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WW-FAQ > Helpful info to make your trip more enjoyable > How close will I get to the whales?
Whale watching guidelines supported by US and Canadian authorities, top orca researchers and ourselves, members of the whale watching industry, stipulate that operators remain 100 metres (yards) from the whales. These are voluntary guidelines yet we treat them as law. Exceptions are made for vessels with their engines turned off when whales have approached on their own. This does not mean that we can park in their path, turn our engines off and wait for them to approach. It means that when whales change course and end up nearer than we judge leaves us room to back off, the thing to do is shut down and wait. It's a matter of professional pride that everyone respects these guidelines and it's not easy to do perfectly every time. Read more about “Being Whale Wise” here.
Last updated on June 22, 2008 by Christopher Zylstra
