Are there any serious risks involved with whale watching??

Question

For instance, can a whale come up from underneath the boat and capsize it? Can a giant shark chew a hole out of the side of the boat? Has there been any reports of anything like this?

I found something about a fishing boat being capsized but they suspect the cause was a giant wave.

I'm thinking about going whale watching but I'm terrified of deep ocean water.

Answer 1

Any boat you choose should have: an experienced, approachable skipper and crew; safety and rescue equipment; proper insurance; the required permits for operating such a vessel and guidelines for a maximum number of passengers. You should be given a safety and emergency briefing.

Answer 2

You should be fine on your whale watching trip.

Before you go on the trip you can talk to the tour company about your fears and concerns, perhaps they can give you a life jacket to wear during the tour. Tell them you're worried about a whale capsizing the boat and of other possibly accidents, and ask them for information about possibly accidents and safety.

Here's what I could find, but please don't let that stop you from enjoying the trip.

http://www.mygrenada.org/whale.htm/whale...

2. Safety, boat-size and whale-watch practices: Worldwide, whale watching has a very good safety record. Considering that more than 5 million people a year have been going whale watching in recent years, the accidents have been few and far

between. Every few years, however, there has been a serious accident and even some fatalities. One of these occurred in Samana Bay on March 2, 1995, when an overloaded boat's upper deck collapsed as the boat rolled after being hit by a

wave. Twenty four passengers fell into the water, some receiving light injuries, and one Italian tourist was killed. This event contributed to the largest German tour operator, TUI, among others, refusing to include whale watching in their itineraries. Indeed, TUI was already concerned about the small size of many of the whale watch boats, the lack of safety equipment, and the lack of effective regulations for whale watching; the accident confirmed their fears.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/2...

One Dead In Hawaii Whale-Watching Accident-

Man Killed Off Coast Of Maui After Mast Of Hotel-Owned Catamaran Breaks

http://coastguardnews.com/50-rescued-fro...

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stori...

Tour operator sued by family of boy killed in whale-watching accident

http://www.kitv.com/news/2731602/detail....

Family Of Child Killed During Whale Tour Claims Negligence

http://www.sikunews.com/skriv_ut.html?ca...

Whale-watching accident in Alaska leads to fines

http://articles.latimes.com/2005/may/02/...

Boy Scout, 14, Falls Off Whale-Watching Boat

http://www.jonesactlawblog.com/tp-070608...

TEN INJURED IN WHALE WATCHING ACCIDENT

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006...

Hawaiian waters crowded — and dangerous — if you're a whale

http://gloucesterwhalewatching.com/index...

Answer 3

  If the critter came up under a boat it could capsize it.

Answer 4

well there is the stress involved when chasing the animal, the noise pollution which can cause nitrogen narcosis. the reduced reproductive potential of the animal as its energy is being focused on escape rather than on having babies, less time foraging for food as it is to busy trying to avoid the boat... oops you meant risks to you i thought we were considering the risk to the animals