Whale Watching and Fishing Boats Maine | Massachusetts | Rhode Island| Grand Manan

If your trip to New England does not correspondend with a scheduled birding trip, you may want to try a trip on a commercial whale watching boat . The objective of these trips is whale watching and you take your chances on seeing birds on the same trip. Fortunately the birds are often in the vicinity of the whales. These trips are appropriate for children and non-birding relatives. Trips from the Boston area are on large stable boats and sea conditions during the summer are usually rather calm, but sea sickness can be a factor. Take precautions. Please read the section on Birding On Whale Watch Boats to set appropriate expectations.

Wheelchair Birders
I have not seen any boat where a wheelchair could roll right on the boat, but all boats employ able bodied seaman who can accomodate the disabled. Once aboard, restrooms may be a problem as on most boats they are small and have a high threshold. The best bet is to ask the captain at the time you make reservations about facilities for the disabled. Any disabled birder taking a whale watch, please report to the webmaster about your experience. I am anxious to enlarge this section.

Fishing Boats
We also list a fishing boat out of Rhode Island which has been used by local birders for years. There are many party fishing boats from all ports in New England . During the whale watching season (April - October) you are probably better off on a whale trip.

There are whale watching boat trips to Stellwagen Bank available from early April to late October. These trips leave from Provincetown on Cape Cod to Portsmouth, NH. The cost is from $19 - $28 per person with senior citizen discounts. Some are better than others depending upon: the speed of the boat, the expertise of the naturalist, the structure of the boat, and the expertise of the captain at positioning the boat for nature study. Taller boats are better because you can see the whales better. Boats with an open upper deck provide better bird watching opportunities. Most naturalists have been studying whales for years and a few are good at identifying birds.

Faster boats can spend more time on the banks and can reach the southern end of Stellwagen Bank. This is important because the last four years there have been more birds on the southern end of Stellwagen Bank around the BE buoy. In other years this has not been true and there have been more birds on Jeffreys Ledge in the north. This is not a complete list of available vendors. All opinions are those of the author.

To Jeffrey's Ledge and North Stellwagen Bank

Newburyport, MA - New England Whale Watch

The management of this boat is very friendly to birders. Four - five hour trips to Jeffrey's Ledge and north Stellwagen Bank. Parking is free. Bird at Plum Island and in the general Newburyport area before and after the trip. Shopping and beaches nearby for non-seagoing relatives. Reservations: (978 465 9885) or in a limited area (800 -848-1111) http://www.newburyportwhalewatch.com/ The daily Captain's Log is an excellent resource for current reports of whales and birds seen on the trips.

Gloucester, MA Capt Bill's

Whale watching and deep sea fishing AAA, AARP discounts.978-283-6995 or within MA 800-339-4253
whalewatch@prodigy.nethttp://www.seenewengland.com/captbills
http:://www.cape-ann.com/captbill.html

To Stellwagen Bank North and South

Gloucester, MA - Cape Ann Whale Watch

Fast boat that can get to south Stellwagen in 90 minutes. Good on board educational program for children and non-birding relatives. Very good naturalist with an interest in birds. Associated with the Whale Conservation Institute of Dr. Roger Payne whose work with whales off Patagonia has been seen of the Discovery Channel. Free parking, considerable traffic in the area. Interesting tourist area with good restaurants nearby. Sails from Rose's Wharf home of the movie "The Perfect Storm" . Visit the famous Crow's Nest Pub directly across the street. Cost $28. Phone 800 877 5110
http://www.SeeTheWhales.com

Gloucester, MA - Yankee Fleet

Free parking. and access from Route 128 without heavy traffic. Interesting tourist area with good restaurants nearby. This is the same boat company that runs the Dry Tortugas Ferry in Florida. Phone 800 942 5464 Cost $28 fuel surcharge for summer 2000. Reservations required. This boat can make southern Stellwagen on a four hour whale watch, but if there are whales further north they will not make the long run south. In the summer of 2000 several BBC trips were on this boat and they did run down to the BE buoy where the birds were concentrated. Naturalist is very interested in birds and made a good effort to call them out and to move the boat toward birds even when there were whales in the area.http://www.yankee-fleet.com/

Boston, MA - New England Aquarium

Good fast boat and professional naturalist. Parking expensive, traffic always a problem and now even worse due to the Big Dig, but if you are already in Boston this is a convenient location. Public transportation available. Parking is available in the nearby Boston Harbor Garage at $35 a day. These are popular trips. Information: (617)973-5277 Reservations are necessary and they are usually crowded. (617 973-5281). http://neaq.org/

Plymouth, MA - Captain John's boats

Boats are good if rather slow. Usually reaches Stellwagen Bank in a little over an hour if they don't encounter whales on the way. Experienced naturalist aboard. Parking inexpensive or free. Traffic congestion not too bad. Good if you are staying south of Boston. Nice restaurants in the area. See Plymouth Rock and other tourist attractions (508)746-2643 or (800)242-2469. http://www.captjohn.com/

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Barnstable Cape Cod, MA - Hyannis Whale Watchers

Very large and fast boat out of Barnstable on the lower end of the Cape Cod about 15 minutes from the Sagamore Bridge. Parking is $8.00 per car. Cost $26/person. Sails up Cape Cod Bay and reaches the southern end of Stellwagen Bank in about an hour. Trips are 3½ hours long and the captain sometimes has trouble positioning the boat for nature study. During the summer of 200 they often found a few whales before reaching Stellwagen Bank and therefore did not find many birds. Reservations (508)362-6088 http://www.whales.net/

Provincetown Cape Cod, MA - Dolphin Fleet

The Dolphin Fleet was the first to offer whale watching in the area. Parking available at cost, Experienced naturalist from the Center for Coastal Studies. One of the least expensive at $19 per person. Parking in the nearby lot is $2 per hour and you can pay up to $10 for a 4 hour whale watch. Other parking within walking distance is less expensive. Parking is limited and can be a problem for afternoon trips. Other vendors offer whale watching trips from the same pier. A long distance (1 hour from the Sagamore Bridge) unless you are staying on the Cape. When the birds are on the southern end of Stellwagen Bank this is my first choice. Interesting tourist area and beaches. Phone: 800-826-9300 or 508 349 1900 Address: Box 243, Provincetown, MA 02657

http:// www.whalewatch.com/

Provincetown Cape Cod, MA - Portuguese Princess

This whale watch operates the Capt Red, the boat pictured above. They advertise a special parking bargain. Located on MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown. (One hour drive from the Sagamore Bridge) 800-422-3188 or 508-487-2651 http://www.PrincessWhaleWatch.com

Gloucester - Yankee Capt's Overnight Party Fishing Boat

This is a very comfortable party fishing boat that specializes in overnight trips offshore. Bunks, shower, good food. For a description of this boat see Yankee Capts. This boat has seen White-faced Storm-petrel almost every summer.Greg Mercurio - Owner, Captain
(508)224-2478
(305) 293-1188
Cell Phone: (508)397-9576
http://www.yankeecapts.com
ycapts@aol.com

Cox's Ledge and South of Block Island - Rhode Island

Galilee, RI - Frances Fleet

The Frances Fleet offers year-round cod fishing trips. These trips offer the pelagic birder a good, inexpensive way to get out to sea. The captain on most of these trips is Richard "Richie" Deluca. Richie is somewhat knowledgeable about the birds. He knows when the bird activity has been favorable, and is a good contact person. Before you get on the boat you might want to ask Richie how the birding has been lately, but more importantly, where that day's trip is going. These boats go to where the fishing has been productive, and that is not always Cox's Ledge. Sometimes they sit just south of Block Island and the birding can be poor. The last time I was out with 6 other birders (2/19) the boat fished mostly south of Block Island but in the afternoon Richie made a quick run to the Southwest edge of Cox's Ledge for us. That is where we saw the Common Murre in breeding plumage. Expect to pay half the current fishing fare, now at $50 to fish, $25 for observers. Most of the trips are on the 90' Gail Francis. Occasionally this boat is out on an overnight trip. When the Gail Francis is out they might use the 55' Captain Francis. This boat does not have a large top deck for viewing as does the Gail Frances, and I don't recommend going out if that is the boat going on the day you plan your trip. It pays to call ahead! The cod trips run from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. year round. January 1-28 Sailing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (& Monday Holidays) February 2-28 Sailing Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (& Monday Holidays) March 2- April 11 Sailing Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. April 13- September 23, Sailing daily. September 24- December 31 Sailing Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. On the way home from these trips the mates clean the fish and throw scraps overboard, which provides nice chum to the gulls that come in.

The Frances Fleet also offers Whale Watching on it's 105' Lady Frances boat. Departing at 1 p.m. and returning at 6 p.m. they sail daily from June 30 to Labor Day. They offer special rates for 10 or more and discounts on Tuesdays and Fridays. Call them at (401) 783- 4988 or 1-800-66-CATCH.

There are also overnight Tuna trips and Georges Banks trips. (Note from Webmaster: If anyone has any experience on these trips, please write us.)

Mailing address: PO Box 3724 Peace Dale, R.I. Sailing address: 2 State Street, Judith, RI Phone # is 401 783-4988
www.francesfleet.com
Email: FrancesFlt@aol.com

Directions: In Narragansett take Route 108 south following signs for the Block Island boat. Take a right onto the Escape Road. At the end of the Escape Road, go right then take a left into the large parking lot. If the office is open you can buy your ticket inside. Bring a lunch, or buy food on the boat.
Thanks to Jan St. Jean for this excellent information.

Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company

Two boats offer 3 ½ hour whale watching trips from Bar Harbor Maine. Telephone 1-800-Whales-4 http://birding.al-info.com

Page Author: Emmalee Tarry