Recently, I had the opportunity to go whale watching at the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The trip, sponsored by the New England Aquarium, left on a cool, bright Saturday morning. We departed Boston Harbor and made the 25-mile journey to Stellwagen Bank, which extends between Cape Ann and Cape Code across the mouth of Massachusetts Bay.

When we arrived at the viewing area where whales had been surfacing in recent days, I wondered if we would be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of any creatures at all. The grey blue waters stretched out endlessly in every direction around the boat.

Small bouys bobbed at sparse intervals, marking the shipping lanes that lead in and out of Boston Harbor. As I looked more carefully though, I could see gulls and terns flying in the distance. There was life at Stellwagen Bank, I just had to be patient.

I wandered all sides of the catamaran, peering out across the grey waters. Every so often, a ripple caught my eye, was it a dorsal fin peaking out of the water? I wondered how creatures so large could be so difficult to find. And then suddenly excitement spread throughout the ship. The first whale had been sited. I climbed to the top deck and looked out to see the sleek blue-black arch of a humpback whale as it curved and rolled up out of the water. It lifted its tail for a moment and then disappeared beneath the water's surface.

Off the starboard side of the ship two minke whales surfaced for a moment before dipping underwater. Minke whales are a shy species, they were careful to keep their distance from the whale watching vessels. The wind grew crisp and I decided to go inside to warm up. I took the opportunity to read through the field guide to the Stellwagen Bank that I had purchased at the aquarium's book shop. Its descriptions brought the bank to life. The waters team with zooplankton that include copepods, jellyfish, and fish larve. There are sea turtles, herring, squid, whales, porpoises, dolphins, bluefin tuna, codfish, pollock, flounder, clams, scallops, sponges, and many more creatures that inhabit this unique ecosystem.

Just before we turned back to return to Boston Harbor, we caught a glimpse of a finback whale. A thrilling sight and a wonderful send off as we made our way back to land.

Find out more: Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

Image courtesy NOAA. Map of Stellwagen Bank (click image to enlarge).