Whale Watch

Wolverine CAMERA I’m surprised we haven’t gone on a Whale Watch in the past decade. We did this year. It was the first whale watch for the grandkids. Jenny decided and made the reservation.                             Sometime in the 1980s Bill Gallagher, Tom Corley and I took a group of Holy Ghost Prep explorers on a trip to Provincetown and whale watching. Andy Costantino joined us. I have images from the trip. Walking downtown Bill Gallagher wearing a striped boaters shirt was greeted by a group of gays. I recall a tour of the dunes. But the most exciting memory was several shots I got of a breaching whale. I sold one several times through a stock agency for at least $100. The shots I have are not the award winner.                  Jenny and Diane did a Whale Watch when she was in maybe 4th grade. The teacher was a whale person and their science curriculum for a semester was whales. She recommended the trip. Careen May, her Mother Judy, Jenny and Diane made the trip to Provincetown. I don’t have any details.                 This year we parked on MacMillan Pier, a short walk to the Dolphin boat. They have been giving tours for years and guarantee sightings April through October. Adult tickets are $75. Fortunately the weather which had threatened rain was good. There were quite a few passengers but not packed. At 2 o’clock the boat slipped out of the harbor. It headed around Provincetown point and headed north to Race Point. I could follow on GPS.             About an hour out we found and followed a lone humpback. The guide announced his name. They know many of the whales bases on tail markings. Our destination was Stellwagon Bank. We soon came upon several whales. Their heads emerged,  they might blow, bodies rolled and sometimes they dove with tail waving. Maybe water dripping off the tail. There were three breeches but I was stuck behind people and did not get photographs. Jenny, positioned on the bow, actually shot some good movie footage. The most I got was a few good tail shots.                 I think we saw all humpbacks and one minke. Our guide got us to look for the tell tale bubbles that proceeds surfacing, birds hovering in the area, diving for fish. Sometimes seals in the area.  A good trip.  We proceeded to the Commercial Street parade and dinner at the Canteen.