Huge Movement of Humpback Whales into the Stellwagen Bank Area

25-30 Humpback Whales, Spotted feeding off Gloucester ... This afternoon's whale watch was one of the best ... EVER! After a week of seeing massive schools of Sand Lance (the favorite food of the whales in our area) today we saw a huge movement of whales into the Stellwagen Bank area. By the end of the day I estimate we saw between 25 and 30 Humpback Whales(including 4 mother and calf pairs!), at least 5 Fin Whales, and 5 Minke Whales. All of these whales were feeding ... sometimes in groups of 4 or more whales working together to herd schools of fish into to tight groups or encircling the fish with rings of bubbles and then exploding to the surface with mouth open and fish and water flying everywhere.



Humpback Whale feeding ... Our whale watch began right on Stellwagen Bank's northwest corner (12 miles from Gloucester) where we found a group of three Finback Whales lunge feeding. Fin Whales feed by using their great speed to catch fish and have been called "the greyhound of the sea" because they can reach speeds of close to 35 knots (about 40 mph). Usually these whales are difficult to get close views of because of this great speed, however today, they were feeding at the surface, we were able to get some of the best views I have ever had at feeding Finback Whales.

We were actually able to predict where the Whales would surface because we would see the whales moving towards a patch of "bait" (fish) at the surface and position the boat along side the school of fish. Then we would see the fish begin to panic and start leaping from the water. A second later the Fin Whales would lunge to the surface at amazing speed, roll on their sides, and scoop up the fish in their huge jaws. I have only seen this behavior up close a few times in all of the 17 years I have worked for 7 Seas Whale Watch but NEVER have I seen it so close or been able to predict just where and when it would happen so I could get a photograph like the one above!

Lunge feeding Fin Whales

... Finback Whales lunge feeding was just the beginning ... After watching the Fin Whales for a while, we traveled a few miles to the east of Stellwagen Bank where we started seeing the blows (spouts) of Humpback Whales. What at first looked to be 5 or 6 whales suddenly turned into 10 or 12. Then more and more Humpback Whales kept arriving from somewhere in the deep water east of the bank and before we knew it there were as many as 30 Humpback Whales feeding all around us!



There is no explanation for the experience of having so many whales so close ... and all of them feeding. I hope these sightings will continue for a while, but if you have been thinking of going whale watching at some point this year do yourself a favor and GO SOON!!!!! The ocean environment changes fast so you just never know how long this spectacle will last!

Contact:
Jay Frontierro
Naturalist
7 Sea's Whale Watch
Gloucester, MA
888-283-1776

http://7seaswhalewatch.com

click here for more information and photographs from today's whale watch...