Gloucester, MA. June 16, 2019
Whales!! Yes!! A whale watch was our agenda for Saturday June 15. We are in New England again to visit Deb and Rebecca. Generally we spend a few days touring parts of New England other than Boston. This trip we are in Gloucester for 3 nights and then two nights in New Hampshire before one last day in Boston.
Gloucester is currently a whale watching hub, with its roots in sailing and fishing going back to its founding in 1623. Gloucester predates both Salem and Boston. It is located on Cape Ann, about 40 minutes northeast of Boston on the Atlantic Ocean.
View from our room towards Good Harbor beach.
We arrived Friday night and are staying at the Vista motel on Good Harbor Bay. Our room has a view of the ocean and the beach is a ten minute walk. Friday night we had dinner at the Franklin Cape Ann in downtown Gloucester with Deb and Rebecca.
Saturday morning at Good Harbor Beach
Saturday morning was an hour on the beach, sunny skies and temps in the mid-60s. We had a fresh fish lunch at Gloucester House restaurant overlooking the harbor before boarding the Privateer IV, the newest whale watching boat from Seven Seas Whale Watching. The boat offers indoor and outdoor seating. As we boarded, the seats outside were great, pleasant and sunny. After a brief tour of the Gloucester Harbor, we headed out to sea and the breezes picked up. Everyone added on their extra jackets and hoodies to stay warm in the breeze. Blue skies and blue water surrounded us on all sides.
Actually seeing whales is never guaranteed; the ocean is large and the whales travel on their own schedule. Prime watching area is about 45 minutes from the harbor. While there are several whale watching tour companies in Gloucester, ours managed to be first to the area and the first to spot a whale. Once a whale is spotted, the excitement is palpable and no one is cold anymore.
We really lucked out. Yes, we only saw one humpback whale but that whale stayed around us, even diving under the boat several times and coming up on the other side. That really freaked people out! We did leave the first area for a while to look for whales of other species but after being unsuccessful, returned to our first whale.
Our whale
The naturalist on the boat was pleased that not only did we see the whale feeding, but we were able to see the tail of the whale come up completely and splash down several times. Evidently that is not a frequent occurrence. The whale would spout, come up, dive down, and blow air bubbles to concentrate the fish schools it was feeding on. This happened repeatedly, with dives under water lasting several minutes and people searching the ocean to be the first to see it re-appear.
I was lucky enough to get several nice pictures of the whale, even with our point and shoot camera. There is also one nice video that I hope attaches well to this post. I believe you will enjoy watching it. It is only 28 seconds but has a lot of action.
Finally, we had to head back to shore, the whale was still feeding but our time was done. We were probably watching the whale for at least 45 minutes, if not longer. It was a memorable occasion, not soon to be forgotten.
Man at the Wheel statue
Back in Gloucester, we did a short walk around the harbor before heading back to the hotel. Two stops on the walk, one for ice cream and one at the famous Gloucester Man at the Wheel statue. The statue honors the Gloucester fishermen who have been lost at sea; it is inscribed with the words: “They that go down to the sea in ships.” Dinner was just pizza in the room, the fish lunch had been quite filling.
Our Lady of Good Voyage church in Gloucester
Sunday was rainy, we used up our weather luck on Saturday. We went to an 11:45 Mass at the Lady of Good Voyage church, a long-time Portuguese congregation in Gloucester. We arrived early since we wanted to take some pictures and as we pulled up, there was a crowd in front of the church, many dressed up in fancy clothes. First thought: uh-oh, a long service of some nature. But while it was a special occasion to honor their recently deceased pastor’s forty years of service, the Mass was no longer than usual and we were able to observe some local customs to honor the Portuguese fishing community.
After Mass we drove the scenic route all of 15 miles to Rockport, another ocean harbor community with narrow streets, upscale art galleries, and crowded harbor. The rain limited the enjoyment of potential shopping. My goal on Father’s Day was to visit the Rockport Art Association and Museum. The description portended extensive art galleries and a healthy dose of Rockport history. When we entered the building, I asked the receptionist where the history section was-the art sections were obvious and close at hand. She looked a little quizzical and stated she did not think they had any. They did not. My hopes to learn some history of the community were dashed, but I made the most of the art sections.
Ed enjoying the art in Rockport
Deb and Rebecca took Chris and I out to dinner for Mothers and Father’s Day. The Passports restaurant in downtown Gloucester came well recommended and it had popovers. This was Rebecca’s first experience with popovers and Passport’s did not disappoint. The meals were great and we saved enough room to share two desserts. I really celebrated and had a glass of sangria.
Ed and Chris. June 18
Chris Klejbuk and Ed Heimel travel adventure 
Love the whale video! What a great adventure you had. I spent a week in Cape Ann when my aunt and uncle rented a home on the beach there one summer. I enjoyed the tidal pools and the creatures in them. It’s a lovely place.