, using real-time tracking to ensure optimal encounters, the company reports. There are daily guided swim sessions with sperm whales in the calm waters off Dominica’s west coast, along with excursions through Dominica’s rainforest, waterfalls, and volcanic terrain to explore the bio-diversity above the surface. Also featured are educational components with local researchers and conservationists involved in long-term sperm whale studies. The experience begins at $9,000 per person for the six-day itinerary. Each booking contributes to marine research and protection efforts for the CETI Project and the Dominican Fisheries Division.
Brunning says those who opt for its package will use snorkelling gear, seen as best enabling clients to move freely and interact with the whales at the surface. Brunning makes it clear that the itinerary is respectful of the whales.
“The guide will ensure a safe distance – generally 5 to 10 metres – is maintained and clients are fully briefed beforehand,” says Brunning, whose company invites people to “Come face to face with the gentle giants of the deep.”
“This experience is strictly permit-only and numbers are very limited, so the whales are comfortable being in proximity to snorkellers as long as a safe distance is maintained, especially if there are calves present. We always include an experienced guide who will be in the water with the clients and can ensure safe practices are followed at all times.”
Untold Travel chose Dominica for the whale experience because its waters host whales year-round.
“They are relatively easy to access and the practice is closely monitored and regulated, with very limited numbers,” Brunning states. “All of this makes it the perfect destination to interact with the whales safely and in the best interest of the animals. In addition, Dominica is a beautiful, unspoilt island that offers so much opportunity for adventures, both water and land-based.”
Brunning welcomed the creation of the whale sanctuary, labelling it a “pioneering initiative that can only have a positive impact on this sensitive ecosystem, and will help to ensure that the practice of whale watching and swimming is carefully regulated for years to come. We hope that other destinations will now follow suit.”
Meanwhile, Brunning adds Untold Travel hopes its Dominica program will have far-reaching conservation benefits.
“The whale swimming experience is intended as a vehicle to promote sustainable practices and conservation,” Brunning continues. “Our hope is that by interacting with these gentle giants, clients will be inspired to advocate the protection and safeguarding of unique ecosystems, flora and fauna around the world.”
