Whale Watching in the Mona Passage

During our passage from Puerto Rico to the Turks and Caicos we sighted whales on 3 occasions.

The first was in the Mona Passage. The water was still with a long, lazy swell running out of the south-east. On this sighting we found ourselves literally in the midst of 6 humpback whales (4 adults, 2 calves). Two of the adults were sleeping, their fins and tails appears to be periodically waving to us. The other 2 adults were breaching. The 2 calves looked like turquoise torpedoes as they approached us at full speed, on their backs with their white bellies facing up, bubbles streaming off them. Once they reached our hull they made an abrupt 45 degree turn and swam along-side.

We hove-to and watched intently, marvelling at the sound of every spouting, as the pod made it's way around us. It was an amazing experience.

Each whale appeared to be accompanied by at least 12 dolphins. They rode the swell in perfect unison (the Rocketts would be jealous). We had one more sighting of dolphins during this passage.

Also this day we sighted 2 Portuguese man-of-war as we sailed by them on the calm sea. Another hour later a single pilot whale came along-side our cock-pit, popped out to have a look at us then circled Sea Star before heading off.

The next day, as we approached Big Sand Cay, yet another humpback whale was sighted breaching. That made a total of 8 whales, at least 50 dolphins and 2 Portuguese man-of-war clearly sighted during one passage - WOW!