The luxury catamaran Necker Belle, which at 32m (105ft) in length is one of the world’s few very large luxury sailing catamarans available for charter, is offering the opportunity to swim with the whales. S/Y Necker Belle will be available for whale watching yacht charters in the Silver Bank, which is within a day’s cruising range of the Dominican Republic and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Necker Belle yacht will be in the Silver Bank during February and March 2012, which is when up to 7,000 humpback whales are expected to visit the area for an elaborate courtship ritual on their annual migration south.
Luxury Catamaran Necker Belle offers Whale Watching Charters in the Silver Bank, Caribbean.
The opportunity to incorporate whale watching into a yacht charter itinerary, while relaxing in pure luxury is not an opportunity that arises often. When you charter the Necker Belle catamaran for 7 nights you’ll get the chance to observe the whales in close proximity as they spend a great deal of time on the surface. The Silver Bank is located north of the Dominican Republic and southeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.
Luxury Catamaran Necker Belle offers Humpback Whale Watching Charters – Photo courtesy of Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures
When catamaran Necker Belle is sailing in the Silver Bank in February and March 2012 all yacht charters will be accompanied by Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures who has a wealth of experience working with these magnificent mammals. Tom will serve as a guide to Necker Belle charter guests both on the yacht and in the water. Guests are able to get into the water and experience a “passive encounter,” with the humpback whales where you float in snorkeling gear and let the whales come to you at their own pace.
The superyacht Necker Belle is available for weekly charters which would include around 2 and half days with the whales at the rate of USD 130,000 per week plus expenses. Contact us here for further information.
Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures explains his passion for the humpback whales and what people can expect to see when they’re on and in the water.
Humpback whale underwater
“Since 1990, I’ve relentlessly read everything I could get my hands on concerning humpback whales, but my real knowledge stems from spending 216 weeks in the field, watching, listening, and trying to discern the movements, behaviours and attitudes of the North Atlantic Humpback Whale. Recording whale behaviours and my thoughts as they occur has helped me theorize and understand movement, breaching, lob tailing, communications, resting, rowdy groups, courtship and mother/calf interaction. Not to mention behaviour changes due to time of season, wind and sea conditions, positions of the moon and the variable weather patterns we experience throughout this time period.
To observe these majestic mammals in their natural habitat during their mating and calving season is without a doubt one of the most overpowering experiences you will ever have. During the winter months an uncontrollable desire to migrate South overcomes the North Atlantic Humpback Whale. Why they migrate and their exact migration route is unknown, but we do know they travel to numerous mating and calving areas in the Antilles.
A humpback whale performing a “spinning breach”
We may never know why these mammoth mammals migrate south on a yearly basis, but one thing is for certain, females go into estrus during this time frame and the males testosterone is overflowing, creating one of nature’s most exciting arenas of courtship. The waters of the Antilles are harmoniously alive with the songs of the humpback whale during the mating and calving season. You will be actively involved as we digitally record the songs and communication that you hear during this time frame. Our hydrophone will introduce you to vocalizing males in search for an agreeable female as your chest vibrates and ears tingle from the strength of their song.
One of the highlights of your adventure will be when you have the opportunity to slip into the water to experience a soft-in-water encounter with these magnificent mammals.
Luxury Catamaran Necker Belle offers ‘swimming with the whales’ Charters – Photo courtesy of Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures
A soft water encounter with the whales of the Silver Bank
Trying to express in words the feelings you will experience as a mother with a calf slipstreaming along her back, gliding by you, is an impossible task with no words doing justice to this sensation. Visualize a female with escort, acrobatically spiraling around you for hours, as she toys with your presence, playfully returning to your position while totally in control of her body movements. The sheer thought of a thirty to fifty foot mammal coming to you, on their terms, in their domain, allowing you to share their world, is dreamlike in nature, but dreams do come true everyday on a “Whales of the Silver Bank Expedition”.
As you can see your days on the Silver Bank are filled with excitement and opportunity. Keep in mind, there are good times and there are slow times, but there are rarely bad times!”
Below is a video of the humpback whales which you can see on your Necker Belle whale watching charter courtesy of Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures.
