Success at last. New England whale watch

david_h · May 28, 2005

So our very first whale watch trip we planned for last weekend was called off because of the big storm.
This weekend, the weather was better so, raincheck tickets in hand, my daughter and I drove over to Gloucester.
We were not disappointed this time, saw several humpback whales - just great. At times the animals were within a few feet of the boat.

This is one of my favorite sequences......

For anyone in the Boston area, it's a wonderful day out

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bfjr · May 28, 2005

Fantastic Series
Thanks so much for sharing

jwear · May 28, 2005

nicely done good shots and great presentation

looks like a fun day

david_h · May 28, 2005

Thanks guys, I haven't had so much fun in ages. Bloody cold out there though. My right hand felt as though it was going to get frozen to my camera.
Here's another, also a humpback. It seems as though the whales enjoy putting on a performance for people that come out to visit them.

david_h · May 29, 2005

I learnt two new things on the trip. I'd thought that all whales breathed through one blowhole. It turns out that humpbacks have a pair of nostrils, just like us.

The other thing is that they have the ultimate bad breath. Getting close to them is great, but watch out for that smell, best to stay upwind

Harryb · May 29, 2005

david_h · May 29, 2005

Thanks for stopping by Harry. I don't do much wildlife photography but I enjoyed these.

Here's a final one for good measure. Reminds me of some early submarine designs.....

Stan · May 29, 2005

I won't say I hate you but...

I am very envious, those are good

gus · May 29, 2005

Great stuff david. I just hope our humpbacks are not killed by the japanese whalers before they get up to my place this year.

We even have an albino one that turns up each year.

Gus

wxwax · May 29, 2005

Excellent! Nice job, man.

david_h · May 29, 2005

Stan wrote:

I won't say I hate you but... I am very envious, those are good

Thanks Stan. I actually moved here 15 years ago from pretty close to you (over in Essex). This is the first time I've taken advantage of the opportunity to go see whales, I'm glad I did.

Humungus wrote:

Great stuff david. I just hope our humpbacks are not killed by the japanese whalers before they get up to my place this year.

We even have an albino one that turns up each year.

Gus

An Albino humpback would be something to see. I'm sure the guides would have mentioned if your one was a visitor to our area. It seems that there are about 1,700 regulars that have been named.
It's a shame that some countries insist on still hunting them. Unlike the days of Captain Ahab, it's hardly a fair fight. The ones we saw have no fear of the boats at all, they happliy swam around while we all clicked away.

wxwax wrote:

Excellent! Nice job, man.

Thanks Sid.

gus · May 29, 2005

Here are some google photos of him david (it is a male they believe).

His name is Migaloo....which is australian aboriginal for 'white fella' (so does wadjela actally)

They (0zzie east coast humpbacks) dont travel anywhere else on the globe but from the antarctic up the east 0z coast to our great barrier reef & back again.

From 1948-72 the soviets illegally killed more than 100 000 in the southern ocean & scientists suspect our humpback population was about 30 000 at its height.

Its now about 5000 ...0z stopped whaling in '62 & they say only 200 were left. These figures are from the net but all ref about the same numbers.
Gus

david_h · May 30, 2005

Humungus wrote:

Here are some google photos of him david (it is a male they believe).
Gus

Thanks for the links. Looks as though he is quite a celebrity down under.

Dee · May 30, 2005

He's beautiful
Hope he survives. Also, for the info about the migration in your area. Our whales go from Mexico to the Alaska area.

I actually have very, very, very far away whale spouts I took, more to record when I saw them than anything else. We saw quite a few whale spouts for quite a long time, so it must have been a large group traveling up the coast.

I come back from a week in NY and suddenly the Pelicans are back and the whales are migrating! (Well, at least I get to see it :-) they still migrate whether or not I see them, but for me it's when I see them.

I wouldn't have missed seeing a second spring this year for anything though. It was beautiful on the island.

Seamus · May 30, 2005

david_h wrote:

So our very first whale watch trip we planned for last weekend was called off because of the big storm.
This weekend, the weather was better so, raincheck tickets in hand, my daughter and I drove over to Gloucester.
We were not disappointed this time, saw several humpback whales - just great. At times the animals were within a few feet of the boat.

This is one of my favorite sequences......

For anyone in the Boston area, it's a wonderful day out :

David, I would sell a kidney to get a shot like that, excellent

Shay.

david_h · May 30, 2005

shay wrote:

David, I would sell a kidney to get a shot like that, excellent

Shay.

OMG - what can I say

Please don't do it. Just get the cheapest ticket possible on Aer Lingus over to Boston, it's easier than surgery I'm sure.

There are several dgrinners in this area, we could organise a whale day out.

We were lucky, beautiful day (for once) and very cooperative animals. Thanks for the kind words.

Seamus · May 30, 2005

david_h wrote:

OMG - what can I say Please don't do it. Just get the cheapest ticket possible on Aer Lingus over to Boston, it's easier than surgery I'm sure.

There are several dgrinners in this area, we could organise a whale day out.

We were lucky, beautiful day (for once) and very cooperative animals. Thanks for the kind words.

Don't worry, I didn't mean it literally ( my kidneys would probably be rejected anyway, too much alcohol

). They are great shots of a majestic animal

. I didn't know that the whales came so close to the coast.

Shay.

GREAPER · May 30, 2005

Very nice shots, majestic.

david_h · May 30, 2005

shay wrote:

Don't worry, I didn't mean it literally ( my kidneys would probably be rejected anyway, too much alcohol ). They are great shots of a majestic animal . I didn't know that the whales came so close to the coast.

Shay.

Have no fear, I knew you were kidding. My kidneys are pretty well pickled as well, although being in the US I mainly drink soft drinks like Bud these days

Greaper - I appreciate your comment, thanks for checking out the pictures. Now I'm looking forward to my next adventure - a few days in Moab with my family.

Success at last. New England whale watch

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