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Cetaceans (from the Greek word meaning “sea monster”) include whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Out of more than 85 species, six are often seen in the Gulf of Maine, including three of the great whales—the finback, the humpback, and the minke. The smaller pilot whales are also common, as are harbor porpoises and white-sided dolphins.
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Four other species are also seen occasionally: the rare right whale, the killer whale (orca), and common and white-beaked dolphins.
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The great whales are usually seen near the fishing banks, where upwelling waters bring food in the form of tiny crustaceans, krill, squid, and small fish. These are filtered from enormous gulps of seawater by baleen sieves that hang from the upper jaws of most large whales. (Of the great whales, only the sperm whale has teeth).
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Not unlike the human species, some whales go south in winter, to breed in Florida and the Antilles. They come north again in the spring to their feeding grounds in the Gulf of Maine.
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Man has hunted whales for thousands of years, eaten their blubber, and used their oil to light his lamps. For a long time, it was a fair fight, and men in their small boats risked their lives to catch a few of the great leviathans. Then the demand for whale oil, the growth of fishing fleets, and technological developments such as engines and explosive harpoons began to turn the game into a slaughter.
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Many species of whales were hunted to the edge of extinction. The North Atlantic right whale is the most endangered large whale in the world. It got its name because these were the “right” whales to hunt—they were easy to approach and floated after they were killed. Only 350-400 of these whales survive.
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Finally, the discovery of petroleum sources for oil and the advent of the electric light reduced the market for whale oil. And a growing awareness of the intelligence, gentleness, and beauty of these great creatures brought environmentalists and finally the public to the defense of the whale. The major countries involved in hunting whales agreed to establish quotas, and whaling came under regulation by the International Whaling Commission in 1946. Progress has been slow and frustrating, but today the factory ships of Russia and the United States are gone. However, Japan, Norway, and Korea still hunt whales in spite of the growing strength of public opinion. In the powerful words of Chief Seattle, spoken in 1884, “What happens to the beasts will happen to man. All things are connected. If the great beasts are gone, man would surely die of a great loneliness of spirit.”
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In Maine, you are most likely to spot whales off Matinicus Rock, Seal Island (southeast of Isle au Haut), and Mount Desert Rock. Canada’s Grand Manan also is a likely whale-watching site. From the shore, whales can be sighted from lighthouses such as Bass Harbor (on Mount Desert Island) and West Quoddy Head, though you might be surprised anywhere. Recently, a True’s beaked whale, one of only 24 ever sighted, beached itself on Curtis Island at the mouth of Camden Harbor.
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There are lots of clues to use in identifying whales. Size is important, of course, as is silhouette. The shape of the spout may give you positive identification, or if you get close enough, distinctive behavior may be conclusive. Experienced whale-watchers can recognize individuals by details such as the color pattern, shape of a fluke, or even by the callosites on a right whale’s head.
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In his Field Guide to the Whales, Porpoises and Seals, Steven Katona notes that whales sometimes sleep on the surface, but there is little likelihood of hitting one at night or in the fog. Whales occasionally approach boats, but according to Katona, “We have never heard of a case where an undisturbed whale approached and damaged a vessel in our waters.” On the other hand, he points out, “Vessels coming too close to a feeding or jumping whale have been struck, resulting in narrow escapes. Give the animals a wide berth.”
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Whale-watching expeditions. If you want professional help in locating whales, whale-watching expeditions depart regularly in season from the Portsmouth, Kennebunkport, Portland, Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, Port Clyde, Rockland, Camden, Bass Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Bar Harbor, Jonesport, Cutler, and Lubec, as well as Grand Manan. INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW.
| Whale watching company | Home port | Contact | ||
| Portsmouth | ||||
| Captain Bills Charters | Portsmouth | |||
| Southern coast | ||||
| Seafari Charters | Kittery | |||
| Deborah Ann Whale Watching | Ogunquit | |||
| First Chance Whale Watch | Kennebunkport | |||
| Nature Charters | Kennebunkport | |||
| Nautilus Whale Watch | Kennebunkport | |||
| Casco Bay | ||||
| Olde Port Mariner Fleet | Portland | |||
| Odyssey Whale Watch | Portland | |||
| Midcoast | ||||
| Boothbay Whale Watch | Boothbay Harbor | |||
| Cap'n Fish's Whale Watch | Boothbay Harbor | |||
| Mount Desert | ||||
| Acadian Whale Adventures | ||||
| Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. | ||||
| Passamaquoddy Bay | ||||
| Harris Whalewatching | Eastport | |||
| Billy Mac Tours | Deer Island, NB | |||
| Lambert's Outer Island Tours | Deer Island, NB | |||
| Fundy Tide Runners | St. Andrews, NB | |||
| Island Quest Marine | St. Andrews, NB | |||
| Quoddy Link Marine | St. Andrews, NB | |||
| Surge Tours | St. Andrews, NB | |||
| Fundy and Saint John | ||||
| Sea Watch Tours | Grand Manan, NB | |||
| Whales-n-sails Adventures | Grand Manan, NB | |||
| Scenic Marine Tours | Saint John, NB | |||
Whale-watching guidelines. If you are planning to find whales in your own boat, we offer the following guidelines, developed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and others because of the growing interest in whale-watching and the increasing number of boats following whales. They are designed to prevent harassment and damage to whales and danger to the boating public.
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· When operating within a quarter of a mile of whales, avoid excessive speed or sudden changes in speed or direction. Don’t rev your engines.
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· When close to whales (within 300 feet) don’t approach stationary whales at more than idle speed, don’t approach moving or resting whales head-on, and don’t get between a mother and her calf. Instead, parallel the course and speed of moving whales. Right whales are particularly slow moving, sometimes even stationary at the surface, so they are particularly prone to being hit by boats and ships.
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· Do not intentionally approach within 100 feet of whales. If they come within 100 feet of your vessel, put engines in neutral and don’t reengage props until whales are observed at the surface, clear of the vessel.
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· Active whales require ample space. Breaching, lobtailing, and flipper slapping may endanger a vessel. Feeding whales often emit subsurface bubbles to concentrate their prey before rising to feed at the surface. Stand clear of light-green bubble patches.
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· Diving in the vicinity of whales is not advised because of their active and unpredictable behavior. Divers should not approach within 100 feet of whales.
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· In all cases, do not restrict the normal movement or behavior of whales or take action that may evoke a reaction from them or result in physical contact.
Strandings. If you sight any marine mammal in distress, inlcuding seals and whales, please report it to the Northeast Marine Animal Lifeline at 207-851-6625 (www.stranding.org) if it is south of Rockland or to Allied Whale at 207-288-5644 (www.coa.edu/alliedwhale) if it is to the north. If the whale is entangled, call the whale rescue hotline at 800-900-3622.
Additional reference.
Whale Center of New England
Whale Photos Stellwagen
National Marine Sanctuary
Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies