“Watching,” as in whale watching, may sound like a passive activity. But there is nothing passive about encountering a whale in its own environment. The first time you spot the telltale blow spout on the horizon your heart races, and you begin shooting film as though you’ll never again be this close to a whale. These spectacular beasts migrate incredible distances each year, and the shallow areas off the shores of islands makes for natural rest stops along their vast journey, where they can feed, socialize, find a mate and give birth. Here are six trips, ranging from a three-hour excursion to a 10-day, in-depth experience, that will bring you closer to whales than you ever imagined possible.
