Silver Bank Humpback Swim
Silver Bank · Dominican Republic
Permit-controlled humpback whale sanctuary 130 km off the Dominican Republic where North Atlantic humpbacks gather each winter to breed and calve. Operators run in water encounters by snorkel only — scuba is prohibited in the sanctuary. The most reliable humpback swim in the world.
Conditions
Depth
0 to 5 m
Good for beginners
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
25 to 29°C
Tropical wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Humpback calf
Last confirmed Apr 15, 2026 · 45 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Ballyhoo
Last confirmed Apr 8, 2024 · 2 records
Rare
Now and then
Great Barracuda
Last confirmed Apr 9, 2024 · 1 records
Rare
Now and then
Southern stingray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Bottlenose dolphin
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Spinner dolphin
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Bryde's whale
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear