Our First Few Whale Watching Adventures!

May 24th to May 31st, 2014

         The month of May ended up being a bit quiet than expected. After a long cold winter here in the Northeast, it seems that Mother Nature might be trying to play catch-up, at least here off the coast of Maine. Though we had difficulty finding whales in the areas in which we usually search, trips were still successful in viewing other marine mammals. Numerous harbor and grey seals were hauled up on the ledges of Mount Desert Rock! Small pods of harbor porpoise (technically a species of small toothed whale) were occasionally seen as well!

Harbor and Grey Seals Hauled Out At Mount Desert Rock!

Mount Desert Rock Lighthouse! Research Station of Allied Whale!

 North Atlantic Puffins, razorbills, Arctic and common terns were seen on most trips out to Petit Manan Island as well as red-necked phalaropes, fulmars, and shearwaters offshore and near Mount Desert Rock! Birds can be a sign that feed is starting to become abundant and whales could soon start making their appearance. This is the time in which prey becomes more abundant and why whales and other wildlife are more frequently seen at this time of year.

North Atlantic Puffin Sitting in the Water Off Pettit Manan!

                                                           
 Petit Manan Island continues to serve as a refuge for nesting birds. Researchers spend several weeks on the island studying the birds, and over the course of numerous seasons, the success of the breeding colonies and the population growth of each species. Monitoring the movements of birds and whales provide important information about the overall health of the Gulf of Maine. While on the whale watch, we have research assistants collecting data on the whales sighted on trips. Even when no whales are sighted, its crucial data that is factored into looking at the foraging habitat.

Researcher Observing and Counting Birds From the Top of Petit Manan Lighthouse!

            Though not seeing the larger species is discouraging, we encourage our passengers to give the experience another try at some point in the near future. Each season, month, day, and trip is different. That is what makes these kinds of excursions an adventure! We are also working with a constantly changing environment and unpredictable animals that are continuously on the move as they try to locate prey. Some of these whales are costuming up to 3 tons of prey each day! If the food is not present, neither are whales.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that things will begin to pick up soon. Again, it just might take a little bit longer this season. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens! We'll keep you posted!

Female Grey Seal Hauled Out on Mount Desert Rock! 

         

The 2014 Whale Watching Season Has Begun!

Summer is here and Bar Harbor is once again a bustling town full of visitors ready to enjoy the beauty of Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, and the Gulf of Maine! As of Memorial Day weekend the whale watch has been venturing offshore in search of puffins, whales, and other wildlife!

The start of this season has been an interesting one! We have found ourselves venturing into different areas of the Gulf of Maine to locate whales, but it has certainly been worth the time and ride to get there! Over the last couple of weeks, we've traveled to the Bay of Fundy which is home to some of the largest tides in the world (30-50 feet in difference) and highly productive waters. Whale species sighted thus far include humpback, fin, minke, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, and harbor porpoise! Other sightings include seals, ocean sunfish, and a variety of offshore seabirds from such as Northern gannets, fulmars, shearwaters, and jaegers!

A Pair of Fin Whales!

This is the time whales return to northern, colder waters to feed. Where we find whales and how many are seen depends on food!  The Gulf of Maine is a unique shallow "sea within a sea" where the combination of physical, chemical, and biological influences result in a bust of productivity, attracting whales, seabirds, and other marine life.  As waters warm as a result of more sunlight, microscopic algae become more abundant, along with zooplankton, and then schooling fish such as herring.

                                                A bathymetry map of the Gulf of Maine

Puffin sightings have been excellent! Petit Manan Island is teaming with seabirds including the North Atlantic puffin, razorbills, and terns. All of these species nest on the island and we eagerly await news of the first puffin chicks! Researchers on the island continue to keep us informed as to the status of the breeding population and overall health of the colonies. Talking with the researchers and seeing Maine's second tallest lighthouse are other highlights when visiting the island!

North Atlantic Puffin Sitting in the water off Petit Manan Island!

We hope you enjoy reading the posts that follow! This year we plan to update our blog weekly summarizing our sightings for each trip with information, photos, and video!

A Humpback named Hangglide!