Old Jonah He Lived in a Whale

Lighthouse, Cape Cod

Provincetown has whale watching tours reputed to be second best in the world (rated on chances of seeing whales).  Summer is also the time these great beasties mooch around Stellwagen Bank – their summer holiday residence.  GS wanted to take a tour.  Cap’n Blanched at $32 a head, especially when we already had a boat…. 

We left Provincetown early to make use of forecast W winds to push us as far down east as Penobscot Bay, Maine in an overnight trip.  Stopping each night is easy (and very achievable up and down the New England coast) but we’d get to Maine in time to turn around and scoot back to Deltaville.  The Cap’n said this way we’d also cross Stellwagen Bank, so GS had the binos ready.  As luck would have it, the Whale Watch tours passed us full steam ahead, and our headings were similar. 

Then it all happened.  In the distance, great spouts of water were blown high and huge tails rose and fell in slow motion.  As we neared the pod, one rolled on his side and repeatedly slapped the water with a big white fin.  The noise alone was scary enough.  The Whale Watch boats moved on following the pod (possibly 10 or more whales) as it breakfasted and played.  WJ3 continued on her course to Maine.  We saw a huge splash, maybe 500m away and watched as a whale breeched.  The show moved on, but not in our direction. 

Cape Cod to Bar Harbor dodging whales

We were still chatting about our good fortune an hour later when the Cap’n spied another spout in the distance.  We’d happened upon another pod.  Though not so lively as the last, lazy tails slapped water and spouts blew all round us - at a respectable distance.  Then suddenly one surfaced, no more than 20-30 metres on our port side.  This was indeed a close encounter.  He wasn’t interested in us (thankfully) and continued on with his breakfasting as we gaped, stared and said things like “oh, fruit”. 

Real Maine Lobsters

The rest of the trip wasn’t nearly so exciting even though a huge moon lit the slow roll of Atlantic swells making viewing easy.  But it was freezing!  Early next morning, closer to the Maine coast, we saw a couple of seals.  Their lovely whiskery faces and big eyes staring in surprise – as if we’d just caught them in the act of robbing from a vast field of lobster pots.  Who could blame them?  We celebrated our arrival in Maine.  In August (just).  We’d really made it.  Celebrations involved a secure mooring, local beer AND a huge lobster feast. ($US11 a pound…envious???)

From: Provincetown, MA  Lat/Long: 42 02N  70 11W  Date/Time: 30/8/10: 0845

To: Southwest Harbor, ME  Lat/Long: 44 16N  68 18W  Date/Time: 31/8/10: 1400

Time Taken: 170nm (29.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 812nm (154hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 4452nm  (853hrs)   Fastest Speed: See Note**

Weather: Winds W-NW 5-10kts; Seas 3-5ft; We didn’t notice the Friday tropical storm warning at the end of the report – doh!!

(** 10ft tides no less; abundant rock ledges makes anchoring interesting!)