THE SILVER BANKS, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Year:2006

Encounters with Humpback Whales

Season: February-March

Visibility: 30-50 metes

Water temperature: 25-26°C

In February and March, Turks & Caicos Aggressor relocates to the Dominican Republic for a series of exciting cruises, venturing out to the Silver Banks, the largest mating and calving grounds of humpback whales in the world!

Turks & Caicos Aggressor has extensive experience in the area, so guests can be certain of some truly remarkable whale encounters. Every day two shaded RIBs will each take a maximum of 9 passengers out from the boat on twice daily expeditions to meet the whales for a three and a half hour encounter involving snorkeling and swimming with these leviathans of the deep. Turks & Caicos Aggressor will be moored close by. The highlights of this adventure will be when you slip into the water for encounters with these magnificent mammals. Perhaps a mother with her calf alongside may glide by, or maybe a female and her amorous escort will spiral around you for hours. This rare opportunity to enter the domain of the whales and share their world is one that you will remember all your life. Indeed, dreams are made of experiences like this!

In the evenings there will be slide and video presentations on topics including anatomy, behaviour, 'rowdy groups', feeding, mother and calf relationships, underwater behaviour and hydrophone recordings of the songs of the North Atlantic Humpback Whale.

It may also be possible to scuba dive from Turks & Caicos Aggressor at the mooring at certain times, but please bear in mind that that the mooring destination is chosen for its suitability for visiting the whales and not for the quality of the diving.

TURKS & CAICOS AGGRESSOR

For full details of Turks & Caicos Aggressor please see the Turks & Caicos entry in this brochure.

Turks & Caicos Aggressor departs from Ocean's World Dock, Puerto Plata every Saturday between 4 February and 25 March.

£997 in a Quad Stateroom

£1291 in a Twin Stateroom

£1409 in a Deluxe Stateroom

£1526 in a Master Suite

Includes:

" Airport transfers if arriving/departing on Saturday.

" 7 nights cruise on Turks & Caicos Aggressor on a twin/share basis with full board, including soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits.

" 4.5 days of snorkeling with the whales.

Please note : A national park fee and port fee, currently US$150 per person, will be collected on board. Professional photographers or videographers must pay an additional park fee of US$100. Dinner on the last night is not included, but guests will be provided with guidance about good local restaurants.

Additional week: A £118 discount applies.

Single Occupancy supplement: If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin cabin with a fellow passenger of the same sex you can avoid paying any supplement. If you prefer to have a cabin to yourself a 50% supplement applies and the deposit requirement is doubled.

Deposit: £500

FLIGHTS

Turks & Caicos Aggressor packages run from Saturday to Saturday, which means leaving London on Friday morning and overnighting in Newark en route.

The airfares shown here were typical economy fares available at the time of going to press. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on current fare levels and booking class availability, at the time of booking. Our quote, which will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge, may be higher or lower than the airfares indicated here. The usual airfare deposit is £100.

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES

Depart at midday on a Friday from London (Gatwick) to Puerto Plata via Newark, with an overnight stop in Newark en route, arriving at Puerto Plata on Saturday afternoon. Return from Puerto Plata on Saturday afternoon via Newark, arriving at London (Gatwick) on Sunday morning.

Flights to Puerto Plata are also available from Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast at no extra charge.

£825 for departures 3 February-24 March

Includes:

" Scheduled flights London (Gatwick)/Newark/Puerto Plata/Newark/London (Gatwick) by Continental Airlines.

Overnights in Newark: We can reserve rooms at the Marriott Newark Airport Hotel, a comfortable hotel situated close to the airport, for approximately £29 per night (on Fridays), payable locally in US$ on a twin/share basis. The single occupancy rate is double.