| Each spring The Whale Center of New England is proud to conduct its annual Earth Day Whale Watch. The trip is a celebration of both our commitment to conservation on Earth Day, the return of the humpback whales to New England, and the start of our field season! This year's trip, on May 3, will depart from Gloucester, Massachusetts, and is scheduled to run from 9 AM to 4 PM (rain date May 4). The trip is a fundraiser for the Whale Center, and all proceeds will go to our whale research and conservation programs.
Special Times
This has consistently proven to be a special time of year for the whales of New England. The trip is scheduled late enough so that the longer days have stimulated abundant plankton growth in New England waters. The increasing plankton production leads to increased life all the way up the food chain, with bait fish and whales appearing in significant numbers. The humpback whales, which spend much of their winter in tropical seas in the West Indies, start to return in early April; by May, almost all the whales except a few mother-calf pairs have made their return to New England feeding grounds.
This year, we again expect that the destination of the trip will be to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, starting only 12 miles from the Gloucester coastline. This, combined with the speed of our vessel, will insure ample viewing times of the whales and other wildlife that inhabit the Sanctuary. Last year's trip was our best ever, with sunshine, flat calm seas, over forty surface-feeding humpback whales, over ten feeding North Atlantic right whales, more than twenty fin whales, and hundreds of Atlantic white-sided dolphins throughout the day. On previous recent cruises we have seen things as exciting as humpback whale feeding and breaching, fin whales lunge feeding right in front of us, and consistent sightings of Atlantic white-sided dolphin groups numbering into the hundreds!
Experienced Scientists to Guide Trip
Chief Scientist, Mason Weinrich and Database Manager, Jenn Tackaberry will lead the trip. Mason has been with the Whale Center for over twenty five years, and will draw upon his varied experiences and familiarity with New England's humpbacks. You will have a day during which you will both see great whale activity and learn a lot about the whales we study.
The trip will cost $55 for Whale Center members ($65 for non members); $45 for all children under age 12 (member or non-member). You can join when you make your reservation and get the member price for the cruise. We will provide free hot drinks (coffee, tea, and hot chocolate) for the entire day to keep you warm; we still suggest you dress warmly. The large cabin on the vessel will provide ample cover from the cold, and there will be a full galley on board if you choose not to bring lunch.
This trip is a very important fund-raiser for us. All of the net proceeds raised from ticket sales go directly to The Whale Center of New England's research and conservation efforts on behalf of New England's whales and their habitat. To make reservations for the Earth Day Whale Watch, please call our office at 978-281-6351 for reservations or more information; or you can fax us at 978-281-5666; or e-mail us at info@whalecenter.org. Space will be limited, so make your reservations early. We look forward to seeing you on May 5th!
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