Whale hit by whale watchers

[mexi cali]

The whale watching business is just another tourist trap. They harass the whales and much of the other sea life as well. Why do people feel the need to get up-close and personal with all wildlife? There are plenty of excellent wildlife shows on TV (National Geographic, etc.) and their professional photographers have the equipment and expertise to obtain much better footage than any amateur on a whale-watching tour.

We should start up a bear watching tour company. Or better yet, Rattlesnake discovery tours. Or maybe alligator adventures where you can get real close to them with a fish in your hand.

[mexi cali]

The video 36drew posted is stunning. I don't think I breathed while I was watching it. I can't imagine how thrilling and terrifying an encounter like that would be all at the same time.

Amazing.

[lasnomadas]

I guess you've never been up Knight Inlet. There are regular grizzly bear-watching tours there. And down at Osoyoos there's a nature walk where, if you're lucky, you might see a rattlesnake or two. So you see, there's no shortage of nature-lovers' organized activities here in B.C., if that's what floats your boat.

[Opeeved]

forward facing sonar would have picked it up .

How so? You assume the whale approached the boat from the front - the article doesn't state that. It merely states the bow of the boat was raised from the water. The whale could have approached from port or starboard, and at an angle from the rear.

Humpback whales can also move bloody fast when they're surfacing/breeching, and interact with far more than just whalewatching tour boats. That area has sailboats, kayaks, cruise ships, cargo ships, ferries... you name it. The suggestion of charging boat operators that aren't biologists is a *bleep* kneejerk reaction that hasn't been thought through at all.

I've heard that sonar can affect whales, particularly high energy military bands. Their song travels 100's, or even a thousand/s of km, so it's not a stretch.

And that video is breath taking. How lucky are they?