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.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2026
We’ve been graced by Mother Nature with favorable weather throughout much of the season, but September has brought several days of high winds and less than ideal sea conditions. Despite the weather challenges, we’ve continued to find whales!
Today’s forecast called for moderate winds, which held true when we arrived at the boat this morning. However, the winds picked up as we let the lines go, and we encountered wet and windy conditions on Jeffreys Ledge. Despite the weather, we spent time with an association of 6 humpback whales: Sprinkles, Bayou, Rope, Whirlwind, Touchdown and Alligator, with several others visible in the distance.
To our passengers who joined us today, thank you for your patience and adventurous spirits! These photos are for you to save and enjoy. I’m grateful we were able to see as much as we did. Patience and a sense of adventure are often rewarded with memorable sightings! ...
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WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 9.7.26–9.10.26
We’ve been spending time with numerous humpback whales close to home on southern Jeffreys Ledge. During September and October, we’ve found that this area often becomes a pit stop for whales as they migrate south, especially individuals that may have spent the peak summer months farther north in the Gulf of Maine.
Over the past few days, we’ve encountered humpback whales traveling in associations ranging from pairs to groups of up to five individuals. Some are new to us this season, while others we haven’t seen since the spring!
Humpback whales identified: Bayou, Rope, Crisscross, Whirlwind, Touchdown, Gunslinger, Quill, Prongs, Alligator, Draco, Valley, Bungee, Orion, Crook, and Shuffleboard and calf. ...
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SEPTEMBER 8, 2026
Labor Day weekend has come-and-gone and thus summer has (unofficially) ended.
From a whale sightings perspective it was one of the best spring/summers in recent memory and we are happy to have had the opportunity to share these great sightings with so many of you. Thank you everyone who joined us. We hope it was one of the highlights of your summer.
But don't worry! There's still plenty of whale watching to be done this year as we will be going out until the end of October! And as many experienced whale watchers know, there's no better season than fall.
Here's a video I put together from recent trips (last week of August through Labor Day). Enjoy!
***And remember to switch to 720p for best quality*** ...
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2026
Happy Labor Day!
Yesterday was a very rough day on the water. We set out to try and reach Stellwagen Bank and the area where we have been seeing whales regularly for the past few weeks but we only got a mile-or-so out before it became clear that the sea conditions were not going to let us go any further. It was too rough. We had to turn back. But....
As we were turning back towards the harbor we saw a whale jump out of the water just a few hundreds yards from shore!
It is unusual to see a whale so close to Gloucester Harbor. It is unusual to see a whale breach over and over again. To have both of those things happen on a day like this was an incredibly lucky coincidence.
Hopefully today the seas will be better. Here's a quick video from yesterday (9/6/2026).
***As always, switch to 720p for best quality*** ...
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SEPTEMBER 5, 2026
Thank you to everyone who came out with us this morning. The weather definitely worsened far quicker than expected. It got pretty rough out there!
Thankfully the whales made the journey worth it though. Here's the video of Pleats' calf that I promised.
To those who had planned on coming out with its this afternoon we hope will be able to join us on another trip soon. The sea conditions were just not suitable for taking people out this afternoon. Your safety and making sure we give you a good experience open the water is important to us. ...
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WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 9.1.26 - 9.4.26
As the seasons begin to change, we’ve been seeing a mix of species, some associated with summer and others that become more common as we ease into fall. Believe it or not, the leaves have already started changing color here in Massachusetts!
Over the past few days, our trips have featured an incredible variety of wildlife, including HUMPBACK WHALES, ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS, SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHINS, BLUE SHARKS, OCEAN SUNFISH, and even a LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE.
The birders have enjoyed some exciting sightings as well, including a Sabine’s gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, and Parasitic Jaegers.
Here are a few photo highlights… ...
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