GETTING *TO* THE WHALES OFF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 22 & 23 JANUARY 2015
On 22 January, Neal writes: The plan is to leave the harbor by 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. Again, it's the tide that determines when we MUST be out of the marina or, stay until the next high tide. It is estimated that the crossing will take around 16 or 17 hours. We should be in the harbor in Puerto Plata about midnight or very early Saturday a.m. The rest of the the boat (it's fully-booked, so 13 more passengers) will arrive on Saturday midday and then we'll will leave the harbor and wake up Sunday morning on the Silver Bank. From THIS Wikipedia article:
SILVER BANK is a submerged bank in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Dominican Republic and southeast of the Territory of Turks & Caicos. It is a shallow underwater carbonate platform that almost reaches the ocean's surface in certain areas (60' deep in the shallow parts), but is mostly submerged. In its northern reaches many coral heads reach the ocean surface, especially at low tide. Amongst the coral heads is the wrecked freighter Polyxeni, most of which is above the surface. Persons may board the Polyxeni only with governmental permission.
There are three boats out there from three different excursion companies. There is NO LAND - we will be moored on a coral pinnacle in a sort of lagoon. Small boats (rigid pinnacle chase boats) will take us out each morning and afternoon to spot, watch and, WE HOPE, interact with the whales. There will be NO DIVING on the Silver Bank; is a preserve and regulations prohibit SCUBA. We saw a very informative video presentation about the whale watching/snorkeling (if possible) experience. This Captain has been on this boat eight years, and her husband, seven. The rest of the crew is "new", with less than one year on the boat; they, too, are looking forward to TEN WEEKS off the Dominican Republic, watching whales. I've been told the trip is sold out until 2017, so it was very fortuitous that I was able to book two consecutive weeks, including the crossing, which is something few guests get to experience. The program looks much like what I am familiar with from my trip to Tonga in 2008 (which can be seen HERE), save I'll be on a boat 70-100 miles north and east of the Dominican Republic the entire week. If the whales have calved there will be snorkeling with whales If they haven't, it will mostly be whale watching. The water temperature will be "about the same as here" which was THE COLDEST 81F I have ever felt. 81F sounds warm, until you remember normal body temp is 98.6F and that water conducts heat from our body 20 times more efficiently than air, and you're in the water 50 minutes, out for a couple of hours, then back in for another 50 minutes . . . FIVE TIMES A DAY. The next day, Neal writes: Of the five passengers only Trudy and I were not seasick. Have to vacate the boat for most of the day (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), so cabins can be cleaned and other preparations can be made. Will spend it in and around the Marina (looks nice from the boat).

CALL HIM ISHMAEL HERE