Seasonal· Bequia· Windward Islands
Bequia Indigenous Whaling Season
12° 59.1′ N · 61° 14.0′ W · approximate
Bequia is one of the last places where humpback whales are hunted from open sailing boats with hand-thrown harpoons, under an IWC aboriginal quota of up to four whales a year - rarely met.
Practical
Position is the Friendship Bay area (approx). Doyle gives the whaling season as February to April; a whaler told a 2022 cruiser it runs January to April as the humpbacks pass. Wikipedia: up to four humpbacks a year by traditional methods, with no catches at all in some years. Catches are processed at Semple Cay off Friendship Bay. You may see whaleboats sailing out; give them room. The same months are good for humpback sightings on passages between the islands.
Best for
Understanding a living, controversial tradition
Season
January/February to April
Nearby
- Friendship Bay AnchorageRight here
- St Hilaire Point Viewpoint0.1 NM away
- Semple Cay Whaling Station0.3 NM away
- Bequia Heritage Museum (Whaling and Boat Museum)0.4 NM away
- Bequia Beach Hotel and The Sand Bar (Friendship Bay)0.6 NM away
- Dawn's Café (Lower Bay)1 NM away
- De Reef (Lower Bay)1 NM away
- Fernando's Hideaway (Lower Bay)1 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).