Legal distance rules for blue whale watching photography

Asked about 3 hours agoViewed 1564 times
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Sophia M.2670 rep2
asked about 3 hours ago

I am going on a whale watching tour in Mirissa. How close are the boats legally allowed to get so I know which lens to bring.

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asked about 3 hours ago
S
Sophia M.2670 rep2

7 Answers

Accepted Answer

Under Sri Lankan Coast Guard and DWC regulations, boats must stay 100 meters away from a whale, reduce speed to a no-wake crawl, and approach parallel to the whale, NEVER from behind or head-on. A 70-200mm or 100-400mm lens is perfect, as blue whales are massive. Do not support boats that chase them closer than 100m.

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answered about 3 hours ago
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Amali D.3580 rep1

I will book with Raja and the Whales, they seem to follow the rules.

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answered about 2 hours ago
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Sophia M.2670 rep2

Absolutely not. Drones are strictly banned over marine mammals. It distresses them severely.

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answered about 2 hours ago
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Amali D.3580 rep1

If your boat breaks the rules, take a photo of the registration number and report them to the Coast Guard.

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answered about 3 hours ago
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Suresh K.1850 rep1

Are drones allowed if I launch from the boat.

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answered about 3 hours ago
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Sophia M.2670 rep2

I went on a cheap boat and they chased a whale until it dove deep to escape. It was horrible to watch.

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answered about 3 hours ago
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Oliver B.2960 rep2

Leave a terrible TripAdvisor review if they break the rules. It hurts their business.

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answered about 2 hours ago
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Oliver B.2960 rep2

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