We headed out of Rye Harbor today with high anticipation to find whales! Only 6 miles from Rye Harbor we reached the shoals. I was out on deck when a saw a large, long black image on the surface. I went in to tell our Captain and we slowed down and headed in the direction. After a few moments we saw a beautiful female fin whale, in front of her we saw a Minke whale as well. At first I thought it was just these two animals when a small calf popped up right next to it's mom! We were so happy to see this sight. They were moving very slowly and taking short dives, the picture above shows the incredible size difference. We also had a nice look at a really fat and healthy harbor seal, a quick look at a basking shark and another Minke at the end of our trip. Take dad out for a whale watch this weekend! We start whale watching everyday on June 19th, we hope to see you!! Happy Fathers Day Dad'sThursday, June 17, 2010
Mom and Calf fin whales on the Atlantic Queen
We headed out of Rye Harbor today with high anticipation to find whales! Only 6 miles from Rye Harbor we reached the shoals. I was out on deck when a saw a large, long black image on the surface. I went in to tell our Captain and we slowed down and headed in the direction. After a few moments we saw a beautiful female fin whale, in front of her we saw a Minke whale as well. At first I thought it was just these two animals when a small calf popped up right next to it's mom! We were so happy to see this sight. They were moving very slowly and taking short dives, the picture above shows the incredible size difference. We also had a nice look at a really fat and healthy harbor seal, a quick look at a basking shark and another Minke at the end of our trip. Take dad out for a whale watch this weekend! We start whale watching everyday on June 19th, we hope to see you!! Happy Fathers Day Dad's
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
June 15 on the Granite State
Jeffreys Ledge was certainly busy with activity today. Our morning whale watch started out with some fantastic looks at a Minke whale which surfaced close to the boat quite a few times. With such close encounters we managed to see the "mittens" of our Minke whale, something often gone unseen with a species notorious for scooting around in random patterns. These great looks only got us more excited to continue towards the Ledge to see what other sights we might come upon.
It wasn't long before we came across our next ocean dwelling animal which was a Fin whale. This whale gave our school kids some incredible looks at the second largest animal in the world when a few surfacings went right alongside the boat! Perhaps the most unexpected part was when this whale pooped(!) during a surfacing for all the kids to see. Below, our Fin whale before it left its mark on the surface of the water.
Whale defecation is a GREAT indication of lots of food in the water. This whale had brown defecation meaning this whale had been eating lots of herring! Lots of fish equals a very productive Ledge and hopes of other whales coming to the area to feed on this food. With some more time to explore we left this Fin whale to check out some other hot spots on Jeffreys. Soon again we saw a blow from a whale; another Fin whale! This animal was surfacing in very large circular patterns but was holding its breath for quite sometime in between surfacings. These animals can easily hold their breath for very long periods of time (well over an hour if they chose too!) and with time running out we got some last looks and headed back to Rye Harbor to pick up passengers for our afternoon excursion.
With such great looks at whales in the morning, it only made sense to head back out to the same area to see if our whales had stuck around for the afternoon. Not only did we find whales, we found more! More Fin whales had moved into the area and were actively feeding!! Our first sighting was a massive swarm of gulls and whales combined. 2 Fin whales were lunge feeding while the seagulls were going after any scraps they could find. But that wasn't the only thing to look at. Relatively close by we were seeing more exhalations. We had at least 5 Fin whales in the area! Two of our 5 Fin whales moving through the water together.
The problem turned out to be all these whales were circling around so much, charging through the water, it was a bit challenging depicted which whale was which! Then again, any day we have multiple whales surrounding the boat, is a good day in my books!
In all the surfacings around us we realized we had a few different species in the area. A Minke whale suddenly appeared close to the boat allowing for an incredible size comparison between the 2nd smallest and the 2nd largest baleen whales in the world! We also had a Humpback whale in our midst. This animal after identifying it back on land turned out to be a yearling. This whale is the 2009 calf of Anvil.
The birds were flying, the whales were feeding, and the food seemed to be plentiful today. Can't wait to see what we find out there on Jeffreys Ledge tomorrow!
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It wasn't long before we came across our next ocean dwelling animal which was a Fin whale. This whale gave our school kids some incredible looks at the second largest animal in the world when a few surfacings went right alongside the boat! Perhaps the most unexpected part was when this whale pooped(!) during a surfacing for all the kids to see. Below, our Fin whale before it left its mark on the surface of the water.
Whale defecation is a GREAT indication of lots of food in the water. This whale had brown defecation meaning this whale had been eating lots of herring! Lots of fish equals a very productive Ledge and hopes of other whales coming to the area to feed on this food. With some more time to explore we left this Fin whale to check out some other hot spots on Jeffreys. Soon again we saw a blow from a whale; another Fin whale! This animal was surfacing in very large circular patterns but was holding its breath for quite sometime in between surfacings. These animals can easily hold their breath for very long periods of time (well over an hour if they chose too!) and with time running out we got some last looks and headed back to Rye Harbor to pick up passengers for our afternoon excursion.
With such great looks at whales in the morning, it only made sense to head back out to the same area to see if our whales had stuck around for the afternoon. Not only did we find whales, we found more! More Fin whales had moved into the area and were actively feeding!! Our first sighting was a massive swarm of gulls and whales combined. 2 Fin whales were lunge feeding while the seagulls were going after any scraps they could find. But that wasn't the only thing to look at. Relatively close by we were seeing more exhalations. We had at least 5 Fin whales in the area! Two of our 5 Fin whales moving through the water together.
The problem turned out to be all these whales were circling around so much, charging through the water, it was a bit challenging depicted which whale was which! Then again, any day we have multiple whales surrounding the boat, is a good day in my books!
In all the surfacings around us we realized we had a few different species in the area. A Minke whale suddenly appeared close to the boat allowing for an incredible size comparison between the 2nd smallest and the 2nd largest baleen whales in the world! We also had a Humpback whale in our midst. This animal after identifying it back on land turned out to be a yearling. This whale is the 2009 calf of Anvil.
The birds were flying, the whales were feeding, and the food seemed to be plentiful today. Can't wait to see what we find out there on Jeffreys Ledge tomorrow!
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Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday, June 14th aboard the Granite State
The weather started a little cloudy today, but we had lots of passengers eager to help us find whales. We left the dock, unsure of what we would find, but we headed to Jeffrey's Ledge with hope of finding some old friends. We saw a total of four Fin whales today, including this hungry one, who continually fed along the surface and gave our passengers quite a view of just how big it's mouth really is! There is nothing like seeing the second largest animal in the world feeding close by.
One of the other highlights of the day, was actually the first whale we found. After taking several breathes along the surface, the whale arched it's back indicating a deeper dive, and to our surprise it was "Fjord." Today marks Fjord's return to the Ledge this season and it was great to share the crew's excitement with all our passengers. Fjord is one of our Adopt-a-whale's and I'm happy to report that this whale is back for another year!
One of the other highlights of the day, was actually the first whale we found. After taking several breathes along the surface, the whale arched it's back indicating a deeper dive, and to our surprise it was "Fjord." Today marks Fjord's return to the Ledge this season and it was great to share the crew's excitement with all our passengers. Fjord is one of our Adopt-a-whale's and I'm happy to report that this whale is back for another year!
I want to thank all our passengers for coming out today. I hope to see you again soon.
June 13 on the Granite State
As with our whale watching friends on the Prince of Whales we too scoured the Ledge for signs of life during yesterday's whale watch. It wasn't until we were in the offshore waters did the fog lift giving us much better visibility to search for whales. The first sign of a whale came we when spotted the exhalation from a Fin whale. Not being too far away we changed direction and waited for this animal to take another breath. We waited, and waited and waited. As Dianna mentioned from her vantage point on the Prince of Whales, this animal while not travelling far, was taking long dives and even less breaths at the surface.
During one of our waiting sessions we spotted quite the commotion off in the distance. Fast, quick, splashing was being seen. Our initial thought was we must have a school of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna swimming by as the whitewater being created was barely allowing for any glimpse of what was creating it. Suddenly an Atlantic white-sided dolphin jumped through the water. We had more whales! Again this pod was charging around the area, back and forth, exemplifying just how quickly and easily these whales can move through the water.
Not every day do we get a chance to see a baleen whale (the Fin whale) and a toothed whale (the Atlantic white-sided dolphin) in a single trip. Thanks to our passengers who didn't lose hope as we left Rye Harbor in the fog and returned to the Harbor in the fog. Just goes to show that often times the weather on land is not quite the same conditions you have 15-20miles out on the open ocean!
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During one of our waiting sessions we spotted quite the commotion off in the distance. Fast, quick, splashing was being seen. Our initial thought was we must have a school of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna swimming by as the whitewater being created was barely allowing for any glimpse of what was creating it. Suddenly an Atlantic white-sided dolphin jumped through the water. We had more whales! Again this pod was charging around the area, back and forth, exemplifying just how quickly and easily these whales can move through the water.
Not every day do we get a chance to see a baleen whale (the Fin whale) and a toothed whale (the Atlantic white-sided dolphin) in a single trip. Thanks to our passengers who didn't lose hope as we left Rye Harbor in the fog and returned to the Harbor in the fog. Just goes to show that often times the weather on land is not quite the same conditions you have 15-20miles out on the open ocean!
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Sunday, June 13, 2010
June 13, Prince of Whales, Newburyport
Today we were in search of the elusive great whale...literally. We found three whales as well as a pod of white sided dolphins (technically toothed whales) but all were challenging to get good looks at. The first minke gave us the slip. The second minke was better and actually appeared as we were waiting for a big fin whale to surface. This minke, pictured below, was close to the boat and we all got a couple of great looks at it before it disappeared.
The fin whale was very busy, only surfacing for a couple of breaths before going down for 10+ minutes. I am guessing it was feeding as it was circling around but not leaving the area and only coming up for needed air before continuing to catch its lunch.
On our way in, we watched a small pod of Atlantic white sided dolphins race around the area. These dolphins were also feeding, constantly changing direction and always moving at a fast speed. The images below show just how fast these little guys were going- you can really only see the white water and barely any of the dolphin! Speedy dolphins!
The activity on the ledge is encouraging even if the whales were not as well behaved as we would like. Several species of pelagic (offshore) birds were seen including northern gannets, Wilson's storm petrels and a sooty shearwater. The presence of birds is always a good indicator of the food production (plankton and small fish) in the area. Hopefully once the whales fill their bellies, they will slow down a bit and allow us some better looks.
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The fin whale was very busy, only surfacing for a couple of breaths before going down for 10+ minutes. I am guessing it was feeding as it was circling around but not leaving the area and only coming up for needed air before continuing to catch its lunch.On our way in, we watched a small pod of Atlantic white sided dolphins race around the area. These dolphins were also feeding, constantly changing direction and always moving at a fast speed. The images below show just how fast these little guys were going- you can really only see the white water and barely any of the dolphin! Speedy dolphins!
The activity on the ledge is encouraging even if the whales were not as well behaved as we would like. Several species of pelagic (offshore) birds were seen including northern gannets, Wilson's storm petrels and a sooty shearwater. The presence of birds is always a good indicator of the food production (plankton and small fish) in the area. Hopefully once the whales fill their bellies, they will slow down a bit and allow us some better looks.
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Saturday, June 12, 2010
June 12 on the Granite State
Sea conditions were about as good as you can get out on the open ocean today. Throughout most of the trip we were travelling on water as smooth as glass. We passed under a few brief showers but conditions were looking positive for a good day to search for whales. And search we did.
We travelled 80 miles round trip today during our cruise. With clouds overhead and clear seas below we thought for sure if there was a whale we were going to find one. In the end we did, about 60 of them, and they were quite the crowd-pleaser after searching on the horizon for so long.
On our way back in from Jeffreys Ledge we intersected with a pod of Atlantic white-sided dolphins! This particular group was slowly moving to the Northeast and spread out over a good distance of ocean so everyone on board could leisurely watch them no matter what direction you were looking from the boat. With such relaxed dolphins we were excited when they reacted to the wake of the boat, jumping and leaping through the water.
Along our voyage to and from the Ledge we also got a quick look at a Basking shark and an Ocean sunfish for those towards the front of the boat. Since both of these creatures are fish and do not require the air to breathe many of our passengers were unable to catch a quick glimpse before these creatures quickly swam down into the depths of the ocean. An occurrence that happens occasionally though we have also had times when these fish have remained on the surface for all to see.
We would like to thank our VERY patient and understanding passengers today. We were on the move for most of the day, covering as much ocean as we possible could in one trip, and appreciate the effort of all who helped to search the horizon. The wild animals we call whales are as unpredictable as the weather. Things change in hours and days. Whales we had in one area yesterday, though not there today, could easily be back tomorrow. It is with a little luck, some incredible effort by everyone on the water, and the knowledge we possess that brings us that chance of encountering these amazing creatures.
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We travelled 80 miles round trip today during our cruise. With clouds overhead and clear seas below we thought for sure if there was a whale we were going to find one. In the end we did, about 60 of them, and they were quite the crowd-pleaser after searching on the horizon for so long.
On our way back in from Jeffreys Ledge we intersected with a pod of Atlantic white-sided dolphins! This particular group was slowly moving to the Northeast and spread out over a good distance of ocean so everyone on board could leisurely watch them no matter what direction you were looking from the boat. With such relaxed dolphins we were excited when they reacted to the wake of the boat, jumping and leaping through the water.
Along our voyage to and from the Ledge we also got a quick look at a Basking shark and an Ocean sunfish for those towards the front of the boat. Since both of these creatures are fish and do not require the air to breathe many of our passengers were unable to catch a quick glimpse before these creatures quickly swam down into the depths of the ocean. An occurrence that happens occasionally though we have also had times when these fish have remained on the surface for all to see.
We would like to thank our VERY patient and understanding passengers today. We were on the move for most of the day, covering as much ocean as we possible could in one trip, and appreciate the effort of all who helped to search the horizon. The wild animals we call whales are as unpredictable as the weather. Things change in hours and days. Whales we had in one area yesterday, though not there today, could easily be back tomorrow. It is with a little luck, some incredible effort by everyone on the water, and the knowledge we possess that brings us that chance of encountering these amazing creatures.
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Friday, June 11, 2010
June 11, Prince of Whales, Newburyport
What a fantastic sight to see- a spout on the horizon- a sign of large marine mammal life nearby!Today as we ventured out of the Merrimac River, the Gulf of Maine greeted us with some hefty swells. The river mouth, being so shallow, is often a rough crossing and we expected the seas to lay down as we cruised to deeper water. Well, that never really happened today. A storm to the east created some nice swells that some folks equated to being rocked to sleep, while others had a different opinion of the gift from Mother Nature.
As we approached the ledge, we found a very nice fin whale who was taking short dives and not moving very far at all. As we examined our photos, we found this whale to be #9709, a female first seen as an adult by BOS staff in 1997. This means that this whale is at least 20 years old!
Fin whale #9709 showing her unique "squiggle" in her dorsal fin and new (as of 2009) scars behind her dorsal fin.As we were watching 9709 (we welcome any suggestions for a name for this beauty), our friends aboard the Atlantic Queen II came by for a quick visit.
Atlantic Queen, Rye HarborJust as we left the area, we noticed a small school of bluefin tuna breaking the surface. Tuna feed on herring, the same fish that this fin whale was likely feeding on! As we crossed new water on our way home, we also passed by a small pod of harbor porpoises! Life on the ledge is definitely picking up!
Hope to see you all out there with us soon!
Hope to see you all out there with us soon!
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