6 days of swimming with the whales
on the Silver Bank in the Dominican Republic
including an extra Friday morning whale connection
|
© photos Atmoji 2009 |
|||
The WildQuest Humpback Whales Retreat Program offers you a group retreat experience shared intimately with a small number of like-hearted souls, letting go and relaxing, connecting on a daily basis with wild, free Humpback Whales.
As you experience the vastness of the ocean and sky in its timelessness and simplicity, you'll feel nurtured and supported – and thus gain deeper access to your inner world.
This program takes place on the Silver Bank, which is located about 70 miles north of the Dominican Republic and about the same distance from the Turks and Caicos Islands.
It is one of numerous breeding and calving areas of the Humpback Whales, hosting the largest population of Humpbacks in the North Atlantic, if not the world.
The Silver Bank was declared a Sanctuary for Marine Mammals in 1986 and it is believed that some three to five thousand humpbacks pass through it every year.
T
his is a live-aboard retreat, staying aboard the M/V Turks & Caicos Explorer II, a 124 ft. vessel with a 22 ft beam that sleeps 20 passengers.
We’ll be staying in air-conditioned rooms with private baths and spectacular ocean views. This is the best platform for our whale connection on the Silver Banks.
The accommodation consists of:
Two Master Staterooms - located on upper deck featuring Queen size beds, TV/DVD player, desk, chair and large picture window.
Five Main Deck Staterooms - each have Twin/Queen beds, desk with chair and large picture window.
Three Lower Deck Staterooms - each have Twin Upper/Lower beds with long horizontal port light windows.
All staterooms are provided daily fresh towels, steward service, hanging closet, wardrobe storage, individually controlled air-conditioning and private bathroom and shower.
See the Boat Layout here.
There is an awning covered flybridge with settee seating, a spacious sky deck with chaise lounges, perfect for viewing the green flash sunsets and starlit nights and an air-conditioned scenic main salon.
The chef and stewards will provide tasty delicious and healthy meals and are happy to cater for most special dietary requirements. Please let us know when you make a reservation.
We managed to stretch our time with the whales for another half a day in comparison with other similar programs, gaining six days of connecting with these beautiful creatures.
F
or the encounters with the whales we’ll be using two 25 foot long Privateer Tenders. These vessels are equipped with the state of the art engines which eliminate exhaust fumes and thus allow a quiet approach. Their efficiency and maneuverability brings advantages in providing the best connections.
These tenders were built with the whales in mind. They are comfortable, well equipped and safe.
Each tender carries only nine guests with plenty of bench space for your comfort, splash rails to minimize spray into the tender, splash guards to protect your dry articles, an abundance of storage space for snorkeling gear, top side and underwater camera equipment, bimini tops to protect you from the sun, heavy duty boarding ladders, first aid kits, life vests, VHF radios, GPS navigation and plenty of sandwiches, snacks, fruit and water to hydrate and energize you throughout the day.
This is not cruise ship type of holiday. It is a group retreat/wilderness experience providing a supportive and loving environment to connect with the whales and ourselves.
There will be various meditations, sharing circles, a sacred place to heal our souls. Amlas and Atmo will be accompanying you during the whole trip.
We are on the open ocean, some 70 miles from the shore. Sometimes it may get windy but the coral formation throughout the area provides us with plenty of protection from wind and sea while at the mooring. Once at the mooring you’ll hardly notice the ship moving.
The water temperature ranges from 78F -81F 25C-27C and the days with 100 foot visibility are not uncommon. On average the visibility is 40 - 80 feet.
The nights are cool around 68F/20C but during the day the temperature soars to 85F/30
Our vision is of minimal intrusion, and our whale swims are conducted with respect and awareness. We do not feed, chase or do anything that might disrupt their natural behavior. Only at the whale’s invitation do we interact with them.
We provide a supportive and safe environment for the optimum connection.
WildQuest has been respectfully connecting with the Dolphins and Whales since 1995.
Our boats operate with the required permits.
Please support "Freedom! not captivity" for dolphins, however you can.
We financially support:
Earth Island Institute, Sea Sheperd, The Dolphin Project,
and The Bahamas National Trust.
|
