Whale Watching: A High Pointe Inn Adventure

When Rich and I first moved to Cape Cod, we were intrigued by the many whale-watching excursions offered throughout the spring, summer, and early fall. Rich, ever the skeptic, thought that whale watching fell into the category of “submarine races” and other questionable activities designed to take advantage of the ill-informed or naive tourist. That, of course, was until we took our first whale-watching excursion from Barnstable Harbor via the Hyannis Whale Watcher. Departing around 3:00 PM on a perfect summer afternoon on the M/V Whale Watcher, a new state-of-the-art jet-powered boat that can literally turn on a dime, we sped north across Cape Cod Bay toward Stellwagen Bank, which lies roughly 6 miles northeast of Provincetown.

My reserach revealed that Stellwagen Bank is an 842-square-mile section of shallows in the open ocean lying in the Gulf of Maine just off the mouth of Cape Cod Bay. A prime fishing area, Stellwagen’s unique conditions and topography enable it to support a tremendous diversity of marine life, from single-cell organisms to great whales. A protected National Marine Sanctuary since 1992–the first area in the Northeast to receive that designation–Stellwagen Bank attracts the whales that migrate here because of its abundant food supplies. Many types of whales are found here, including finback (the largest), humpback (the most playful), right (the most endangered), sei, minke, killer (also known as Orca), and pilot whales (also known as black fish). Each species has its own distinct habits, but, generally, the whales begin arriving in this area in early spring and leave for warmer waters in early winter.

We cruised past the quaint cottage colony and lighthouse at Sandy Neck, a beautiful barrier beach just two miles from the Inn, sitting on the top deck of the boat to soak up the afternoon sun on our way to see whales. In less than an hour, across very calm seas, we reached our destination.

State and federal agencies have strict guidelines for whale-watch boats. On Cape Cod, boats are prohibited from coming within more than 300 yards of most whales and 500 yards of the endangered right whale. Arriving at our destination, our boat approached the feeding ground and cut the engine. The onboard naturalist came over the P.A. system as the boat jockeyed for position, cautioning us to watch for “foot prints” on the water, the distinctive pattern left on the surface of the ocean after whales breach and dive below. “Thar she blows” echoed through my mind as I scanned the surface of the water, looking either for a foot print or a spout from the blowhole of an active whale in the area. I didn’t have to wait long.

Within minutes we spotted our first whale, a minke. As the naturalist directed us to this first sighting, eager cries from the opposite side of the boat lured us toward the stern. Soon we were surrounded by humpbacks, fin backs, and the omnipresent minkes. We, and our fellow travelers, found ourselves scurrying back and forth across the deck to catch a glimpse of each whale as it appeared on the scene, and scouring the horizon for a possible breach. Our naturalist was nearly giddy with excitement each time she made a new spotting. With each new sighting, the naturalist was careful to enlighten us with fascinating insight on whale behavior, plus commentary on the local ecology and history of  Stellwagen. Some naturalists, who have worked around whales for a long time, can identify individual whales by distinctive markings on the flukes of the whale’s tail, underside, body, or head, and often know specific details of their lives, from their offspring to their travel patterns.

Rich was absolutely in his glory trying to juggle between binoculars and his digital camera, though I thought the best approach was simply to wait for the “oohs and aahs” of my traveling companions and focus where their fingers pointed me. Several times during our trip, the captain maneuvered the boat so that all aboard could have a front row seat. In the end, we counted dozens of sightings, some a good distance away, but many so close to the boat we could almost reach out and touch them. The most exciting moment during a whale watch, of course, is when (or if) one of the whales shoots straight up out of the water and splashes down again into the sea in a maneuver known as breaching.

According to one local guidebook, humpback whales are the most popular species to watch because they are inquisitive enough to come close to the boats and have an engaging tendency to perform. Humpbacks feed for about six or seven months in the waters of Stellwagen Bank, which is rich with plankton, squid, herring, sand lance, and other sea life, and then leave the area, fasting until they return the following year from their wintering ground in the West Indies, where they breed and give birth. Different species of whales feed on different types of sea life. Right whales, for instance, feed mostly on plankton.

All too soon it seemed, but actually after more than an hour at the feeding grounds, our captain announced that we must leave. On the return trip, we spotted dolphin, and several basking sharks sunning themselves in the shallow depths near Sandy Neck. And, as an added bonus, we were treated to one of Cape Cods spectacular sunsets over Sandy Neck (more about that in another blogicle).

Needless to say, Rich is now a total convert, enthusiastically encouraging all our guests to take a whale watch adventure. No one has ever been disappointed, and several have told stories of mothers and calves breaching together, humpbacks seeming to wave their tail fins, and once, of the captain having to turn off the engines while a humpback scratched its back back-and-forth on the bottom of the boat.

Whale-watching boats run from mid-April through the end of October and usually last between three and four hours. Guests may depart from Barnstable Harbor, a short 15-minute drive from the High Pointe Inn, or Provincetown, which is about an hour’s drive. All whale-watching excursions guarantee sightings during the season, so on the off chance that no whales are spotted, you’ll be given a rain check to use at another time.

We offer our guests a small discount on trips departing from Barnstable Harbor aboard the Hyannis Whale Watcher, and can make reservations in advance to ensure seating.