Silverbanks - Swimming with Giants

Our chartered yacht was pure luxury: A small restaurant on the main deck and on the sun deck a hot tub with jacuzzi. The drinks were served by our stewardess from the bar directly to the pool. Perfect to relax after a day out on the shallow waters of the Silverbanks. The area of ancient sunken volcanoes is a primary breeding ground for humpback whales. They travel from the cold waters of the North Atlantic down to the Caribbean Sea to raise their calves. Male Humpbacks fight for the best females, while the females take care of their young calves already born. A true spectacle to see. However we were not just here to see the whales from our boat, but also to jump into the ocean to swim with them. As the whales are amazingly gentle and curious we could get very close to them, so close that even a fin of one of these giants touched my arm. The encounters were fantastic: while following them, they were singing and playing with us. On day a mother with her calve was around us, while on another day a young male was playing with our zodiac and even lifted it when coming on the top. Swimming with these over 15 meter long giants was surely one of the greatest experiences and should remind us, that even the strongest and biggest creatures are gentle and warm. Lets learn from them and protect the whales.