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Whale Watching, 8/31/05
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Whale watching tips :

Bring a camera. Part of the appeal of whale watching is that it isn’t touristy, but you won’t want to miss the chance to capture the majestic sights on film.

Dress appropriately and bring clothes you might need. Trips last about four hours and the temperature can vary dramatically - from very warm to long-sleeve chilly.

Wear sneakers. You’ll need good grip to move safely on the rocking and sometimes-slippery decks.

Consider bringing Dramamine, especially if you’re prone to motion sickness. The boat bobs frequently, particularly on days when the seas aren’t particularly smooth.

Make reservations and arrive 30 minutes prior to departure, and give yourself adequate time to find parking.

For the most sighthings, afternoon is usually the best time to go. The 2 p.m. trip tends to coincide with whales’ feeding schedules.

Click to enlarge map

A whale spouts after surfacing from a dive.

The tail of a surfacing humpback whale is an awesome sight.

When you think of whale watching, you envision behemoth creatures popping up, making waves that rock tourist-filled boats.

People who go whale watching out of Plymouth experience that and more. It’s a not-to-be missed summer outing for children and adults.

Not only is it thrilling, it’s educational. Each of the large double-deck Capt. John boats carries a marine biologist to describe the whales and explain their behavior.

Jacquelyne McDermott, 8, of Raynham plays with a rubber whale.

After casting off from Plymouth’s Town Wharf, a Capt. John boat zigzags through the channels of Plymouth Harbor and motors out toward Stellwagen Bank, the summer home of various whale species.

On this sunny day, there are breathtaking views of Gurnet Point Lighthouse, Myles Standish Monument and Plymouth’s Long Beach.

After cruising for more than an hour, the ship reaches Stellwagen Bank, north of Provincetown. Passengers move to the boat’s railings, eager to glimpse a tail or a fin.

A humpback gliding past is an awesome sight, and the whales’ 30-foot dives leave you leaning over the railing, eager for another glimpse.

But there’s more to the voyage than the thrill of spotting Moby Dick.

Shortly after the boat leaves Plymouth, Karen Vale, a marine biologist from the International Wildlife Coalition, begins a presentation on whale migration.

Vale gets a flurry of questions from adults and children, including inquiries about feeding habits. One of the questions: “Will the whales get sick if you feed them french fries?”

At least half of the passengers are children. They can romp freely with friends on the boat, which has two open decks and a climate-controlled main cabin.

There’s an element of luck to whale watching, and the sighting of nine whales makes this an uncommonly successful trip.

- Jessica Van Sack

Six-year-old Nathan Lagsdin of Pembroke and his 8-year-old sister, Simone, try to touch some of the spray being thrown up by the boat on a Capt.cq John whale-watching trip out of Plymouth Harbor. In upper photo at left, a whale spouts after surfacing from a dive.

Children chat at a deck railing as a Capt. John boat motors from Plymouth Harbor to Stellwagen Bank, the area’s primary location for whale watching.