On a whale-watching adventure last month in Newport Beach with Newport Coastal Adventures, I was stunned by the hundreds of dolphins surrounding our boat and the one humpback whale that showed us its tail several times (not always guaranteed! Many whales surface and roll back down without doing the beautiful tail display). When the whale dove and surfaced further away, we motored over, as did two other boats, but stayed a respectful distance away. Another whale watcher in my boat mused, What must it feel like to come up for a breath of air, and everyone zooms over to you?

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　　Thats why its so important that whale-watching companies have ethical protocols in place, such as using low speeds around sea life, making sure no one throws trash into the water (that one seems silly to have to say, but Im sure it happens) that could harm marine creatures and keeping a safe distance from them so they can live their normal livesyou know, while being scrutinized through binoculars and hearing whoops of joy from the boats. A USA Today 10Best article focuses on five ethically responsible whale-watching tours that protect the whales while giving visitors that exhilarating time on the water watching them. And just as the Sharktivity app tracks sharks to help scientists (and those of us who dont want to recreate Jaws as unwilling character actors), the Whale Alert app does the same for our large underwater mammal friends, preventing deadly vessel strikes (the leading cause of whale death) and giving valuable information about pod movement.

　　Photograph: Courtesy Newport Coastal AdventuresDolphins surround author and friends on Oct 18, 2024, with a photo taken from another boat. The five whale-watching tours for ethical touring are, in no particular order: Sanctuary Cruises in Monterey Bay, California

　　What it does: The boats all use 99 percent clean-burning diesel fuel made of repurposed vegetable oil from restaurants. Once in place, operators keep the boats neutral and let the whales approach the boat instead of the opposite.

　　Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company, Bar Harbor, Maine

　　What it does: Its allied with several scientific research organizations, collecting migration and species-spotting data.

　　Springtide Whale Watching and Eco Tours, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

　　What it does: Each ticket includes a $5 wildlife conservation fee for projects like revitalizing Chinook salmon populations, which in turn helps the whales that eat them. The companys co-owner has written guidelines to help whale-watching organizations do the right thing. Their vessels run on biofuel and are painted with environmentally safe paint.

　　Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center, Cape May, New Jersey

　　What it does: On your boat, biologists and researchers will collect data and educate passengers through participatory activities. This company also collects and tracks marine debris.

　　PacWhale Eco-Adventures, Maui, Hawaii

　　What it does: Each trip supports the Pacific Whale Foundation, which protects the humpback whale and performs research. Your tour guide will be a marine naturalist, and if you have kids, they can engage in an onboard initiative called the Junior Naturalist Program. Boats run on biofuel and have protective features to keep whales away from the propellers.