During a weekend in Golfito, in some of my free time I went on a whale and dolphin-watching tour with the company Changing Tide Tours. I was fortunate enough to be in Golfito during the peak whale season, when humpback whales migrate up to Golfo Dulce from Antarctica and mothers with calves can frequently be seen in the coastal waters.
Changing Tide Tours presented themselves as an 'environmentally conscious' tour provider - I was interested to see what this looks like in the context of marine mammal-watching.
During the trip, we spotted six humpback whales, three mother-calf pairs, and a pod of 30-40 bottlenose dolphins. The experience, run by a British former marine biologist and her Costa Rican partner who is the boat captain, was incredible. They explained the various animal safety regulations that apply to whale-watching in Costa Rica, such as restrictions preventing more than two boats from approaching a whale, and the appropriate distance away from different marine mammals that boats are legally required to keep.
It was clear that their priority was education and ensuring that the natural feeding patterns of the marine mammals were not disturbed. We were also able to listen to the whales underwater using a hydrophone, and watch them through a drone. Data on whale sightings collected from such boat trips is input into a marine mammal recorder website to track their annual migrations and the number of calves spotted each year.
I'm pleased to have received the opportunity to see marine mammals, but also to learn about the various legislations in Costa Rica protecting them and maintaining the sustainability of whale-watching tours.
After the trip, speaking with the tour operators revealed that the company was soon implementing a seagrass restoration project in the Golfo Dulce region. Thanks to my recent experience in this field from the Isle of Arran, I was able to share insights from my work that helped to structure their project. It was rewarding to use the skills acquired from working with COAST to support a program halfway across the world!
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