Join us on what has been one of our favorite field trips, a whale watch in the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, a federally protected area in Massachusetts Bay.
The heart of the sanctuary is Stellwagen Bank, an underwater plateau stretching that is, on average, 100 to 120 feet below the surface, while surrounding waters to the west are over 300 feet deep and to the northeast as deep as 600 feet.
The steep sides of the plateau cause deep-water currents to rise up when they hit the bank; this upwelling brings with it nutrients and minerals from the bottom, feeding the local ecosystem. The biodiversity of Stellwagen Bank makes it an attractive feeding area for whales and other marine mammals.
Captain John Boats is the premier whale watching company in Plymouth, MA. Their whale watching excursions depart from Town Wharf in Plymouth and out to Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen Bank where you will have the opportunity to view sights you’ll never forget.
The knowledgeable naturalists will guide us on a four-hour experience that is educational, exciting, and exhilarating. At the feeding grounds for humpback whales, finback whales, pilot whales, minke whales, and the endangered right whales, we will get within feet of some of the rarest, most graceful mammals in the world.
Throughout the trip we will also see pelagic birds like Northern Gannets, shearwaters, storm petrels, and Northern Fulmars.
The full individual fee that Captain John Boats charges or the whale watch is $50, $60, or $70, depending on age. The special group rate for this Menunkatuck trip is $35 per person if we get a group of 20 or more people.
Register for the trip. For Phone Number, please give the cell phone number at which you can be reached at during the trip.. Please register as soon as possible to ensure that there is space available.
Full payment must be made by July 27, 2022. You may pay by PayPal/credit card on the Whale Watch Payment page. or by mailing a check to Menunkatuck Audubon Society, PO Box 214, Guilford, CT 06437. If paying by check, indicate in the Memo section that it is for the Whale Watch. Should it be necessary to cancel your registration for the trip, your money will be refunded up until July 27, 2022. If the company cancels the trip, complete refunds will be given.
The drive to Plymouth from New Haven is 3 - 3½ hours, depending on traffic and stops.
Schedule
7:30 am - Group will depart in private vehicles from Guilford Commuter Parking Lot I-95 and Route 77.
11:30 am - Lunch at area restaurant
1:00 pm - Meet at Captain John Boats ticket booth to get boarding passes and board the boat.
2:00 pm - Vessel gets underway.
5:00-5:30 pm - Vessel returns to dock.
There are several other good restaurants around the dock area where we can go to have supper before heading back home.
For more information or to sign up for the trip off line, contact Carl R. Harvey at carlrharvey79@gmail.com or call 203-389-6076.