Tips for Safe Whale Watching While Kayaking
Nowadays, millennials are drawing up itineraries and travel plans as everything has returned to normalcy after the pandemic and the travel industry is witnessing a huge boom in bookings and all the tourist places are packed with people coming from across the world.
During the past couple of years, adventure tourism has caught everyone’s fascination until the pandemic put a break to all the plans. However, lately, there is an upsurge in people looking for various adventurous activities that they can pursue doing their travel.
One such highly exciting activity for people of every age is going for whale spotting on a kayak tour. Well, you might be surprised to hear this but there are places around the world like Alaska where one can spot these majestic creatures while kayaking.
In fact, people love to visit these places because the whales are big crowd pullers and what can be best than spotting them in their own habitat amidst the pristine surroundings and tall mountains. However, whale watching on a kayak is also a bit dangerous if you are not taking a few precautions.
The whales are giant creatures and most experts and tour guides recommend following some safety precautions. Here in this article, we will discuss the tips that will help you in watching the whales safely while kayaking.
Get an Experienced Tour Operator
One of the first things that you must do before packing your bags for your trip is to get in touch with a responsible and experienced tour operator who has been in this business for years and knows everything about whales and where you can best spot them.
Now, most people going on a whale watching tour expect a whale to jump out of the water every now and then. However, this is a misconception because whales are not kept in captivity and you are going to see them in their natural habitat so a bit of patience will never disappoint you.
Besides that, there are certain areas on the seas where the chances of spotting the whales are much higher and when you are going with an experienced tour operator he will know which places have the highest probability of whales being around.
Now, there are a whole set of rules and regulations governing marine mammal viewing and these laws vary from state to state and region to region. Moreover, it also depends on the type of marine mammal you are going to view. These rules are made for your safety and for the conservation of the species.
In certain American states, the federal and state laws require that you cannot go beyond 200 yards of a killer whale and maintain at least 400 yards distance from their path of travel. While in Alaska people are advised to stay at least 100 yards away from humpback whales.
Well, there are countless instances where people going too close to a whale get toppled off their kayaks and land up in the water and have to be pulled out by the tour guide. Thus, to prevent yourself from getting knocked out by these gentle giants, you should follow the rules by the book.
It is often advised to get out of the way of the whales both for your as well as for their safety. While paddling in the water you need to keep an eye out for your surroundings and if you get to see a whale approaching close, then stop paddling and let the whale pass.
Most people think that the whales will get out of the way when a boat approaches. However, this is a misconception because the whales might be too engrossed in their natural behavior and will not be aware of a boat approaching them.
People in the excitement of seeing the whales up close start to chase them which should not be done. Moreover, sometimes paddlers try to approach these creatures head on which is strictly advised against. You just have to maintain a safe distance from these whales and enjoy your outing.
Most people in the excitement of getting that perfect picture forget about their safety and end up in the water if they collide with a whale. Well, you can simply avoid this by being aware of your surroundings.
The above-discussed factors are some of the precautions that you need to take while going on a whale-watching tour on a kayak. Besides that, contact your tour operator before you go on your expedition for some additional information that might be of some help during your vacation.
