July 11 Prince of Whales

The wind was certainly not in our favor today. We ventured offshore and found a huge fin whale fairly close to shore. This whale was very well-behaved for us, doing shallow, short dives and surfacing frequently.

Fin whale #9904, a female

This fin whale was identified as #9904, a female first seen in 1999 and has had 2 calves that we know about (in 2005 and 2008)!

As we pressed on closer to Jeffreys Ledge, we saw a couple of spouts in the distance. A humpback whale named Hornbill soon appeared. Hornbill was first seen as a large whale (not a calf) in 1977 making him one of the elder-statesmen of the Gulf of Maine population.

Hornbill's flukes

On our return trip, we found not one but 2 minke whales inshore! We could tell the difference between the two based on their unique fins. These minke whales were feeding and we could see the light green flashes of their bellies as they maneuvered underwater trying to catch some lunch.

Thanks to all of our passengers today!

Keep in touch!Become a Fan on Facebook || Follow Us On Twitter