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Whale Watching Is A Must When Exploring Downeast & Eastport

by David Therot

Passamaquoddy Bay offers a diversity and abundance of whales in the summer and fall months. Along with dolphins, porpoises, seals, and numerous bird species, a trip on the bay is entertaining and educational for all ages.

The following are a list of the whales that you might possibly see while cruising around the bay.

  • Minke Whale: A typical minke whale is only in the neighborhood of 30 feet long and weighs 10 tons. One of the smallest of the baleen whales, you can identify the minke by watching it surface, where most of the back, dorsal fin and blowholes are visible. Deep dives of 2-20 minutes, are preceded by a pronounced arching of the back.
  • Finback Whale: Measuring 75 feet long and weighing 80 tons, the finback is the world’s second largest whale and have been known to leap completely out of the water. On the surface, their dorsal fin is visible, as well as their 15-18 foot spout. With each visit to the surface, the whale will blow one to several times for about one and a half minutes each time.
  • Humpback Whale: The playful whale nicknamed the “clown of the sea” has a fleshy knob on its snout and bumps along the edge of their long whitish flippers. Growing to 60 feet, the humpback whale as a long black and white tail fin, which can be up to a third of their body length.
  • North Atlantic Right Whale With less than 350 of these whales still in the oceans, spotting one is a true treasure. But if you happen to come upon one, they are quite identifiable. Measuring 50 feet long, these whales have no dorsal fin, callosities on their head, and a long arching mouth.
  • Blue Whale: On land or sea, this is the largest animal on earth. Not a regular visitor into the bay, you might be able to spot one during their migration periods. Measuring 75 to 80 feet in length, blue/gray in color, and when breathing, the whale emits a huge vertical single-column spout of water.

To view these graceful and rare mammals, head to Eastport, Maine. It is an outstanding choice to begin your expedition. We recommend the Sylvina W. Beal to take you out on the water and show off the bay’s beauty in a professional manner.

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