Legal distance for boats watching blue whales in Mirissa

Asked about 5 hours agoViewed 219 times
O
Oliver B.1170 rep2
asked about 5 hours ago

Our whale watching boat got incredibly close to a blue whale, it felt unethical. What is the legal distance boats must keep from whales in Sri Lanka.

27
asked about 5 hours ago
O
Oliver B.1170 rep2

7 Answers

Accepted Answer

Under Sri Lankan Coast Guard and DWC regulations, boats MUST maintain a minimum distance of 100 meters from a whale. They must also reduce speed to a no-wake crawl and approach from parallel, NEVER from the front or rear. Unfortunately, many rogue operators ignore this. Please report the boats registration number to the tourist police.

17
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answered about 4 hours ago
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Suresh K.1000 rep1

Is there a list of approved ethical operators anywhere.

27
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answered about 4 hours ago
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Oliver B.1170 rep2

I was on a boat that chased one. The whale just dove deep and disappeared. It ruins it for everyone.

22
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answered about 4 hours ago
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Sophia M.1280 rep2

The Navy occasionally patrols the waters, but they cannot catch everyone.

19
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answered about 4 hours ago
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Sophia M.1280 rep2

Never buy the cheapest ticket on the street. Those are the boats that break the rules.

12
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answered about 4 hours ago
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Amali D.1070 rep1

Look for operators that are WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) certified, like Raja and the Whales.

10
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answered about 4 hours ago
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Suresh K.1000 rep1

Make sure to write a terrible TripAdvisor review. It is the only way to hurt these unethical operators.

9
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answered about 4 hours ago
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Amali D.1070 rep1

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