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Safety rules for whale watching on the East Coast

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Noah D.•7205 rep•2

We are in Trincomalee for whale watching What are the legal safety distance rules the boats must follow to protect the whales

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5 Answers from travellers

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Under the Department of Wildlife Conservation guidelines, boats must maintain a minimum distance of 100 meters from the whales. They must reduce speed to a no-wake crawl and approach parallel to the animal. It is highly illegal to approach head-on or cut off their path. Ensure you book with a large, reputable operator in Trincomalee or use the official Navy boat tours.

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Suresh K.•7495 rep•2

We will definitely stick to the larger, registered boats. Thank you.

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Noah D.•7205 rep•2

If the captain starts revving the engine to chase them, yell at him to stop. Tourist pressure works.

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Amali D.•8520 rep•2

Do not book the small fiberglass speedboats. They are the ones that constantly harass the animals and break the rules.

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Emma L.•5035 rep•2

The Navy tours are very strict on the 100m rule, highly recommend them.

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Suresh K.•7495 rep•2

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