Comments on: Spotting marine mammals: an exercise in pointlessness? https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/ Sharing the world with you Sun, 08 May 2011 12:20:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28864 Andy Jarosz Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:20:50 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28864 Thanks for all the good comments. Your face to face with a manatee sounds particularly impressive David. Theodora I think you touch on a very relevant point. Some of these trips (I would include our Irrawaddy dolphin spotting trip from Kratie) are really having an impact on the animals' natural behaviour; so many boats in such a small space. Come to think of it, our best experience with marine mammals is still our encounter with dolphins from Kaikoura over 10 years ago. An hour and a half out to sea, no guarantee of seeing anything, and a pod of dolphins came to us when we were snorkelling in the ocean. I forgot about that when I was writing this (probably because we didn't take any pictures!) Thanks for all the good comments. Your face to face with a manatee sounds particularly impressive David.
Theodora I think you touch on a very relevant point. Some of these trips (I would include our Irrawaddy dolphin spotting trip from Kratie) are really having an impact on the animals’ natural behaviour; so many boats in such a small space.
Come to think of it, our best experience with marine mammals is still our encounter with dolphins from Kaikoura over 10 years ago. An hour and a half out to sea, no guarantee of seeing anything, and a pod of dolphins came to us when we were snorkelling in the ocean. I forgot about that when I was writing this (probably because we didn’t take any pictures!)

]]> By: Dave and Deb https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28863 Dave and Deb Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:28:19 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28863 Good point. We have gone on whale watching trips and spend so much time with camera poised waiting to take "the shot" and not faring very well. It is much better to enjoy the moment and the time outdoors rather than looking through the camera lens. Good point. We have gone on whale watching trips and spend so much time with camera poised waiting to take “the shot” and not faring very well. It is much better to enjoy the moment and the time outdoors rather than looking through the camera lens.

]]> By: Theodora https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28851 Theodora Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:12:48 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28851 I think there's a magic to actually seeing the elusive creatures appear, and getting close to them, without which the experience would be nothing but a trip to the zoo: elusiveness is integral to the trip, which is why one is sometimes disappointed. We've seen Irrawaddy dolphins and dugong. But the most magical marine animal experiences I've had has been when they've appeared by a boat we're travelling on: entire pods of killer whales, dolphins, turtles... More practically, you're likely to get luckier when you're further off the beaten track, and the poor creatures aren't constantly bombarded with boats... I think there’s a magic to actually seeing the elusive creatures appear, and getting close to them, without which the experience would be nothing but a trip to the zoo: elusiveness is integral to the trip, which is why one is sometimes disappointed.

We’ve seen Irrawaddy dolphins and dugong. But the most magical marine animal experiences I’ve had has been when they’ve appeared by a boat we’re travelling on: entire pods of killer whales, dolphins, turtles…

More practically, you’re likely to get luckier when you’re further off the beaten track, and the poor creatures aren’t constantly bombarded with boats…

]]> By: Genie https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28621 Genie Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:26:19 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28621 Gary -- My son and I were able to get some pretty good shots of porpoises only because the animals loved riding the wake just under the stern of the catamaran. Also, the light was just right for shooting directly downwards. Otherwise, I've never been any closer than you were. My mother had a good experience in the Caribbean because a small whale calf was curious, and his mom let him come up to see the funny creatures pointing at him. But when he got tired, she moved between him and the boat and nudged him back to sea! Unfortunately, she didn't have a camera with her, but it was one of her favorite lifetime memories. Gary — My son and I were able to get some pretty good shots of porpoises only because the animals loved riding the wake just under the stern of the catamaran. Also, the light was just right for shooting directly downwards. Otherwise, I’ve never been any closer than you were. My mother had a good experience in the Caribbean because a small whale calf was curious, and his mom let him come up to see the funny creatures pointing at him. But when he got tired, she moved between him and the boat and nudged him back to sea! Unfortunately, she didn’t have a camera with her, but it was one of her favorite lifetime memories.

]]> By: Rob https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28618 Rob Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:25:11 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28618 Taking good pictures of wildlife is tough. Taking good pictures of marine life is even tougher. In my experience, you'll get through a lot of average / rubbish pictures but ever now and then you'll get a really good one and you'll appreciate it even more. Taking good pictures of wildlife is tough. Taking good pictures of marine life is even tougher.

In my experience, you’ll get through a lot of average / rubbish pictures but ever now and then you’ll get a really good one and you’ll appreciate it even more.

]]> By: Andrea https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28607 Andrea Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:13:03 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28607 We're actually going on our first whale watching cruise in February and I was wondering about this. I think it will probably be better to forget about photos. Perhaps video might be better anyway in these instances, though probably difficult to capture as well. Frankly, I'll be impressed if we don't take advantage of the "half your money back if you see nothing" guarantee. We’re actually going on our first whale watching cruise in February and I was wondering about this. I think it will probably be better to forget about photos. Perhaps video might be better anyway in these instances, though probably difficult to capture as well. Frankly, I’ll be impressed if we don’t take advantage of the “half your money back if you see nothing” guarantee.

]]> By: Adventure King https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28522 Adventure King Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:24:32 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28522 I agree with Davids comment... it's easy to get carried away with the camera. Better to just try and enjoy the experience than fretting about getting a good pic. How about diving with whale sharks or similar, getting into the marine environment i.e. wet, will generally give more of an experience than floating on top of it. There's a lot going on just beneath the surface ;-) I agree with Davids comment… it’s easy to get carried away with the camera. Better to just try and enjoy the experience than fretting about getting a good pic.
How about diving with whale sharks or similar, getting into the marine environment i.e. wet, will generally give more of an experience than floating on top of it. There’s a lot going on just beneath the surface ;-)

]]> By: FearfulGirl https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28484 FearfulGirl Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:07:15 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28484 Most of the time, they're elusive but occasionally you get lucky enough to have them stick around for a while. (I spent two years living on the ocean.) I once had a humpback whale perform a tale show that lasted an hour or longer (time disappeared, so I don't know exactly) and I got some stunning pictures. See the last pic in my photo gallery, this whale was in Tonga. http://www.fearfuladventurer.com/photo-gallery Most of the time, they’re elusive but occasionally you get lucky enough to have them stick around for a while. (I spent two years living on the ocean.) I once had a humpback whale perform a tale show that lasted an hour or longer (time disappeared, so I don’t know exactly) and I got some stunning pictures. See the last pic in my photo gallery, this whale was in Tonga. http://www.fearfuladventurer.com/photo-gallery

]]> By: David Whitley https://www.501places.com/2011/01/spotting-marine-mammals-an-exercise-in-pointlessness/#comment-28464 David Whitley Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:26:36 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=4522#comment-28464 Spot on. The key thing is to forget about the camera. If all you care about is getting snaps of the whale/ dolphin/ leviathan/ bearded merman with a trident, you're going to have a pretty miserable experience. Far better to observe how the creatures move and interact than take 200 pictures of splashes - you'll not have a permanent record of it, but it'll remain a far more vivid memory. That said, my Belize manatee experience was somewhat different. I was out snorkelling when one rolled up alongside me. Ended up staring him in the face - an amazing encounter. As a side note, I don't tend to do group press trips any more, but they always seem to include Whale Watching. Once, it's enjoyable. By the sixth time, you're thoroughly sick of them. Spot on. The key thing is to forget about the camera. If all you care about is getting snaps of the whale/ dolphin/ leviathan/ bearded merman with a trident, you’re going to have a pretty miserable experience. Far better to observe how the creatures move and interact than take 200 pictures of splashes – you’ll not have a permanent record of it, but it’ll remain a far more vivid memory.

That said, my Belize manatee experience was somewhat different. I was out snorkelling when one rolled up alongside me. Ended up staring him in the face – an amazing encounter.

As a side note, I don’t tend to do group press trips any more, but they always seem to include Whale Watching. Once, it’s enjoyable. By the sixth time, you’re thoroughly sick of them.

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