Our days on Upper Cape Cod; 3c (more) WHALES!

Our whale watching was the best! Time after time there would appear a ring of bubbles followed by a ball of birds and then white foaming water int he center of the ring. Then a whale or more than one would appear gulping down the food they need so badly after spending winter in the Caribbean where their type of food is scarce. Several times we saw whales leap completely out of the water (breach) as if in an attempt to launch themselves into the air only to come splashing back down. I couldn't capture these unpredictable yet spectacular actions with my camera however, so you'll have to take my word for it.

Pair of blow holes (nostrils) atop whale's head. 

Sometimes distinctive colors or scars on the fins and back also help ID individual whales. 

The top of the flukes may help in ID too.

Two whales in a coordinated feeding attack.
 One is heading away from us, the other towards us.

Whale gulp! 

Another view of the underside of a whale's tail flukes. 

The naturalist had a photo album of all the distinctive markings that allowed him to give names to nearly every whale we say. This identification along with other information is collected in a database to assist in research of these endangered whales.

Sometimes the whales were too close. Especially when your zoom lens is set for longer distances and they end up right next to the ship.

Whale's back... 

 ...going... 

 ...gone. 

We had a great day on the water and saw more whale activity than we anticipated. (After a while it got to be like watching Bald Eagles around the Valdez fish hatchery. Ho, hum. There's another one.)


That's the way we spent our Wednesday.


Thursday morning Terry and I headed back to the Bolt hole to drop off the trailer. We spent the night before heading to the Aerie to gather Rick's "Stuff" for our trip to Portland, OR.