Thar She Blows

Thar She Blows

Ships depart regularly for whale-watching excursions from April or May through October, from coastal towns all along the bay. Humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes feed locally in season, so you're sure to see a few—and on a good day you may see dozens. Bring warm clothing, as the ocean breezes can be brisk; rubber-soled shoes are a good idea.

The New England Aquarium (Central Wharf at end of Central St., Downtown, 02110. 617/973-5200. www.neaq.org) runs daily whale-watching cruises from Central Wharf. The trip, with an aquarium staff whale expert on board, lasts three to four hours. The high-speed catamarans of Boston Harbor Cruises (Long Wharf next to aquarium, Downtown, 02110. 877/733-9425. www.bostonharborcruises.com) glide to the whaling banks in half the time of some other cruises, allowing nearly as much whale time in only a three-hour tour.

The old fishing port of Gloucester is Massachusetts Bay's hot spot for whale-sighting trips. Cape Ann Whale Watch (Rose's Wharf, 415 Main St., Gloucester, 01930. 800/877-5110. www.caww.com) has run whale-watch tours since 1979. Tours with Captain Bill's Deep Sea Fishing/Whale Watch (24 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, 01930. 978/283-6995 or 800/339-4253. www.captbillandsons.com) make use of knowledgeable naturalists from the Whale Center of New England.

South of Boston, whale-watch trips leave from Plymouth and locations around Cape Cod. Capt. John Boats (10 Town Wharf, Plymouth, 02360. 508/746-2643 or 800/242-2469. www.captjohn.com) sends out several daily whale-watch cruises from Plymouth Town Wharf.