March 24-31, 2012

The Divine Dolphin offers the unique experience to float and swim with some of the largest mammals on the planet, the glorious Humpback Whales. To observe these majestic mammals in their natural habitat during their mating and calving season is without a doubt one of the most breathtaking experiences you will ever have. 

The Silver Bank, also known as the "Sanctuary for the Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic" is located 100 km north of the Dominican Republic and approximately the same distance from the Turks and Caicos Islands and is one of numerous breeding and calving zones of humpback whales. Research indicates that the Silver Bank contains the largest population of humpbacks in the North Atlantic Ocean, if not the world. Conservative estimates believe three to five thousand humpbacks pass through this odd shaped twenty square miles encompassing the Silver Bank during a season. From December to the middle of April waters of the Dominican Republic are alive with migrating North Atlantic Humpback Whales enroute to breeding and calving zones throughout the area.

One of the highlights of your adventure will be when you have the opportunity to slip into the water to experience a soft-in-water encounter with these magnificent mammals. Trying to express in words the feelings you will experience as a mother with a calf slipstreaming along her back, gliding by you, is an impossible task with no words doing justice to this sensation. Visualize a female with escort, acrobatically spiraling around you for hours, as she toys with your presence, playfully returning to your position while totally in control of her body movements. The sheer thought of a thirty to fifty foot mammal coming to you, on their terms, in their domain, allowing you to share their world, is dreamlike in nature, but dreams do come true everyday on a "Divine Dolphin Silver Bank Adventure."

Be sure to visit our Video Gallery for videos from this trip!

As you can see your days on the Silver Bank are filled with excitement and opportunity. During the evening we will relax aboard in the comfort of the "M/V Turks and Caicos Explorer II" and enjoy educational slide shows, videos and audio recordings that will assist you in understanding the theories, behaviors and anatomy of the North Atlantic Humpback Whale. We will also dance and sing and relax.

The “M/V Turks & Caicos Explorer II is a 124 ft. vessel with a 22 ft. beam that sleeps 20 passengers. This is the nicest platform for whale watching on the Silver Bank.

The VIP staterooms 1 & 2 feature; individually controlled air-conditioning systems, as well as a queen-sized bed, desk, chair, and private bathroom and shower. The aft half of the main deck is where diving operations take place. The dive deck is equipped with individual gear lockers, camera table, recharging station, racks and separate freshwater rinse baths for dive equipment and cameras. It also has a wetsuit hanging area, freshwater showers, and a bathroom. Large stairways lead down to the dive platform, where two in-water ladders hang for easy access to and from the water. Forward of the dive deck is the air-conditioned main salon, where meals are served. 

The salon also contains an entertainment center with TV/DVD and stereo, as well as a boutique display and access to all staterooms and the galley. Staterooms 3 & 4 on the main deck each have twin beds, desk with chair, hanging closet, wardrobe, storage, individually controlled air conditioning, and private bathroom and shower. Staterooms 5, 6 and 7 on the main deck each have twin/queen beds, desk with chair, hanging closet, wardrobe, storage, individually controlled air conditioning, and private bathroom and shower. The passenger staterooms 8, 9 and 10 are accessed via a circular staircase from the main salon; each includes twin upper/lower beds, wardrobe, hanging closet, individually controlled air conditioning, and private bathroom and shower.

Besides your experienced hostess, Sierra, the “M/V Turks & Caicos Explorer II” crew is composed of certified dive masters and instructors who have undergone rigorous STCW 95 training in shipboard firefighting, sea survival skills, CPR, first aid and crowd control With its professionally trained crew, rigid maintenance schedule and abundant spare parts stock she can assure you of a trouble free adventure during your stay aboard. 

The chef and stewards will provide you an excellent variety of delicious cuisine in the scenic dining room and unparalleled service including daily steward service.  If you have a general request regarding diet, please let us know so that we may advise the ship directly. They will do their best to accommodate your wishes. Each passenger has a gear locker and wet suit rack. Water, ice tea, coffee, assorted sugar free juices, fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages are provided. Happy hour daily on the sundeck offers daily snacks, green flash sunsets and starlit nights. Additionally, an onboard boutique with vacation videos is available throughout the week. You may pay for your onboard expenditures with credit cards, travelers’ checks and cash or by personal check (cash is preferred).

While the “M/V Turks & Caicos Explorer II stays anchored during the week, we venture out on it's newest, best equipped and maintained tenders on the Silver Bank. These two twenty-five foot long, ten-foot beam extra-wide ocean going tenders have twin four stroke Yamaha 115hp environmentally conscious engines. These state of the art engines eliminate exhaust fumes and permit us to triumphantly complete quiet approach techniques that are extremely important when successfully establishing soft-in-water encounters. Having twin engines for safety doubles our distance capabilities compared to other operators and permits us the luxury of not having to be in the same areas as these operators. This obvious advantage increases our probability in providing you with more encounters in areas that are more productive in the type of whale activity we’re looking for throughout the season. These tenders furnish the best platforms for topside photography available on the Silver Bank. For your safety, a professional whale guide and divemaster will always operate the tenders.

The extras our tenders provide for comfort and safety during your six to eight hours a day whale watching exemplifies the design and philosophy of The Divine Dolphin. Each tender carries only ten guests with plenty of bench space for your comfort, splash rails to minimize spray into the tender, splash guards to protect your dry articles, an abundance of storage space for snorkeling gear, top side and underwater camera equipment, bimini tops to protect you from the sun, heavy duty boarding ladders, first aid kits, life vests, VHF radios, GPS navigation and plenty of sandwiches, snacks, fruit and water to hydrate and energize you throughout the day.

Our "Whales of the Silver Bank” adventure is 7 days in duration. One of the days included is your arrival day. A 7-day expedition gives you 5 days on the Silver Bank with a minimum of 4 1/2 days of tender time. A 7-day expedition ranges from $2895.00, $3095.00 and $3295.00 per person depending on your choice of stateroom, $200.00 cruising and sanctuary fees and $200.00 port and fuel surcharge ($200.00 to be paid onboard in cash).

"What's Included"

Three meals a day, snacks throughout the day/evening, all coffee, tea, juices, all alcoholic (limited to well spirits, beer and wine) and non-alcoholic beverages (limited selection) all linens, towels, hot showers, air conditioned staterooms and amenities, DVD library, CD library, and all tender activity.

"What's Not Included"

Airfare to/from your terminal port, tourist cards needed for arrival, (a tourist card must be purchased from your air carrier before your arrival to Puerto Plata or upon arrival in Puerto Plata), transfers to and from the ship or hotels, land tours or bus stations, excess baggage charges, departure taxes at airport, cruising, port & sanctuary fees, fuel surcharge, Friday night dinner (unless on extended trip), equipment rental, vacation videos, sundries, gratuities (15%-20%) for boat crews.

"Deposits and Refunds"

Verbal, faxed or written reservations will be held for 7 days. A $1,000.00 non-refundable deposit per person is required within 7 days to confirm a reservation. Payment in full is required 90 days prior to your “Whales of the Silver Bank” expedition. Substitution of guests is permitted with approval of The Divine Dolphin. Trip cancellation insurance is suggested and available through us. All rates and conditions are subject to change. If payments are not received at the designated times The Divine Dolphin reserves the right to sell those spaces in question with forfeiture of all monies to date. The $200.00 port, cruising and sanctuary fee and $200.00 fuel surcharge fee is non commissionable. All payments are nonrefundable.

Be sure to visit our photo, sound and video galleries!

If you would like to join us on this lifetime opportunity to swim with the Humpback Whales, please fill out the form below so that we can get back to you with more details. If these dates do not work for you, please let us know as other dates may open up.