Whether you own your own boat, rent at boat, or take a guided cruise, watching on the water can be a fun and exciting pastime. If you’re lucky enough to live near the coast, you may see aquatic animals pretty frequently, such as dolphins, water birds, and maybe even whales. If you live inland, being able to take a trip on the water and see animals you’ve only seen in photos or on TV is an opportunity not to be missed. However you get there, you want to make sure you’re able to see all these animals, and even capture images of them. There are a few tools you’ll need to take with you.
First, you’ll need a pair of binoculars. Sometimes people are lucky, and dolphins or other animals will come close enough to the boat to allow close-up views. But most of the time, these animals will be observed from a distance. There are a couple of kinds of binoculars to consider—waterproof binoculars, and photo binoculars.
Waterproof binoculars may not be what you think. While most of them can withstand being submerged, if they should happen to fall into the water, that’s not the only reason they’re important to have on a boat. The ocean spray, and even just the humidity in the air can damage regular binoculars. It can seep into the housing, and fog the lenses from the inside. Waterproof are sealed to protect against this, and the barrels are filled with a gas, usually nitrogen, to prevent the lenses from fogging internally. And yes, if you do happen to drop your binoculars over the side, they’re protected until you can fish them out. These are ideal for dolphin or whale watching.
Photo binoculars are a combination of regular binoculars and a digital camera. They allow you to photograph objects that are far away, even farther than the zoom on a regular camera would allow. They come in all grades, from basic one-megapixel models that provide low resolution images, to high end models that go up to four megapixels, offering high resolution images. The more megapixels, the better the image quality. Some models even have auto focus so when that dolphin comes up for air, you don’t have to waste time focusing your optics before it goes under again. The nice thing about photo binoculars is that when you’re not using them to take pictures, they function just like regular binoculars, but the camera is readily available at a moment’s notice. So when you see something you want to take a photo of, you don’t have to switch between devices. Everything you need is right in your hands.
Whatever kind of binoculars you choose, you may want to consider getting a neckstrap or harness for them. For one thing, having your binoculars attached to some kind of strap will keep your hands free until you’re ready to pick up the binoculars. Also, you can worry less about dropping them over the side into the water and possibly losing them, or dropping them in the boat and damaging them on the hard deck. A neckstrap or binocular harness will make things easier on you, and help protect your investment so you can focus on enjoying the view.
