Pursuit The Big Blue

From December to February each year, the planet’s largest turtles flock in their thousands to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to nest. Kalipur Beach in North Andaman is one of the very few in the world to host four species of protected turtle: leatherback, olive ridley, green and hawksbill. Visitors can witness the conservation work undertaken to ensure the survival of these exceptional creatures and their eggs. After an incubation of around 45 days, the tiny hatchlings emerge and are encouraged to make their way down to the ocean – a magical and moving sight to behold.

In a tiny patch of ocean, 65km off Bremer Bay in Australia’s remote south-west, a natural wonder occurs every February and March: the air is filled with sea birds and the waters throng with giant squid, sperm whales and, at the epicentre, the largest group of killer whales discovered in the southern hemisphere. These giants appear to be attracted by a deep-sea fuel deposit that is fertilising the surrounding ocean, creating a powerful feeding opportunity. ‘Visitors are 99-per-cent guaranteed to spot this gigantic pod,’ says Daphne d’Offay, senior charter broker in Fort Lauderdale.