Whale Madness and a Salt Sighting
04.30.2026
A True New England Whale Watching Experience
Trusted by generations of guests since 1983
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
Welcome Aboard the
Privateer IV
From Historic Gloucester to the Waters of Stellwagen National Marine Sanctuary
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.
What You Could See on Your Whale Watch
GUARANTEED SIGHTINGS! The productive waters off Massachusetts are home to a variety of species of whales and other marine wildlife. Over our 45+ years in business we have a 99% success rate in finding whales. In the unlikely event you do not see a whale on your trip you will receive a voucher for a FREE whale watch that you can use anytime in the future.
Recent Sightings & Photos
Check out our Facebook feed for the latest sightings, photos, and updates from the water.
Recent Instagram Posts
Explore additional photography and video highlights from our whale watches on Instagram.
Departing from the Heart of Cape Ann
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.
WHALE SIGHTINGS REPORT ~ 7.1.26-7.6.26 🐋
Here’s a full recap of photos from our wonderful Fourth of July weekend spent exploring the southern Gulf of Maine. We had sightings of HUMPBACK WHALES, MINKE WHALES, FIN WHALES, ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS, and OCEAN SUNFISH. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for being offshore, especially with the heat wave in Gloucester pushing the heat index above 100 degrees.
One of the most interesting parts of the past few days has been just how different every trip has been. Some outings have made us work hard to find the whales, but they’ve all been worth the effort. Over the weekend we explored everything from just a few miles off Gloucester, to Jeffrey’s Ledge in the north, all the way to the southern end of Stellwagen Bank.
It’s also been exciting to reconnect with some whales we spent so much time with in past seasons but hadn’t seen yet this year, including Valley, Clamp, and Diablo. I can’t help but say "hello" out loud whenever I see them for the first time each year. The season never quite feels complete until we’ve seen those familiar faces again.
Unfavorable weather is keeping us at the dock tomorrow, but we’re already looking ahead to our next trip offshore. We hope you’ll join us!
#whalewatching #humpbackwhale #northofboston #newengland #Massachusetts #discovergloucester #whales #gloucesterma ... See MoreSee Less
17 CommentsComment on Facebook
JULY 4, 2026
Yesterday was a hot day on the water. It was cooler than on land by a good 15-20 degrees… but it was still hot.
Our morning trip started with a sighting of a few MINKE WHALES, then we had a rare treat: DOLPHINS!
We haven’t seen too many pods of dolphins this year, but on the way out this morning we found a very active pod of about 200 ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS that were a real treat to watch.
After spending some time with these dolphins we headed south and found a good number of HUMPBACK WHALES including some well known individuals that we have been seeing a lot of this year: Jabiru and her calf, Pele, Conflux, Raccoon and two other individuals that were nearby but we didn’t identify. Conflux did a bit of flipper slapping and Jabiru’s calf was his usual active and curious self.
In the afternoon we again headed south and were surprised to find humpback whale - a whale named “Striation” - breaching on the northwest corner of Stellwagen Bank!
We watched Striation for a few minutes while he flipper-slapped and surfaced close by but soon decided to head further south in search of more whales. It was too hot ashore to stay close and get in early so why not go exploring?
It was the right decision as we found a different mother-and-calf pair from the morning, “Leukos” and calf and they were amazing.
The calf was very curious about our boat and with the glass-calm seas it mode for unparalleled great looks at what is arguably the prettiest calf out there.
So the Fourth of July weekend is off to a good start. Let’s see what today brings… ... See MoreSee Less
9 CommentsComment on Facebook
JULY 2, 2026
July is off to hot start, both in terms of weather and whales.
We have often had to travel quite far to find whales over the past few days but it has well worth the extra effort as we have had some of the best sightings of the year-to-date and that’s saying a lot considering how great the 2026 season has been. We are always willing to go the extra mile (or 10) if it means getting the best possible sightings for our passengers.
Over the past 2 days we have seen all three species of “Great Whales” that frequent our waters in Summer: HUMPBACK WHALES, FINBACK WHALES and MINKE WHALES.
It’s the humpbacks that continue to be the main focus of our trips however, as they continue to be found in large numbers, often feeding in large groups.
Many mother/calf pairs are also still being seen and the calves are frequently the highlight of many of our whale watches. They have put on some pretty spectacular displays of surface activity recently and often steal our attention away from the feeding adults.
Every clip in this video was taken over a two-day span: July 1st and 2nd. Trying to condense all of the footage we’ve taken in that short time to just two minutes was difficult but I think it captures just how great the past two days have been. I also included a few shots of some other wildlife - The herons that are often lingering around our dock hunting fish!
There’s no telling how long these great sightings will last but it’s a great time to go on the ocean even if just to beat the heat. Of course the whales being so great helps too! ... See MoreSee Less
18 CommentsComment on Facebook
JUNE 30, 2026
Here's two short videos from today.
#1. The first is from our morning trip. This trip started off with perfect weather on the ride out... until it got foggy. Very foggy.
We travelled to a spot where we suspected whales might be present and after a few minutes of searching a huge, black mass appeared through the fog right next to the boat: It was a breaching whale!
The whale continued to breach, chin breach and flipper slap and, as it did, the fog cleared revealing many more whales - most of them feeding - in the area.
#2. This shot is from our afternoon whale watch. We again travelled quite far to find the whales but... wow! So many whales. So much feeding. And SO much breaching!
The only problem with this shot of Leukos' calf breaching is that it was so close to the boat the railing got in my way! ... See MoreSee Less
14 CommentsComment on Facebook
WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 6.26.26-6.29.26
These past few days have all offered diverse encounters with HUMPBACK WHALES, MINKE WHALES, and OCEAN SUNFISH. One thing we haven't encountered much this season, but did this weekend as the summer humidity arrived, was fog.
Fog adds an extra challenge to any whale watch, limiting visibility, sometimes to 100 feet or less. In those conditions, our whale finding skills are really put to the test as we rely on all of our senses: listening for blows, watching for disturbances/fish in the water, and even smelling the whales (our Sunday morning passengers got to experience that firsthand). Finding a whale in the fog is incredibly rewarding, and getting to watch them emerge from the mist makes for a unique experience. Despite the challenging conditions, we were still able to find whales on every trip this weekend.
By Monday, the fog had begun to lift, and we made our way back to the southern end of Stellwagen Bank, where we encountered feeding groups of humpback whales and, in true 2026 fashion, a few calves. One of the highlights of yesterday was been watching some of the calves, Jabiru's and Milkweed’s, begin practicing their feeding skills. On Monday afternoon, Jabiru's calf ventured off on her own, blowing bubbles and filling her mouth with water before visiting a few nearby groups of whales and eventually returning to mom.
Watching these calves learn to feed is a lot like watching a child learn to ride a bike. They're figuring it out, making progress, and just need a little more practice before it becomes second nature, or, well... like riding a bike.
With a heat wave on its way to Massachusetts this week, there's no better place to cool off than out on the ocean with the whales!
#discovergloucester #northofboston #whalewatching #humpbackwhale #Massachusetts #newengland #whales ... See MoreSee Less
17 CommentsComment on Facebook
WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE 6.21.26 - 6.25.26
After one of the best springs for whales in recent years, the start of summer has continued that momentum. We've been enjoying incredible sightings of HUMPBACK WHALES on Stellwagen Bank, and despite a few rainy days, especially Thursday, the seas have been glassy, creating perfect conditions for whale watching.
Many whales have been taking advantage of the still conditions to rest at the surface, while others have been just as curious about us as we were about them, using the calm water to get a closer look. Our most memorable trip this week, and the one you've seen us sharing videos from, was on June 22nd. Two males, “3.14” and “Sprinkles”, swam right up to our boat and spent nearly an hour with us in what was the most remarkable close-to-boat interactions I've witnessed. They spyhopped side by side, chased one another, and rolled over each other in a way I've never seen before. It wasn't the aggression or competition. Instead, it felt like watching two “teenagers” who have grown into some of the population's more dominant males, yet still found time to be kids together.
We've continued to see many familiar humpbacks alongside a few new flukes. Humpbacks identified this week include: A-Plus and calf, Firefly and calf, Measles and calf, Bowline, Schism, Pitcher, Cygnus, 3.14, Music, Joy, Conflux, Spell, Putter, and Sockeye It was especially exciting to see Sockeye again!
This weekend, we begin running two trips daily for the summer. We hope to see you on the water!
#whalewatching #whales #Massachusetts #newengland #gloucesterma #humpbackwhale #summer #northofboston ... See MoreSee Less
24 CommentsComment on Facebook