Whale Watching trips...
Spying a whale by yourself is a chance event. The Environmental Association of St. Thomas-St. John organizes annual whale watches which increase the chances of sighting humpbacks. These trips put prospective whale-watchers aboard swift sailing boats with experienced eco-guides.

On these trips, we look for natural wonders of all types: Whale experts explain how to scan the horizon for blows and breaches — the sign of whale activity. Experienced bird guides signal the rookeries of Tropic birds, Brown Boobies, Pelicans, and other seabirds that nest in the Cays. Usually we end the day with a swimming/snorkeling stop in an unspoiled bay. The sheer joy of being out in nature, sailing between our beautiful islands and cays, makes every trip worthwhile.

Whale Watching in the Virgin Islands is not a "Disney World" experience. It is a true "safari" into nature. We never know which of nature's beauties we will see, and this adds to the excitement.

The Humpback Whale
Undoubtedly the star of the show is the humpback whale, megaptera novaengeliae, which means "big-winged new englander." The name is appropriate, because humpbacks have long pectoral fins of ten or more feet in length. These are often shiny white, which contrast smartly with their black bodies. With a body length of 30-55 feet and a weight topping 50 tons, the winged grace of these great creatures is almost a paradox.

Humpbacks migrate south to the warm waters of the Caribbean from the frigid arctic waters. Here they spend the winters calving and mating off the Atlantic coasts of Caribbean islands. They pass near the Virgin Islands mostly in the deep open waters of the Virgin Bank, but often venture within the shallower inshore areas surrounding our islands while the calves nurse and gain strength for their first trip north.

They spend the arctic summers feeding on the abundant krill and fry in the waters off Greenland, Iceland, and Canada. The krill feasts on the plentiful phytoplankton which blooms under the perpetual sunlight of arctic summer.

By autumn the humpbacks have stored the summer's bounty in the form of blubber. As the seas cool and ice floes form, the humpbacks begin their migration one again to the Caribbean. A Cow (female whale) has an 11.5 month gestation, which allows her to return to safe, warm waters to give birth to the calf she conceived the previous year. Incredibly, humpbacks do not eat during the trip south or during the entire time they visit our waters!

While here, the females give birth to single calf, sometimes with another cow in attendance as a sort of midwife. The new mother will nurse her calf with a thick, rich milk for seven months.

The bulls (male whales) are engaged in courtship, not birthing. Lone males court the court females by their melodious songs. They descend to a depth of 60 to 80 feet and hang motionlessly while giving their 15- to 20-minute seranades. Their songs travel underwater and can be heard by placing and ear in the water even at the surface.

These fantastic songs made scientific history several years ago when researchers in the Bahamas analyzed the plaintive, eerie songs and found "intelligent" order. Each year the whales change their songs by mixing part of the previous year's phrases with newly invented ones. To date, no one knows why they do this, but it is reminscent of our Caribbean Calypsos.

When a bull and cow find each other, They will often rise to the surface, and swim languidly and sensuously around each other. If a boat happens to be floating nearby, the whales are oblivious to it... to a whale, a motionless boat is just a piece of driftwood.

Both calves and adults engage in playful behavior, which includes leaping from the water, exposing over two thirds of their bodies to the air, before falling back onto the sea with a tremendous splash. This majestic manuver is called a "breach" and is one of the principal ways we find whales at a distance. The breach looks like a sailboat from 10-20 miles away, but the fact that it appears in disappears in a couple of seconds reveals the presence of a breaching whale.

Humpbacks are a protected species. They may not be harassed. Harassment is held to be approaching within 300 yards of any humpback whale, or operating an aircraft within 1,000 feet of any humpback whale. Any attempt to disturb or herd whales is harassment.

However, if you are at sea and a humpback whale approaches you while you are stationary, this is not harassment. If this happens, you will probably be in rapt awe of the giant leviathon of the sea who has chosen to approach you.

There is more...
Using our tried and true whale-spotting techniques, we will find them if they are in the area. And along the way, we keep on the lookout for other species of whale, dolphins, sea turtles, and seabirds. We talk about the islands we pass, including their names, culture, and geology. We hope to see you on a whale watching trip next winter. Please check the calendar section of the website for dates and times.