Turks & Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Logs

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks & Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Report Feb 26 - Mar 4, 2012
Humpback Whales Galore at Silver Bank

Water temperature 77-80F
Air temperature: High 70’s Low 80’s
Exposure suit recommendation: 3mm


‘Hola’ from the Turks & Caicos Aggressor II here in the Dominica Republic. WOW, what an amazing week of whale watching.. Where shall we begin…..

Guests boarded the yacht at Ocean World Marina at 4 o’clock & were greeted by the friendly faces of the Captain Amanda, Rob, Lucie, Steven, Juan & Chef Cole. After everyone had settled in & unpacked their snorkeling equipment for the up coming week of swimming with whales, they were served a delicious meal after the Captains briefing. So with full bellies we set sail at 11.30pm to the Silver banks.

As the sun rose on Sunday morning our guests which consisted of Ray & Holly, Fred, Mike, Cesare , Sara, Joyce, Mimi,Otto, Nathan, Eddie, Steven , Faye, Mike, Kathleen, Tamara & Jonathon were welcomed by breaching whales, tail slapping & blows all around us as we entered the Silver banks. After lowering the 2 tenders into the water, preparations were made for the first run of the day. Captain Amanda briefed the guests during a delicious lunch about every ones expectations of the whales. Shortly afterwards we ventured out to watch these amazing creatures in this wild & rugged place. It wasn’t long before we got our first glimpse of the north Atlantic humpback whales as a rowdy bunch of male whales flexed their pectoral fins trying to impress the female whale. Each male whale trying to out do the other. The guests witnessed fluke & pectoral slapping and rostrums (noses) would appear in an attempt to dunk a neighbour and interrupt the breathing cycles. This seemed to be the theme for the rest of the afternoon as the boisterous whales darted back & forth across the banks searching for that perfect female whale to befriend.

The feisty fighting males seemed to continue their quest for a female all day Monday. Again a fantastic top side show was put on for us as they breached, peck slapped, tail lopped . A truly awesome scene from a group of males where each is determined to be the last one swimming & my what a show they put on for us!!!! It was a perfect way for Steve & Faye to spend their 36th year wedding anniversary watching the show.

Tuesday was a completely different story here on the Banks. I think for all that fighting from the previous 2 days had exhausted the whales out! Perfect for us, as it gave us the opportunity to slip in the water & observe 2 sleeping whales in water for several hours. The magnificent creatures slept nose to nose underwater (one with its tail up in the air), the after a short while they would very gently rise to the surface to take a few breaths & slowly descend back under the water to their deep sleeps. I think Nathan’s lullaby singing ability also aided them to go straight back to sleep also!

Wednesday morning was again action packed. We were tracking a mother & calf but off in the distance we saw a male peck slapping... Mommy headed in the general direction when all of a sudden the male whale joined our family & started to breach 40ft in front of the boat. To our amazement, the male breached in a semi circle around mother & calf. Every breach being more impressive then the previous one. He would breach onto his back, belly, chin & even with his mouth open at one stage….. It was true photographers dream!

Just after this impressive show, the heavens opened & we had a down pour of rain. This did not detour the whales however, as the seas flattened with the rain and several whales spy hopped to the surface to get their fresh water rinse. The cool rain feeling like a Jacuzzi on their nose… Holly even created a song about this magical event:

“Spy Hopping’ (to tune ‘Jive Talking’ by the bee Gees)
Spy hopping, we make a rinse
Spy hopping, we don’t show our eyes
Spy hopping, so misunderstood,
Spy hopping, the rain feels so good… do dodo do

The rain even excited a calf to start tail slapping on the surface. The rain making it more & more playful with every drop that hit its belly as it rolled on its back. The mother highly encouraged her baby to play also…. As she only has a short window to build its strength & stamina for the long journey up to the feeding grounds in a few weeks time.

All of that singing in the rain must have been heard by the whales, as later on in the afternoon we heard the calming, mournful, haunting, mesmerizing tones of a singing whale at the surface. We knew they were coming from a male and that he would be very close, so even though we couldn’t see him we slid into the water for a listen. Truly the best song of the day!!!!

I don’t even know where to begin with Thursday’s activity’s as we truly saved the best till last. We slipped into the water with a mother, calf & dominant escort male. Mother rested at 40ft, sleeping with the calf just tucked underneath her pectoral fins. After a few minutes it was time for the calf to come to the surface & breathe, so with a slight movement from mum, she released the calf from her grip and up came the calf to breath. I think however, the calf was more interested & curious with the strange snorkeling humans floating at its side… with its eye wide open, it scanned everyone of us up & down, perhaps we were the first humans the baby had ever seen before? Meanwhile the escort male kept a watch from below, circling the group to make sure everything was in check allowing the mother to get her much needed sleep!

Spotted dolphins also decided to grace us with their presence as they rode the bow of the tenders. We hopped into the water to watch these fast, spinning acrobatic, jubilant dolphins in their underwater realm.

The afternoon brought the mother & calf nicknamed Electra (Greek for peace) & Federa by guest Joyce. Electra was a delightfully curious but shy calf. As she hovered underneath her mother she would peek out to look at us on the surface, coming very close as she came to the surface for air. When Federa finally came up for air she swam closely beneath every guest in the water making an amazing encounter.

Meanwhile on the other side of the Silver banks our other tender was being lifted slowly out of the water by a very amorous female whale nicknamed ‘Bubbles’ named this because every time she approached us, she would gentle release a bubble trail to show her affection towards us. Tamy even got a close up of the bubble blowing gently on her face!!! Time after time she would slowly approach the boat & just sit just beneath the hull. This allowed us to slip in the water several times to admire the grace & beauty of this wonderful creature. ‘Am I standing on the whale’ Faye asked one time as we slipped in the water as she was just so close! Bubbles was in her early stages of a valentine (the courtship dance of the whales), perhaps whilst Spy hopping by the side of the boat she caught a glimpse of our tender driver Rob & fell in love!!!!

To end a fantastic week of whale watching we reminisced on Friday at our cocktail party on the sundeck as the sunset. Many a whale’s tail was told whilst sipping champagne & devouring the scrumptious chocolate covered strawberries that Chef Cole had prepared for us.

Finally the crew would like to say a huge thank you to all of our guests that joined us this week onboard the Turks & Caicos Aggressor II for a fabulous week of whale watching in the Silver banks.

Your Crew: Captain Amanda, Rob, Chef Cole, Steven, and Juan & Lucie.

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Silver Banks D.R. Captain's Log Turks & Caicos Aggressor II February 18-25 2012

We had a delightful journey out to the Silver Banks again this week with very light winds and a gentle swell to rock our expectant whale-watchers to sleep. Arrival was early and we were greeted by a good selection of humpback whales displaying many of the behaviors that we were here to experience.

With the waters at a very pleasant 78 degrees and varying thickness of wetsuit from 3 – 5 mm proved to be perfect. The light winds that we experienced all week even made the aftermath of the in-water encounters very comfortable.

Adult humpbacks were predominant this week with an unusual coincidence that each of our chase boats, Predator and Conqueror, were experiencing similar encounters at the same time but in different areas of the banks.


The male humpbacks were particularly active this week as the posed and postured with each other to attract the attentions of a female. At times the female was a mother and had to deal not only with the attentions of up to six males, but also with a calf that seemed very excitable and so playful. One particular encounter found the mother turning towards the chase boat and seemingly seeking refuge underneath whilst the calf tail slapped and spy hopped around her. It was almost as if he were trying to peek above the water to see what our orange chase boat was about. At the same time five males “raged” around us pushing each other, head lobbing, tail slapping and bubble blowing. Quite and encounter it lasted late into the afternoon but left a very satisfied audience. At one point one of the males lobbed it’s tail out of the water and drenched the chase boat; the water it displaced clearing the bimini top. The cameras give thanks for the bimini top.

An entire morning was spent in the water with a mother, her calf and an escort male. The male was extremely relaxed and seemed comfortable that we were in the water with the mother despite his ultimate hope and intention to mate with her. The calf was playful and visited all of the guests to create a wonderful encounter. The mother was delightful and unusually at times slept upside down. On more than one occasion she would hover mid water on her back, pectoral fins out at her side as the calf moved around her. When the time came for the mother to breathe she simply rolled back upright and surfaced to take on the air that she needed.

All around rowdy groups made the waters froth as the males aimed to prove that their genes would create a good incentive for a female to mate. As we left one set of whales we soon encountered another behaving in a similar way.

One afternoon whilst looking for an encounter and chatting on the boat a whale appeared just a few feet away from the boat. A lone male appeared breathed a number of times and descended. As we waited to see how he would behave we heard the melancholic tones of his song as he sang directly under the boat. Immediately we got into the water and could feel the resonance of the song vibrate through our diaphragms. It is an incredible feeling unlike any other and difficult to describe without actually experiencing it. At the very same time our other guests were sharing time with another lone male singing maybe in response or with our singer.

It was a great week with beautiful encounters. This week we experienced almost every behaviour that the whales share with us and certainly our guests departed with a very special place in their hearts for these majestic creatures. Our whale watching enthusiasts this week were repeat guests and enjoying their second week with us – Jacqueline Lootsma & Henriette from the Netherlands making up half of our Dutch contingents with Jeroen and Nancy Van. Joining them were Ron and Lynda who had finally convinced Sharon & Larry to join them on a liveaboard vacation. Leslie, Shirley & Linda as well as Pat & Terry V, Richard & Brenda put aside their diving vacation with us to see what all the fuss is about and did not leave disappointed. Jaye also spent her first encounters with humpbacks in the water having already experienced other types of whales and finally Scott & Lauren joined us again and left with some fabulous photos.

Check in next week to see how the season develops.

Your crew this week were Captain Amanda, Captain Dennis, Engineer Rob, Photo Pro Brandi,Video Pro Steven & Chef Jonathan.

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks and Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Log, March 3-10 Silver Banks Dominican Republic
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Our usual trade winds faced us on our trip out to the Silver Banks this week, and by early Sunday morning we were in the shallow waters of the Marine Park Sanctuary for our sixth week of the season.

This week we are joined by a group from Austria, Germany and Switzerland, all of whom were very excited at the prospect of swimming with humpback whales.

A breezy week was forecast but as we assured our guests the humpbacks do not stay away when the conditions are choppy. In fact, we encountered more mothers and their calves this week in and around the nursery – maybe a sign that they are using the protection of the reef for the conditions that we were experiencing. Still, the waters are still a balmy 78 degrees and a 3mm suit seems to be a good all round choice for snorkeling and thermal protection. A wind jacket is a great bonus though.

As we started our week we found mothers and calves escorted by one male, sometimes more. It seemed to begin with that the males were keen to keep the mothers on the move which for them must be exhausting considering what they have been through already to get to the Mid Atlantic giving birth to the calf en route. Some rowdiness ensued but we were able on a number of occasions to get in to the water and watch the group of whales pass by. One such set, a mother, calf and escort moved slowly around seemingly returning to the chase boat just as we were about to reboard. A great start to the week.

Both Conqueror & Predator were blessed with the beginnings of a valentine encounter this week. As in former weeks we often encounter the same behavior in different areas of the bank at the same time. Tuesday continued this trend. The female, obviously in a trance from the look in her eyes, would slowly twist and turn, arching her back whilst spreading her pectoral fins wide. She would surface backwards bringing her fluke out of the water first and then descend again spy-hopping on her ascent. Rolling on the surface she would bring her pectoral fins out of the water, lethargically. Whilst the female was allowing us to see this wonderful display, the male was swimming around her. They allowed us to get into the water with them and whilst they would tease us with their locality they would swim away only to return to us a few minutes later just as we were starting to believe that they had moved on.

Mid-week we found ourselves, as guest Tina described it, in a nest of whales. A high action rowdy group gave the driver a good run as we kept pace with, at one point eight males. Peck and fluke slapping, head lobbing and general barging, shoving and pushing. Predator was in the midst of it all with at least one of the males stopping right in front and slapping the water with his pectoral fin. Clearly driver Lucie was being considered a serious challenger. The photographs that were shown were incredible proving that the top side encounters can be equally as awe inspiring as the in water encounters.

A mother and calf encounter ended our week with a mother, calf and very relaxed escort. The escort may have been younger as he was much smaller and seemed to let the mother take the lead. That being said on a couple of occasions he postured as he came to the surface opening his pectoral fins wide, something that none of the observers in the water could compete with. The calf was so curious and seemed happy to join the snorkelers whilst on his breath cycles. Spending 3 minutes with his mother he would oh so slowly swim to the surface and swim directly to our whale enthusiasts whilst rolling and turning. In one of his displays it was very obvious that he was indeed a he. Swimming closely to the guests everyone, whether they were taking photographs, shooting video or simply enjoying this amazing encounter, got a good view and even for a couple of folks a gentle tap. The mother, identifiable by a small white triangle on her dorsal fin, was very calm and relaxed. She would rise to the surface for her own breath and barely move forward before descending to the depths to sleep some more and so the calf’s cycles would begin again.

And so everyone went away with a new experience and a great enthusiasm for the humpback whales.

Enjoying our encounters this week were Gerhard & Christel, Walter & Elisabeth, Gabi & Herbert, Werner & Uli, Denise, Kristin, Peter, Franz, Willie & Jaffa, Tina and Britta. Thank you all for joining us for a great week.

Your crew this week was Capt Amanda, Engineer Rob, Chef Cole, Driver Juan, Video Pro Lucie and Chef Poncho.

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks and Caicos Aggressor Captain's Log March 10-17 Dominican Republic-Silver Banks

Greetings from Turks and Caicos Aggressor! Our whale enthusiasts this week include: Jennifer & Robert, Julie, George, Roland & Teresa, Louis & Agnes, John, Michelle, Annie & Frank, Roland, Michael, Doug Don, Chris and Susan. An eager anticipation filled the air as everyone arrived to the Aggressor yacht on Saturday afternoon. Returning guests boasted of trips past and new comers listened with keen ears. As twilight blossomed, we unpacked our bags, Captain Amanda formally welcomed all aboard and Chef Poncho filled our stomachs with a wonderful three-course meal. Under the bright moon, we left Ocean World Marina setting out for another humpback whale watching expedition.

The Silver Banks welcomed us Sunday morning with whales breaching around the boat and a group seven rowdy males, giving us a sneak preview as to what was to come the following week. Once the boat was moored and the chase boats lowered into the water, Captain Amanda prepped the group for the whale encounters, building the anticipation even more. Guests and crew alike chatted excitedly over lunch about the afternoon’s trips. We all donned our snorkeling apparel, loaded into the chase boats and set out to look for our first whales. Conqueror spent a great deal of time with a “relaxed” group of rowdies – mother, calf and 4 males. The mother and calf were rather playful and didn’t seem to mind the antics of the males that swam around them. Guide Cole got into the water, hoping to get a chance to spend some time with them, but the males put on a show of bubble blowing around the female. Better to be safe than sorry, we stayed on the chase boat and watched the action topside. As the day moved on, we saw more breaching, tail lobbing and pec slapping. Jonathan was waiting for us as we arrived back, with his signature for “cocktail whales”. There’s no better way to end the first day, than sitting on the sundeck and kicking back.

Everyone woke up refreshed and ready to rock ‘n’ roll Monday. After breakfast, we jumped into the chase boats and made our way out to a mother and calf we had been watching all morning. The pair was extremely relaxed - Cole was in the water before nine am! The group quickly followed suite and both chase boats spent the morning spell bound with the magic of the humpback whales. We ventured in for lunch around noon and then it was back out again. The afternoon was more mellow – some distant breaching and a pair of sleepers and rowdies. Using the hydrophone we listened to two sleepers as they made their way through the twenty minute sleep cycles. Cocktail whales was hosted by Juan this evening, who mixed up a fantastic Pina Margarita! After a full day out on the water, we all retired to our beds after dinner, with full bellies and our minds already drifting off to whale dreamland.

Rowdies, playful calves and young mothers kept us busy Tuesday and Wednesday. One particular group of mother, calf and five males were rather entertaining for many hours. With the mother calm, the calf playful and the males rowdy but not overly so, a unique dynamic was created, allowing the young one to exercise and play with the big guys. Watching the youngster breach and tail lob along with the adults warmed our hearts and reminded us of our own fond memories of rough housing as a child. Our guide, Cole, was even able to jump in the water to catch some quick video for the weeks DVD. While filming the mother and calf, two males came out of the blue surprising her with their speed and size. Back on the boat, they saw the males bubble streaming each other as well as the boat. They use this technique to hide the female from on another.

Thursday was an amazing last day out on the water. In the afternoon we were able to track a moving singer, which is quite unusual in and of itself. It is more normal for them to rest in a rostrum down position while singing, using the reef as a natural amphitheatre. We could hear the singing on the boat, in the water and incredibly loud over the hydrophone. The songs were hypnotizing and touching.

The seas were flat calm on Friday as we headed back to Ocean World Marina. Whales followed us all the way till the island was in our sights and dolphins pranced around the bow. Once back to port, we had our famous chocolate covered strawberries with the champagne toast – a delight to all. It was a great evening to celebrate our past week with the humpback whales. Thank you to all!

Your crew this week – Captain Amanda, Engineer Rob, Driver & Guide Juan, Video Pro Cole, Driver Jonathan and Chef Poncho.
10-17 March 2012
Water Temperature: 77 – 80 F
Air Temperature: High 70’s, Low 80’s
Exposure Suit Recommendation: 3mm

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks and Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Log March 17-24, 2012 Silver Banks D.R.

Greetings from Turks and Caicos Aggressor! Our whale enthusiasts this week include: Paul & Jennifer, Gunter & Diane, Laurie, Tina, Sergio, Elena, Paul, Borja, Harry & Pauline, Susan Bird (our return from last week!), Linda, Hal & Karen and Dan & Karen. Guests arrived on a lovely Saturday afternoon, unpacking snorkeling equipment, cameras and other essential accoutrements for this week’s expedition. Over hor deurves crew and guests discussed passed Aggressor trips and the coming week with anticipation and excitement. An amazing dinner was prepared by Chef Poncho, enjoyed by all. We left the marina at midnight. The seas were calm and the weather peaceful – our smoothest crossing yet!

As we arrived into the Silver Banks, whales greeted us all around with breaches, pec slapping and their usual antics. A group of spinner dolphins even joined us on the bow for a display of their incredible acrobatic skills! Even as we lowered the chase boats into the water, a mother and calf swam around the mother vessel with a warm welcome. Our first afternoon out was spectacular. An amorous mother (with calf) and escort graced us with their presence in the water for hours. Seeing the group show their love and affection stilled our hearts and brought tears to our eyes. The simple beauty and wonder is something none of us will forget.

Whale songs, sleepers and rowdies blessed us the following day. Conqueror was able to jump in the water with the sleepers in the afternoon, watching them as they passed the time dreaming of krill BBQ’s. Meanwhile, Predator listened to the whale songs with the hydrophone. The songs got louder and louder, and with no whales in sight, we got in the water to do some free diving to hear the whale songs first hand. So poetic is their song, I can’t imagine anything else that parallel’s it. The rowdies were quite amusing, one tail slapping over twenty times in a row. You could see the pink irritation in the white of its fluke – a simple display of beauty.

The next couple of days were full of excitement. Both chase boats followed mothers and calves through out the nursery, named for the many coral heads that provide protection from the winds and waves. One our way in to lunch, an extremely rowdy group came rocking through the mooring area, jumping on one another, breaching and pec slapping. Predator came across a calf and amorous mother & escort. Our guide entered the water to see the mother and escort nuzzling one another and as the male spun on his back, opening his pectoral fins. Shortly thereafter, they found a valentine – a male and female spy hopping, rubbing and otherwise canoodling. Everyone was able to get into the water and see the magic happen.

The rest of the week was equally magical with more in water encounters, topside activity and all around spectacular whale encounters. With following seas, we made our way back to Ocean World Marina, arriving early, leaving guests plenty of time to explore Puerto Plata and its many wonders. The cheese and wine reception on the sundeck was as lovely as ever, with chocolate covered strawberries for the champagne toast, prepared by Chef Poncho. It was an amazing week! Many thanks to all our guests!

Your crew this week – Captain Dennis, Engineer Juan, Photo Pro Lucie, Video Pro Cole, Driver Jonathan and Chef Poncho.

Water Temperature: 77 – 80 F
Air Temperature: High 70’s, Low 80’s
Exposure Suit Recommendation: 3mm

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks & Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Log - Mar 24-31, 2012 Silver Banks Dominican Re

Turks and Caicos Aggressor II Captains Log March 24-31 Silver Banks Dominican Republic

Water Temperature: 77 – 80 F
Air Temperature: High 70’s, Low 80’s
Exposure Suit Recommendation: 3mm

Greetings from Turks and Caicos Aggressor! Our whale enthusiasts this week include: Jeff & Becky, Werner, Alice, William & Maria, David & Janet, John, Joseph, Kara & Jan, Jane, Lindsey, Dick, Florian and Jennifer. As the breeze calmed on Saturday afternoon, guests arrived and settled in. The afternoon was mellow and relaxed, which set the tone for the next couple of days.

We bid Ocean World Marina adios Saturday night around 11:30 pm and headed out to open seas. The crossing was calm and we arrived to the Silver Banks around 9:00 am, moored up and got the chase boats in the water. Cole and Lucie introduced guests to the back deck and what to expect from our upcoming soft water whale encounters. Chef Poncho served an amazing lunch and even before we could finish a group of four or five males and one female approached the boat. Guests lined the sides of the yacht, snapping pictures and “Ohhhh-ing” and “Ahhhhh-ing” as the majestic creatures circled us, males attempting to entice the female to mate. Lunch was quickly finished while the crew finished preparing the boats for our first venture out. The afternoon was spectacular – both Predator and Conqueror (chase boats) groups were able to get in the water. The Predator’s encountered a relaxed mother and calf. Baby moved through its breathing cycles as mother slept, completely at peace. The Conqueror’s found the same group that had been circling the mother vessel earlier. The female was getting ready to get ready, slowing down and almost into the catatonic state they fall into when ready to mate. One male lay below her, slowing blowing bubbles through his blow hole which tickled the female as they traced her body. Meanwhile the rest of the males circled the scene, singing their songs and clicks. The group moved on, but allowed the snorkelers to enter the water a few more times before turning a bit more rambunctious and into a rowdy group.

The days following were considerably exciting, with phenomenal top-side and in-water encounters. A day of glass calm seas was perfect for shooting film and photos. The day started off with two playful sets of mother, calf and escort – the mother and escort pec slapping while the calf tail slapped and breached. This went on for almost an hour – an amazing display of the whale’s endurance and power. We followed the two groups for the morning, while other groups of mothers and calves crossed our paths. Finally one set of mother and calf seemed to settle down, so our guide Cole jumped in the water. The calf was curious and mother seemed more or less calm, but they moved on. Again, we tried to settle them down and enter the water. Again, they moved on. Not until the third time, did the escort show himself – pushing the mother on, challenged by our presence. The afternoon gave us rowdies and some amazing photos. Whales were coming so close to the chase boats, we could feel them. They bubble streamed us; tail lobbed just meters away and otherwise showed off their skills and prowess. It is incredibly humbling to see the wingspan of an escort come up through the water in between the chase boat and female. He completely dwarfs the boat, like a chipmunk to a horse.

Most of the week, the days were scattered with in-water encounters. Towards the end of the week, one particularly playful calf and mother entertained us for hours. The mother was completely relaxed with her older calf and allowed the “baby-sitters” (that’s us!) to play and watch the calf as she did her flips, tricks and upside down glides through out the water. Both groups switched out with them each time the mother came up on a breathing cycle. During one such switch, the calf followed one group back to the chase boat as if to tell them, “Hey! Where are you going? I thought you wanted to play?!” The calf was so playful on numerous occasions his fluke came quite close and even touching some of us. There are few who can say they’ve been blessed by the fluke! It was an EXCELLENT week with the Humpback Whales!!!!

Your crew this week – Captain Dennis, Engineer Juan, Photo Pro Lucie, Video Pro Cole, Driver Jonathan and Chef Poncho.

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks and Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Log March 31-April 7 Silver Banks Dominican R

Turks and Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Log March 31-April 7 Silver Banks Dominican Republic

Greetings from Turks and Caicos Aggressor! Our whale enthusiasts this week include: David, Linda, Christopher & Jennifer, Liz, Lynne, Larry and Daniel. Guests arrived on Saturday afternoon, excited as ever to get out to the Silver Banks. We all unpacked our equipment, got to know each other and otherwise settled in as night fell over Puerto Plata and Ocean World Marina. Chef Poncho prepared an amazing three course meal that was served after the formal welcome by Captain Dennis.

At 11:30 pm we set out for open seas and bid our final adieu to the Dominican Republic mainland, as this charter marks the final week of the whale season. We arrived into the Silver Banks around 9 am with sunny skies and whales breaching, tail lobbing and pec slapping. After mooring the mother vessel and lowering the chase boat into the water, Captain Dennis introduced the nuances of the in and out of water encounters we were to experience this week. Lunch was served and then we were off – out on the chase boat for our first expedition! The afternoon was lovely – mother and calf on the surface and some distant horizon breeching.

We were blessed all week with warm sunny skies and calm seas. The beginning of the week was spectacularly flat. With the Caribbean Sea looking like a swimming pool, everything became tranquil. Slow, graceful movements from the whales created a serene ballet – whale humps barely peaking through the translucent surface giving way to the rise and lazy fall of the tail. One afternoon we observed a group of four males accompany a mother and calf as they made their way through the banks. They were both quite young, the calf so young that (s)he was still just slightly marbled, with only just the showings of the tell tale white of the pectoral fin.

As the week progressed the winds picked up slightly, but the weather was still quite calm. Groups of rowdies pranced around the boat, showing off their mastery and prowess. One male decided to breach up to fifteen times only twenty meters from the boat – a great photo opportunity! The sound of the magnificent whale as he plummeted back into the water was like the smack of a gunshot. Seeing him make a completely 360 turn before entering the water was breath taking!

At the end of the week, we jumped into the water with a mother and calf. It was absolutely magical as they slid by, bulging their eyes to take a good look at us. As we made eye contact, it felt like the whale peered into your soul. The experience was nothing short of a magical connect with a creature of the deep.

Your crew this week – Captain Dennis, Engineer Rob, Driver Juan, Video Pro Cole, Driver Jonathan and Chef Poncho.

Water Temperature: 77 – 80 F
Air Temperature: High 70’s, Low 80’s
Exposure Suit Recommendation: 3mm

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks and Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Log April 14 - 21, 2012

Turks and Caicos II Captain's Log April 14-21

Greetings from Turks and Caicos Aggressor! Our divers this week: Ann & Michael, Lois, Valerie, Linda & Keith, Melinda, Barry, Lynda, Lu Ann, William, Charles, Mike, Elizabeth, Phyllis and Clara. As guests arrived on Saturday afternoon, we unpacked our dive equipment and got to know one another. Captain Dennis formally introduced all to the upcoming weeks events and Chef Poncho served a beautiful dinner of pasta marinara, chicken breast and for dessert – crepes Aggressor. We left Turtle Cove Marina at high tide, Saturday afternoon and set at anchor for the evening in Grace Bay.

The short trip to North West Point was smooth, with moderate seas. Our first dives of the day were at Eel Garden. Circling reef sharks, beautiful sponges, anemones and neck crabs, amongst others, were a sweet welcoming commission bidding us happy diving in the upcoming week. Over lunch we skipped a couple of mooring lines down to The Thunder Dome where we were greeted by a variety of blennies, skeleton shrimp, Atlantic oysters, schooling grunts and snappers, damselfish, cleaner shrimp and a host of other creatures that have all made their home in the steel structure of the dome. Everyone loved swimming through the fallen formation, thinking back to its days as a set piece on a French TV series.

The following morning we took off for West Caicos, starting with Elephant Ear Canyon in the morning and then heading over to Rock Garden Interlude (RGI) for the afternoon and night dive. In true West Caicos style, Caribbean Reef Sharks, southern stingrays, morays and a host of other sea creatures swam and danced through our dives, enticing us all with the beauty and wonder that is the sea. The night dive at RGI was something special – bioluminescence and glow worms paraded about. Hungry Black Jacks used our torch light to hunt by. Big schools of yellow tail snapper and a selection of reef sharks circled the boat. Warm smiles and hot cocoa awaited us on our return, a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Reef sharks flittering past large sculpted barrel sponges set a tone of elegance and beauty for the day at Brandywine. The dramatic steps of the reef provide many nooks and crannies for a multitude of small creatures, including the Splendid Flatworm – an amazing 3 inch spectacle of black, yellow and purple ribbon gliding seamlessly across the reef. As lunch was served, we moved to Rock ‘n’ Roll at French Cay. As we entered the water, we were greeted by more reef sharks, nurse sharks and plenty of cow fish. Photographers were thrilled with the Yellow Headed Jawfish and the school of five eagle rays that strolled past along the wall.

We spent Wednesday morning at G-Spot perusing along the sculpted wall. Here we found more reef sharks, a school of seven eagle rays, curious cowfish and a rather photogenic barracuda with a dashing smile! At lunch, we made the jaunt back to West Caicos and made the sequential dives at Gullies. What a treat! We counted up to seven circling reef sharks as we made our way through the swim throughs. One of the sharks was looking quite pregnant and you could see the markings on her from breeding.

Thursday we made dives at Driveway, of West Caicos and then moved to Stairway, of North West Point. The dynamic landscape gives them both their name and the dives here are just lovely. After flirting with the sharks and tickling the eagle rays, we moved to Black Forest, in preparation for our early morning dives on Friday. Watching the reef come alive as the sun rises is a breath taking experience, with parrot fish breaking free of their mucous encasing, lobsters retreating to their caverns and sharks making their final predatory circles of the night.

Friday evening was spent on the sun deck out at Grace Bay, watching the sun slowly begin it’s decent as we enjoyed drinks and cocktails. Guests and crew both enjoyed the time together to reminisce about the past weeks event and the future trips to come. Thank you to all our guests for a such a wonderful week!


Your crew this week – Captain Dennis, Engineer Rob, Instructor Juan, Video Pro Cole, Dive master Jonathan and Chef Poncho.

Water Temperature: 77 F
Air Temperature: High 70’s, Low 80’s
Exposure Suit Recommendation: 3mm – 5mm

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Thanks for the outstanding trip reports . Keep em coming , if these dont make us want to go nothing will !

 

[Aggressor Adventures]

Turks and Caicos Aggressor II Captain's Log May 5 - 12, 2012

Turks & Caicos Aggressor III Captains Report May 5 - 12, 2012

Greetings from the Turks & Caicos Aggressor!!! Our avid divers this week are Alfred & Anne, Daniel, Catherine & Jim, Dan, Jim, Skip & Chuck, Jeannie & Derrick, Don & Steve, and Scott. The water temperature is a refreshing 78°F, and a 3mm suit is recommended, with the option of a hooded vest for added thermal protection. The water clarity is increasing as summer approaches, and we are enjoying a 100ft. visibility at the dive sites.

As the guests arrived on Saturday, they were greeted by Captain Amanda and her crew, and introduced to the itinerary for the week. With calm seas and an optimistic weather forecast, there was an air of excitement and possibility for what the week would bring. Guests were provided an amazing dinner by Chef Cole, and were happy to bed down for the night after a long day of traveling.

When the divers awoke on Sunday morning, the Aggressor was en route to Northwest Point, and a hearty breakfast was enjoyed along the way. Upon arrival, we moored at Eel Garden, and the divers had an opportunity to experience the “wall” for which the Turks & Caicos is famous for. The barrier reef was teeming with life and the divers were mesmerized by the abyss that drops away to nearly 7000ft. We swapped mooring sites during lunch, and the remaining dives of the day were conducted at The Thunder Dome. This site was a veritable smorgasbord of marine life, with the highlight being a pod of 24 Bottlenose Dolphins who sang and danced along the edge of the wall

An early departure on Monday morning put us at West Caicos for the first two dives of the day at Brandywine. Many divers had their cameras out in anticipation of the variety of life at West Caicos and the reef ecosystem provided numerous subjects for all photographers, including the Scrawled Filefish, Honeycomb Cowfish and Smooth Trunkfish. An afternoon journey took us to French Cay, where the next three dives were conducted at G-Spot. Divers swam with some curious Caribbean Reef Sharks, as well as a Spotted Eagle Ray. Also seen in great abundance were both adult and juvenile drum fish. A great day of diving was complemented by a delicious dinner of Cajun shrimp over sun-dried tomato pasta, which was started with a Caprese salad, and finished with Tiramasu!

On Tuesday, superb weather and an incoming tide meant the divers were treated to a visit to West Sand Spit. This pristine reef sits in an isolated location, and is home to larger sea creatures, such as Reef Sharks and Eagle Rays. As well, it had an abundance of Spotted Drumfish in all stages of development; juvenile, intermediate and adult. Following a
delicious lunch of chicken & steak fajitas, we were underway for a return voyage to French Cay. The remaining dives were conducted at Rock and Roll, where divers were amused by a rather nervy Atlantic Spiny lobster out for a stroll among the reef denizens.

At long last, Wednesday brings success for those photographers on the hunt for the male Yellow Head Jawfish, which holds eggs within his mouth during breeding season. This occurred on the first dive of the day at Double D, and joyous faces could be seen on those who snapped pictures of this coveted breeding habit. A delicious snack of French Vanilla Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting greeted the divers upon their return to the surface! Following these dives at French Cay, the boat returned to the protected leeward side of West Caicos. The remaining three dives of the day were conducted at Gullies, where a curious Southern Stingray commingled with a grouper for more than 20 minutes. There was much to see on the night dive, including Channel Clinging Crabs, Slipper Lobsters, Spotted Morays and an abundance of Southern Sting Rays.

Thursday morning was a short hop over to another dive site at West Caicos: Driveway. These dives were eventful for the abundance of reef sharks, as well as the rambunctious behaviour amongst the fish, which indicates that spring is here and breeding season is in full force. Over a delicious lunch we traveled to Northwest Point, and the remaining dives of the day took place at Amphitheatre. This site had a curious Nurse Shark, who was willing to have its picture taken, before wandering off into the distance. The night dive was very entertaining with a few Octopi on the hunt.

A bright and early wake up call had the divers in the water by 7am, in order to enjoy Coral Stairway. Numerous Barracudas hang out under the boat, while large schools of both Yellowtail Snappers and Schoolmasters could be found nearby. A few lone Pillar Corals still decorate this area, lording over the reef in their majestic splendor. Following these final dives, the Aggressor made its way back to the Marina, where the last night on the boat was celebrated with a Wine & Cheese Party, and highlights of the week were relived by all.

Thank you so much for joining us on this incredible journey! Your crew: Captain Amanda, Engineer Rob, Chef Extraordinaire Cole, Steward Michal, Instructors Juan & Laura.