Silver Bank North of DR, go over or around?

[Networker]

Quick questions, I’m in Turks and Caicos and will beeline straight down to Farjado, Puerto Rico tomorrow as the weather is perfect for that angle. However, beelining puts me over Silver Bank, and normally I’d bypass them, but I just found out there’s a ton of whales this time of year and seeing some would be amazing!

- Are the whales easy to see when going around the banks, or are they actually in the shallow part of the banks and only viewable from there?

- Has anyone gone over the banks and do the vast majority sail through just fine? I googled and saw see a few ships have gone down there over the past few years, but I assume 99% of the boats don’t sink? Or is that a false assumption and everyone knows to just go around them?

Normally I’d sail way clear of this, but dying to see whales as I pass by and just curious if the risk is worth it, and if it’s a risk or not?

[leecea]

Are you sure that's allowed - I found this:

The Marine Mammal Sanctuary encompasses not just the shallow calving and breeding grounds of the Silver Bank, Navidad Banks, and Samana Bay, but also all the deeper ocean waters between, which are heavily-travelled migration routes for whales headed to other parts of the Antilles.

No vessel may visit the Silver Bank without a permit, and all activity must adhere to strict guidelines laid down by the Dominican Republic’s Department for Protected Areas and Biodiversity, monitored by an onsite coordinator.

https://www.wildlifeworldwide.com/locations/silver-bank

[Networker]

“Allowed” doesn’t really matter as everyone does sail over it all the time, including drug dealers. So that’s moot, the question is if the risk is worth it or not, trade off being sight seeing of whales.


Steve

[SailingHarmonie]

Going "over" Silver Banks is truly a fool's errand. Even if the "vast majority" (how do you know?) sail through "just fine" is this something you want to do? This is so contrary to good seamanship, I don't even know where to start.

Unless you have specific local knowledge it is just plain stupid. It is shallow and largely unsurveyed at anything like the level of detail that I would want to cross those shallows. I sail clear of it every time, not even coming close. So, No, "everyone" doesn't do it "all the time". Even if you don't run aground, the waves breaking in suddenly shoaling waters can cause no end of trouble.

The fact that it is illegal is besides the point, unless the DR catches you. That might be ugly.

But, it is your boat and your life.

[RaymondR]

I don't have a lot of time for bureaucrats myself but in this instance they probably have the permit system for the area to keep people from disturbing the whales during their calving season.

[MicHughV]

Personally, I tend to avoid whales, whether or not it's legal or not is immaterial to me imo.......especially whales with calves...wouldn't do to piss them off for any reason..

Is the risk worth it ??...the fact that you are asking this question is answer enough...let 'em be....

[Macdyver]

Originally Posted by Networker

Normally I’d sail way clear of this, but dying to see whales as I pass by and just curious if the risk is worth it, and if it’s a risk or not?

Used to work for a tour operator on the banks for a few years. There is usually a DR gov't representative on one of the boats, so they will give you some grief if you sail through the area that they are operating in (North/shallow side of the bank).


Navigation safety wise, I've seen a couple sailboats go down on the bank, mostly because they tried to cross at night and found coral heads, so certainly don't do that. I will say that the Northern side of the bank is where the shallow dense coral heads are, so you're a lot safer going along the Southern edge (daytime is still better). I definitely wouldn't go near the Northern half of the bank without good conditions (calm, bright sun, etc.), even aside from the legal issues. Way too many sneaky coral heads up there.



The whales are most concentrated around the North side of the bank unfortunately, but there are a lot of whales around, so you are liable to see some if you just sail along the Southern margin. Best to steer clear at night though, whales do nap at the surface sometime...

[Networker]

I ended up not sailing over it as I was too scared of hazards. I didn’t even sail between them much, as the charts pointed out it was surveyed in 1958 and 1977. Even between the banks, it would go from 2000 feet to 87 in spots, and since it wasn’t surveyed, I just tacked away. They’re pretty large, spent days getting through them.

Sadly, no whales sighted and the weather was a bit rough, big waves, squalls, t storms, and whitecaps, so I didn’t spend a lot of time looking. At least I’m safely in Fajardo, PR now.