Blue Ocean Society's Whale Sightings

Greetings! Thanks for visiting our blog. Our staff and interns will be posting their experiences here working on whale watch boats in NH and MA.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

August 12 - Prince of Whales- Newburyport

I think today is backwards day. Leaving the harbor, the weather was cold and windy. But 20 miles offshore, it was warm and calm. That never happens! It is always colder and choppier offshore than near shore! And then I hear that a colleague working in the Bay of Fundy has been seeing lots of humpbacks but few right whales. Instead, we have right whales but no humpbacks!

Soon after leaving the river, we found a very nice minke whale. This whale was busy, zig-zagging around, but thanks to you sharp-eyed passengers, we got some good looks at it. Further offshore, we searched for the fin whales that had been reported to be in the area but didn't find any. Instead, a north Atlantic right whale surfaced. Even though right whales have been seen in the area for a few days now, I am still surprised to see one since we rarely do! These critically endangered animals remind me of why I do what I do- research to learn more about the whales and the best ways to protect both the whales and also their much-needed habitat. If all efforts to protect right whales end today, these animals could very well become extinct in our lifetime. Scary and sad to think about but also wonderful knowing how much effort is currently involved in their protection.

Thank you to everyone for showing your enthusiasm today and for supporting our mission.

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