Is it wrong to swim with whales?

Depends what whales. some of them are just ugly gross bastards haha

I think it's pretty stupid to go and swim with wild whales. They are unpredictable and you are in their territory. Swimming with whales in a sealife park, preferably whales that know you, should be alright I think. But I am not an expert on aquatic mammal behaviour, so I'm really not sure.

Hi Syl, there are right ways and wrong ways and done correctly, it's great. And there are major issues with captive "swim-with" programs, too, whether it is right to keep such wide-ranging and intelligent animals in a tank. It's a big subject with a lot to learn about on both sides but I feel it is better to meet them wild and free when they have the freedom to choose vs at their master's direction in a concrete pool. Thanks for thinking about it.

It is only okay to swim with whales in limited circumstances. The swimmer needs to be sure to avoid harassing the whales by chasing, pursuing or moving aggressively toward them, as is the case with the kayak in this video, who also happens to be violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is also important to have an understanding of whale behaviors to avoid putting yourself at risk. The safest and best way to combine these requirements is to be sure to travel with an experienced and permitted guide where swimming with whales is officially sanctioned. We operate swim-with-whale ecotours on the Silver Bank of the Dominican Republic which are under special permit with limited access and follow strict low-impact approach protocols. Done with care and respect for the animals they are great! For any interaction with a whale to be meaningful, you can't chase after a whale and jump in like this kayaker, the whale has to want to come to you. Then it is the whale's choice to decide how long it will stay, how close it will get, and what the mood of the interaction will be. This video is an example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?...

again depending on the whale they aren't all gentle and bovine

I'm not really sure.I thought they really like people.The times I went on a boat and went to their feeding grounds they were playful.They were going under the boat back and forth and looking up at usSome people were touching themThey liked it..They were showing off.They weren't stressed at all.

I can't see it stressing out these whales. It's a huge ocean, as long as they are not surrounded, herded or harassed, there shouldn't be any bother. I'm sure they'd let you know and would dive to get away.