(no subject)

[redbird]

cattitude and I just got back from a whale-watching trip on Massachusetts Bay, and it was excellent.

We saw four or five whales, some of them several times each, so good looks at two humpback whales, including their flukes, and the bodies of the whales swimming or floating near the surface of the water--the guide said she thought they were napping part of the time. We also saw a fin whale, and lots of sightings of them exhaling through their blowholes. I think there may have been more than one fin whale; I didn't see everything, but I saw a lot, and enjoyed myself a lot.

It was cold enough on the water, especially when the boat was moving fast on the way to, and from, the areas where the whales are, that I was glad that my coat pockets contained gloves, because I have a pair that I just keep there. There is indoor seating, but we started sitting outside, for the better view, and mostly stayed there. Everyone who was outside moved around the deck as the guide announced that a whale was visible from one or the other side of the boat, so I spent a lot of time on my feet, but it's about an hour from the dock to the part of the water where the captain thought we would have the best chance of seeing whales.

ETA, the next morning: Also, I saw a small bird flying around/ above the boat deck and railing while we were well away from shore. Poking at bird ID sites the next morning, probably a swamp sparrow, maybe a chipping sparrow or American tree sparrow; I'm pretty sure it had been with the boat as we moved away from the shore. (Red/rufous crown, brown body, small.)

Comments

[thistleingrey]

Gloves/mitts/handwarmers that stay in pockets are great--I've been glad of those a few times, too. Sounds like a lovely outing!

[tarasacon]

I always try to keep gloves in my coat pockets. It saves me a lot of ouch.

[otter]

That sounds so cool! I've only seen whales from shore.

[sabotabby]

omg WHALES! I think my one whale-watching trip was among the happiest I've ever been. They're just so wonderful.

[threeringedmoon]

When we were in Alaska a decade or so again, our kin told us that we had to go to Seward and take one of the day trip cruises to look at wildlife. Among lots of birds, otters in the ocean, and on-shore seals, we saw the flukes of a whale, and, I think one rolling over near the boat. However, the real highlight for me was seeing a pod of orcas, including a tiny looking little baby. It was a great experience.

[tarasacon]

Whales are so cool! I haven’t been whale watching in ages.

If anyone is interested in learning a lot about them, I read Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth's Most Awesome Creatures last year and Lurned Things.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38513395-spying-on-whales

I’m having pretty good luck with the Merlin app for bird ID. It’s by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/), which is my go-to for bird information. You can add regional databases as desired. Fair warning that it’s a bulky app, though.