What Kinds of Whales Will We See?

Whales are spotted on over 99% of our trips. While the number of whales spotted varies from day to day (and year to year), the biologically rich waters of Stellwagen Bank and Jeffrey's Ledge are one of the few areas on Earth where you can be almost certain of seeing at least a few large, endangered whales on just a half-day whale watch.

The whales most commonly sighted off our coast are HUMPBACK WHALES, also called "the singing whales", which range in size from 35 up to 55 feet in length. Humpback whales are sighted off the Gloucester, Massachusetts coastline from April through October during which time they are frequently seen feeding, breaching (leaping), flipper-slapping, and tail-lobbing. These amazing surface active behaviors have made the Humpback Whale a favorite amongst whale watchers.

Other whale species commonly seen on a Gloucester whale watch include FINBACK WHALES, MINKE WHALES, RIGHT WHALES, PILOT WHALES and ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS. A number of other whale species are seen on a less-frequent basis. These species include BLUE WHALES, SEI WHALES, SPERM WHALES, BELUGAS, and many species of DOLPHINS. To learn more about these and other whale species you can return to "The Whales" Home Page or just click on the desired link below.