To get the most out of your
whale-watching trip, you’ll need to be well prepared. Boat-based whale-watching
can present some unique challenges whatever the climate, so make sure you’re
properly equipped. This page provides a checklist of the information and
kit you’ll need.
Do your homework
Once you’ve decided where you want to go and/or what cetacean species
you want to see, you’ll need to do a bit of research:
- If you’re travelling independently,
first identify a responsible boat operator. Unfortunately, not all operators
have the animals’ welfare as their highest priority, and there are no consistent,
international laws or codes of conduct to regulate whale-watching. See
our Responsible
Whale-watching page for more information.
- Contact the boat operator or holiday
company or visit their website to check what’s provided onboard. Some
companies provide food and drinks, or make available waterproofs, binoculars,
field guides and even sunscreen and seasickness remedies for guests to
use. But in many cases you’ll need to provide your own (see the kit checklist below).
- Also ask what type and size of boat
is used, if there is any shelter/shade (some boats are completely open to
the elements) and if there is a toilet (a ‘head’ in nautical terms) onboard.
- Check what weather conditions are likely.
These will have the greatest influence on the kit you’ll need. If you
use weather forecasts for the nearest town or city, remember that temperatures
at sea are always several degrees cooler than on land, and that the faster
the boat the greater the wind chill.
- Use a good field guide (see our Books & Courses page) to research
what species you could potentially see, and make a note of these. Cetaceans
can be difficult to identify (especially the smaller, faster species), so
it’s a good idea to have a shortlist of the possibilities in your head or
on your notepad.
Take the right kit
The kit you’ll need will
obviously depend on whether you are whale-watching in The Arctic or The
Maldives, on an icebreaker, a catamaran or a RIB. Here’s a comprehensive
checklist for you to choose from:
- Waterproof (and preferably windproof) jacket and trousers. The
jacket should have a hood that won't blow down in windy conditions or on
faster boats (wired hoods are good).
- Fleece jacket, and as many other layers as you might need to
keep warm - you can always take some layers off.
- Thermal underwear for cooler climates (cool temperate as well
as Arctic).
- Footwear with a good grip (such as walking
shoes or deck shoes) in case the deck gets wet and slippery.
If conditions are likely to be particularly wet and
cold, take waterproof walking boots and even a spare pair of socks. Conversely,
in warmer climates you may be asked
to go barefoot on the boat to minimise wear and tear on the deck.
- Sunscreen and lip salve, both with a high sun protection factor.
Do not underestimate the strength of the sun at sea, even in cooler climates.
The sun reflects off the surface of the water all around you, and the
wind chill can make it feel deceptively cool.
- Sunglasses. Polarising lenses cut down the
amount of glare and reflection off the water, so you can see cetaceans just
below the surface much better. But photochromic lenses are useful if the
boat is changing direction frequently so that the brightness of the sunlight
is continually changing too. Take both types if you have them.
- Sunhat, with some means to keep it on your
head in windy conditions or on faster boats.
- Binoculars with a 7 - 10x magnification. However,
be aware that looking through binoculars can cause seasickness, and might
also mean you miss out on cetacean action outside your field of view. It’s
actually better to scan the sea with the naked eye and only use binoculars
to check out any signs that look interesting.
- Camera, preferably with a lens that zooms to 300mm. Unless you
have image stabilisation, it's difficult to hold lenses longer than 300mm
steady on most boats, and of course a tripod is fairly useless at sea.
- Plenty of films or memory cards. Use a fast film to freeze the
movement of the animals and also to allow for the movement of the boat
- we recommend 400ASA. Modern film emulsion technology means the pictures
won't go ‘grainy’ unless you enlarge them a lot.
However,
don’t spend too much time looking through a camera viewfinder or at a
screen. Again, it can cause seasickness. More importantly, make sure you
strike a balance between taking photographs and just watching the animals.
- Field guide(s) to identify cetacean species.
- Notebook and pen if you like to make records or take notes.
- Seasickness remedies. Alternatives include travel bands (which
use acupressure), ginger, homeopathic tablets, or conventional drugs in
patch or tablet form. Be aware that conventional seasickness drugs do cause
drowsiness.
- Wet wipes, in case you do need to freshen-up
after a bout of seasickness.
- Plenty of non-alcoholic drink. Dehydration can worsen the effects
of both seasickness and sunstroke. Hot drinks will obviously keep you
warm in cooler climates.
- Snack food for longer trips - hunger can actually make seasickness
worse.
- Snorkelling gear if you'll have the chance to get in the water
- swimwear, wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins,
dive boots, towel.
- 'Dry bag' to protect all of your gear.
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Are You Ready to Whale-watch?
