Whale Madness and a Salt Sighting
04.30.2026
North of Boston's Best Small Business Award Winner 2025
#1 Ranked Whale Watch in Gloucester Since 2009 on TripAdvisor
#2 On Tripadvisor’s List of "Top Family-Fun in the World" Dec 2023
Departing just 50 minutes north of Boston, we introduce thousands of passengers each year to the whales and marine wildlife found just miles from our Gloucester dock. Our daily whale watch trips run from mid-April through mid-October, offering an educational and inspiring experience in this remarkable marine sanctuary. Family-owned and operated for four generations, 7 Seas Whale Watch has worked from this very dock for over 70 years. We look forward to welcoming you aboard.
Located on Cape Ann, Gloucester’s historic working harbor provides one of the closest and best departure points for reaching the feeding grounds of Stellwagen Bank.
04.30.2026
August 19, 2026
There’s just a few weeks left to the busy Summer season but the whales show no signs of slowing down.
Good numbers of HUMPBACK WHALES continue to be found on each trip. We have also had the occasional MINKE WHALE sighting and we have often encountered a few pods of ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS that have been frequenting the area.
Besides the whales we have also seen some other interesting marine wildlife. Just this morning we saw a massive OCEAN SUNFISH (aka “Mola mola”) and got a great look at a BASKING SHARK. Yesterday we had our first BLUE SHARK of the season!
One thing that really stands out amongst all of the great sightings recently is WHO we have seen. Some of the “classic” humpback whales of the southern Gulf of Maine population have been in the area with “Salt” being probably the most iconic. This morning we also saw a new mother-and-calf pair: MARS and calf! It’s been a long time since we have seen Mars. In fact many of our crew had never seen her before despite working with this population of whales for over 10 years. Seeing her with a calf was pretty special. We’ve also seen “Spoon”… the largest humpback whale in our area.
Here’s a collection of photos taken on recent trips. Enjoy!
Remember: Whale watching is a nature trip and every trip is different. These photos represent highlights from the past few days. While you are not likely to see ALL of these species or behaviors on a single trip, every trip offers something special. ... See MoreSee Less
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AUGUST 17, 2026
We had a very special sighting this afternoon…
The most iconic humpback whale in our population...
The first whale in our population to be given a name (back in 1976)...
The “Grand Old Lady of Stellwagen Bank”…
“SALT” IS BACK! ... See MoreSee Less
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AUGUST 17, 2026
Do birds like to watch whales?
This Great Shearwater sure seemed to like watching a humpback whale calf (Milkweed's calf)!
Look at the way the bird sticks its head beneath the surface to watch the calf underwater. It was very entertaining to watch the interaction between these two species.
*As entertaining as it was to watch the shearwater and the whale interact the commentary from a young passenger standing just behind the wheelhouse as I took this video was even more entertaining* ... See MoreSee Less
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WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 8.13 & 8.14
What’s better than a summer day in Gloucester, out on the ocean watching wild whales? Nothing.
Come experience it for yourself and learn about the whales that call the Gulf of Maine home. Here are some of our favorite moments from the last few days on the water. ... See MoreSee Less
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AUGUST 14, 2026
My favorite quote from Amanda's narration on this morning's whale watch: "Is this what heaven looks like?"
To each their own. But to you, Amanda, I'm sure it is. ... See MoreSee Less
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AUGUST 14, 2026
The great whale sightings and this stretch of beautiful Summer weather continue. We look forward to what today will bring. Here's what the past few days brought... ... See MoreSee Less
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