Whale Madness and a Salt Sighting

Our first trips of the season have come and gone, and I’m still trying to process everything we witnessed. Over the past few years, we’ve been fortunate to experience truly unforgettable encounters, but this past weekend felt almost surreal, like something too extraordinary to be real. More than once, both passengers and myself found ourselves rubbing our eyes, as if we might wake up from a dream.

On both Saturday and Sunday, we encountered six different species of cetaceans, with humpback whales, fin whales, and Atlantic white-sided dolphins being the most abundant. Each trip began with pods of Atlantic white-sided dolphins bow-riding alongside us, almost as if they were guiding us toward the larger whales feeding on American sand lance.

By Sunday, we found ourselves surrounded by more than 40 humpback whales, forming feeding groups of up to 14 individuals. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. While we’ve observed large aggregations before, particularly in 2022, what made this weekend truly exceptional were the conditions and truly the sheer number of whales in the area. The ocean was like glass. With little to no wind, we could see whales moving 20 feet beneath the surface and hear their blows from remarkable distances. The entire scene felt alive, a symphony of gulls overhead and the powerful exhalations of humpback whales echoing across the water.

As if that wasn’t enough, we were lucky to spend time with Salt, the first humpback whale named in the Gulf of Maine back in 1976, and one of the most iconic whales in the world. A whale that has inspired generations. She looked incredible! She was active, animated, and announcing her presence in the feeding group with powerful trumpet blows.

Tomorrow, we head back offshore for the first time in nearly a week. After such an extraordinary stretch, it’s always important to remember that these animals are under no obligation to remain in one place. If the food moves, they move with it. With wildlife, there are no expectations, only appreciation.

We’re excited to see what the next week may bring.