As some of you may know the right whales are in Cape Cod Bay now. Almost 100, 25% of the world's known population are feeding. Yesterday I took a whale watch trip out of Provincetown on the Dolphin Fleet. I was able to see right whales, finbacks and humpbacks. And lots of spouts all around us too. My favorite whale was the one who was vertical and popped up to look at us three times!! Almost like a submarine periscope.

They have a marine biologist on every trip who gives lots of information about whales and historical information.

If anyone will be in the area for the next week or so I cannot recommend this trip enough. Our guide said this is a once in a lifetime thing. He has done this for 14 years and never seen the three types of whales in the bay together and in this number. It really is breathtaking.

It was a beautiful day, maybe 70. But it's cooler on the water so if you go, bundle up! It was warm in Provincetown and we walked down Commercial Street. Shops are open and lots of cleanup/touchup is going on. Fun to see the town waking up from winter.

On the way back we stopped at the Atlantic Spice Company in Truro. www.atlanticspice.com This is great for wholesale priced spices, herbs, teas and more.

The whale watch info is www.whalewatch.com/dolphinfleet. It is $35 for adults, $27 for children 12 and under and free for children under 5. There is a $2 internet discount coupon and if you are a member of AAA it's $3 off.

It was so much fun to be a "visitor" where I live!

thanks for the info, gomiki. I think I still have rainchecks from the last whale watch I went on, when we saw nothing. Its tempting to go out and try this..maybe even this weekend. we'd go out of Boston, rather than Ptown though.

Thanks for your report gomiki. How wonderful to see right whales!
One of the highlights of my Boston trip was whale watching, even though it was cold and very wet the day we went (mid August 2006). We managed to see plenty of humpbacks, finback and minke whales though. I hope I will get back to Boston again and get the chance to see them sometime.

Wow, that sounds amazing. We saw several humpbacks when we did it out of Boston - loved it.

We will be in Cape Cod in early August. Is the whale watching good then, or quite iffy? I love whales. Seeing one literally takes my breath away. That said we have been on a couple of expensive tours and been disappointed.

Thank you for posting this!

What a treat. I recall a previous post I think you made regarding the right whales.

What a thrill.

Do you think they will still be in the Ptown waters next week?

Roadtrip?!!!!!!

gomiki - so glad you went out to Ptown to see the whales!!! This year is a rare treat. Glad you stopped by ASpice as well - they certainly have the best deals anywhere on spices. Of Course the big bag of Bay leaves that I have will last me years!

China_cat - where did you go from and what time of year?

All - August is usually pretty good of Ptown. You will see a few whales. We have "regulars". It never hurts to check if they are out there before taking a trip...best advice, ask people getting off a returning boat before you sign up!

gomiki

i have emailed my people in the area. Thanks to you, some people I know and hopefully me and mrlou will see the right whales.

Thank you so very much.

hetismij, I wish you could be here now!

china_cat, go for it!!

seafox, I looked at that bag of bay leaves too! I resisted

gyppie, I'm so glad you are going. Bundle up! Please let me know how how many whales you see.

dramamine and ginger are most important.

Wow! that sounds exciting. I haven't been on a whale watch since I was a teen. Thanks for posting this, Miki. The weather here in Boston is lovely. Three days straight but I read rain is going to happen tomorrow. I took Pastis downtown to the Public Gardens to look at the tourists. He was a star and was photographed so many times.

That must have been so exciting!!
Did the marine biologist have an explanation as to why all three species are here??
Last week we went to Race Point, and with binoculars could see several right whales, but it must have been amazing to be so close.
Sunday the office has a team walking for the American Heart Association in Provincetown, hopefully we'll see them again.

cigale, Pastis is such a poser

ccshanty, I believe it's because of all the extra food here (photoplanktons or something like that). It's all about the food. I read that yesterday the right whales were so close that people could see them from the restaurants on the bay!

gomiki I wish I could be there right now too! We are of to AZ and AM in two weeks - his choice - I wanted New England. Ah well can't win 'em all.
At least I have seen some whales, which was very high on my must do list

my last TWO whale watches have been duds. One was early May out of Boston, the other was late June out of Ptown.

The May one was a bad weather day. The waters were rough, and the boat couldn't really go all the way out to the Bank, so it turned around early and gave us all free tix. the problem I had was I think they should have known how rough the seas were, before they took us out and wasted a couple of hours. I know they have spotter boats, don't they send those out early, or communicate with the fishing boats or something? So I didn't go on another one for a long time, I was so annoyed with that one. I think that was 3-4 years ago.

china_cat: That would be not fun! If you can do it this weekend I think you will have good results.

gomiki- speaking of the Atlantic Spice Co.- before Xmas, decided to run down and get some whole cloves, since I thought it might be fun, studding oranges with cloves with the grandchildren. I bought, of course, a big bag. Do not, I repeat, do not ever buy whole cloves. I have enough to supply all of Fodors, I'm sure!

Does anyone know how long the whale will be in Cape Cod? I have my tax refund burning a hole in my pocket. I might be able next week will they still be in the Bay? I'm in chicago, where should I stay? Where should I fly into?

lindamoe, The whales will stay as long as the food source is there. It's impossible to predict.

You would fly into Logan. There is a ferry to P-town www.baystatecruisecompany.com . The early ferry leaves at 8AM and arrives at 9:30AM. It would put you on the wharf where the whale watch boats are. The first trip is at 10AM.

There are trips out of Boston www.neaq.org is one. Their site says they go to Stellwagen bank. The majority of the whales are in the bay right now. I think you would have to contact them to see if they are making the trip into the bay. The boat I was on would normally go out to Stellwagen too but we never lost site of P-town because there were so many whales!

Some Fodorites posted on this thread that they might be going out of Boston this weekend. I hope they report back.

lindamoe - most of PTown is B&B accommodations. What are you preferences for accommodations and budget?