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.

Kayaking Cape Cod Style

Rich and I first bought kayaks during our tenure in North Conway, NH, where, as many of you know, we had an 11-room bed and breakfast in the heart of the White Mountains. Longtime owners of an Old Town canoe, we were cajoled by friends one day to try kayaking on the Saco River. Lulled into complacency by the ease of navigating this gentle river in summer, allowing the current to steer us downstream to a pick-up spot in the bend of the river, we soon sold our canoe and invested in kayaks of our own.
We “tried on” several kayaks (literally) before making our choices. I went with a Perception Acadia, and Rich chose a Walden specifically because it is designed for fishing, being wider of berth and shallower of draft, and hence more stable. Plus it had a neat gizmo attached to store his fishing rod when not in use and a nifty little detachable apron across the cockpit, just perfect for attaching hooks, and lures, and flies, and such.. Actually, it comes in much more handy when eating lunch out on the water. Well, you get the picture. We each decided to get our own kayak rather than a tandem, primarily due to the ugly moped incident on our honeymoon when we opted to rent one moped for the both of us. It’s lucky we still married after that experience, let alone alive. But that’s another story.

Anyhow, we brought our kayaks with us when we moved to the Cape, fully expecting to while away many a summer’s afternoon in the bayous and backwaters of this lovely peninsular. To date we have kayaked in Barnstable Harbor, on Little Pleasant Bay, on the Parker River (to a 4th of July fireworks display), and Lake Wequaquet, all memorable experiences to be sure, but not nearly enough to sate our hunger for the sport.

There are a number of good kayak rental outfitters on Cape Cod, and a few that offer guided tours and instruction. Our favorite is Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures (http://www.ospreyseakayak.com), operated by Dick Hilmer and his wife. Dick is a heck of a guy, a throwback perhaps to the 60s, but a supremely knowledgeable and extremely eco-conscious individual with a terrific sense of humor. We have sent a number of our guests on kayak adventures with Dick, and all return with high praise for his unique ability to share his love of and concern for the fragile Cape Cod eco-system. We’ve even taken some of our friends out with Dick, who echo our kudos to what he offers the Cape Cod visitor.

When time allows we will tackle the rest of what Dick tells us are the best kayaking spots on the Cape. Here is his top ten list, in no particular order:

SCORTON CREEK, Sandwich
Launch from the State Wildlife Reservation off Route 6A by the Scorton Creek Bridge. Scorton means “place where the stream branches.” Follow this twisting tidal creek through the Great Marsh, which once stretched as far as Barnstable Harbor. Explore adjacent Mill and Shove Creeks. Highlights: herons, egrets, ospreys, and striped bass.

WAQUOIT BAY, Falmouth & Mashpee
Launch from Great River Boat Landing, Great Oak Road, Mashpee. Paddle down Great River and west across Waquoit Bay to Washburn Island. Continue south along the island, across the channel to South Cape Beach State Park, then return across the bay. Highlights: walking the pristine 330-acre Washburn Island (primitive camping available), beachcombing on South Cape Beach, shorebirds.

BARNSTABLE HARBOR, Barnstable
Launch from Blish Point State Landing, Millway Road. Head across Barnstable Harbor to Sandy Neck and explore this spectacular seven-mile long barrier beach that protects the 4,000-acre Great Marsh. Highlights: second highest sand dunes on Cape Cod, views of the Great Marsh, quaint village and old lighthouse at Beach Point.

BASS RIVER, Dennis
Launch from Cove Road and paddle north. Bass River is the longest river on Cape Cod, stretching seven miles from its headwaters at Mill Pond to Nantucket Sound. Highlight: walking the two mile trail at the Indian Lands Conservation Area, spring wildflowers (including lady’s slippers).

BELLS NECK/HERRING RIVER, Harwich
Launch from Bell’s Neck Road and cross the West Reservoir, a freshwater cedar swamp. Take out at the dike and put back in on the Herring River. Follow the winding river to Route 28 in West Harwich. Highlights: 245 acres of salt and freshwater marshes, woods, herring run, cranberry bogs, kettle ponds, hiking trails.

BREWSTER PONDS, Brewster
Launch from Punkhorn Parklands parking lot, Run Hill Road. An easy canoe trip through a chain of freshwater ponds, Walker’s, Upper Mill, and Lower Mill. These kettle ponds were created 12,000 years ago by melting blocks of glacial ice. Highlights: Stony Brook Grist Mill, the herring run, five miles of trails in the 800-acre Punkhorn Parklands.

LITTLE PLEASANT BAY, Orleans
Launch from Portanimicut Road, Orleans. Paddle across Little Pleasant Bay to circumnavigate Sampson and Hog Islands and explore Nauset Beach. The privately owned islands allow visitors, and Nauset Beach is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Highlights: snorkeling, eelgrass beds, horseshoe crabs, ospreys.

NAUSET MARSH, Eastham
Launch from Salt Pond below the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center or Hemenway Road off Route 6. Nauset Marsh is a vast system of salt-marsh, creeks, channels, islands, and barrier beach. Circumnavigate the marsh heading north through Salt Pond Bay and Nauset Bay, then south along Nauset Beach, and back through the Main Channel. Or head south through Skiff Hill Creek along Fort Hill, past Town Cove to Inlet Marsh and back. Highlights: former Coast Guard Station, thousands of nesting terns, migrating shorebirds, seals, striped bass, ospreys, beachcombing, National Seashore visitor center, hiking trails and bike paths nearby.

WELLFLEET PONDS, Wellfleet
Launch from Gull Pond Landing off Schoolhouse Hill Road. This is a short and easy tour, especially good for beginners, of three kettle ponds – Gull, Higgins, and Williams – in the Cape Cod National Seashore. Williams Pond was the home of the “Wellfleet Oysterman” immortalized in Thoreau’s Cape Cod. Highlights: water lilies, red maples, turtles, frogs, sunfish, swimming.

PAMET RIVER, Truro
Launch from the South Pamet Road culvert to explore the freshwater Upper Pamet or from the Pamet Harbor boat ramp on Depot Road to explore the saltwater Lower Pamet and Pamet Harbor. The Pamet is an outwash channel carved by the glaciers with its head at the Atlantic Ocean and its mouth at Cape Cod Bay. Highlights: foliage, panoramic views of the Pamet Hills.