It’s time to practice your best Captain Ahab impression (thar she blows!) because it’s whale watching season in Puerto Rico. From January to March Humpback whales migrate southward to the Caribbean. They come mostly to mate, give birth and to raise their calves. Best of all you can do your whale watching in Puerto Rico from the beach on the West and North Coasts of the Island.
Where to watch
Rincón offers a great vantage point for whale watching. You can see them breaching and tail slapping while you sip a beer or two from one of the bars that overlook the water or from the lighthouse park. In reality they can be seen anywhere on the West coast from Cabo Rojo all the way to Aguadilla, Isabela and sometimes they are even spotted off San Juan and as far East as Loíza.
What you’ll see
The younger whales are more playful and some will breach repeatedly. Sightings aren’t an everyday occurrence so elusive is a good word to use here. But is you’re on the beach, remember to scan the horizon every once in a while. You just might get lucky.
On the water
There are a couple of scuba operations on the West Coast that do whale watching in Puerto Rico. These aren’t listed on their websites, but give them a call and see if they have anything arranged. Check out Taíno Divers in Rincón. Even if you don’t spot any humpbacks it’s still a great experience to see the Island from the water. You might even spot some of the whale’s cousins, the dolphins, flying fish, turtles and more. And just in case you’re wondering, the answer is no, you can’t swim with the whales.
