Sperm whales are one of the most extreme designs of life, capable of diving into complete darkness more than 2,000 metres to hunt giant squid. The largest ever recorded (in 1933) was a colossal 25 metres long - as large, perhaps, as Moby Dick.

Dominica is home to a resident pod of sperm whales with whom we are able to get permits to snorkel with.  We can do this with a maximum of 8 snorkellers, 4 dropping into the water at a time. Seeing these creatures up close is a wonderful experience - looking eye-to-eye into a mammal whose brain is 5 times larger than our own. Sperm whales need the computational power to process a vast array of sonar information they collect via their bat-like clicks. Soundwaves bounce back to them from prey and underwater topography, which the whales channel through their heads and into signals the brain can convert into an ever changing picture of what lies before them.

If a sperm whale decides to check you out, it might open its long narrow jaw to release sound waves and reveal 20 - 26 huge top jaw banana-shaped teeth. You will also be able to see matching holes in the toothless gums of their lower jaw. Whilst the whale is capable of bursting your ear drums at full volume, it is only likely to give your chest some soft vibration at close quarters.

Whilst our 8-day / 7-night experiences will head out 5 days in search of opportunities to snorkel with sperm whales, there will also be time to experience some of Dominica's dramatic forest-clad mountains, waterfalls and conduct unlimited shore scuba dive at no extra charge. We will also hold talks about these and other cetaceans to help give you a picture of their biology, evolution, conservation and distribution throughout our seas.

10^th - 17^th December 2024, our host will be Aqua-Firma director, photographer and NAUI diving instructor, Ralph Pannell. Ralph has more than 10 years of experience hosting whale shark and manta ray research expeditions; and Whale & Dolphin Snorkel & Photography trips to Sri Lanka. Formerly of our partner charity, Rainforest Concern, Ralph has a special interest in the forests of Dominica.