WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Up to date, we know fairly little about our oceans – even though they cover over 70 percent of Earth’s surface. In fact, more than 80 percent of the oceans have not been mapped, explored or even been seen by humans. Despite their size and importance to all life on our planet, they remain a mystery and constantly surprise us with their secrets.
But what about our dear whales?
Although whales are very much loved and admired animals nowadays, and nearly worldwide boats are heading out for whale watching daily, we know just as little about them or their doings.
In fact, whale watching is a considerably new activity as for centuries whales were just seen as a target for hunting all around the globe.
The first organized whale watching took place in 1950 when the Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego was declared a public venue for watching the migration of grey whales along the coastline of the US. The event attracted 10’000 visitors that year. Only five years later, the first water-based whale watching took place in the same area. Back then, customers were charged $1 per trip to watch the whales from up close.
From then on, over the following decade, whale watching as a recreational activity spread throughout the western coast of the US and eventually other parts of the world as well. Here in Iceland, the first organised whale watching trip took place in 1991.
You think 1950 is a long time ago?
The first land-based safari took place in 1836 when the British amateur naturalist William Cornwallis Harris led an expedition to observe and record wildlife in South Africa. However, safaris as we know them today commenced later on in the 19th century in Kenya – and it was only then that the word appeared in a dictionary for the first time.
(Fun fact: “Safari” is Swahili and means “journey / trip”.)
Where else around the world have you been whale watching?
Text & Photo: Sarah Arndt (captain / guide)