Boothbay Whale Watch, Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Your whale watching trips begins with a scenic tour of Boothbay Harbor. Our Naturalist will point out various islands, homes, wildlife and historic lighthouses as we begin our journey in search of the whales.

Once we reach the whale’s feeding ground we encourage all our passengers to help in our search looking for any spouts, backs, bodies, tails or splashes. When we have the first whale in sight our experienced captains maneuvers the boat close for all to see! Our Naturalist will entertain and inform you with many interesting facts and figures about the whales you are viewing. Whales we may encounter include Finbacks, Humpbacks, Minkes, dolphins and porpoises. We also may see harbor seals, sharks, ocean sunfish and a great variety of open ocean birds. Remember that humans are merely observers in the whale’s world, so we never know what they will do or what we will see.

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Harbor Princess

The Harbor Princess is a stable, custom-designed, high-speed aluminum vessel. She is 100 feet long and 24 feet wide and can comfortably accommodate 149 passengers.

The bridge of the Harbor Princess is equipped with the latest in navigation electronics including marine radios, radars and a GPS (Global Positioning System) to help us keep track of the locations of the whales.

The design of the Harbor Princess allows you to have a great viewing area for watching whales. You may choose our open-air top deck or heated and enclosed cabin for you whale-watching experience. Our bottom deck is also designed for passengers to walk 360 degrees around the boat to see the whales from any vantage point.

The Harbor Princess offers a full service galley and bar on board. Menu items include light fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, deli sandwiches, chips, crackers, candy and a variety of soft drinks and water. Sorry, NO ALCOHOLIC beverages may be brought on board!

The Captain

Captain Wodan Vanderlaan holds a 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard License and has been whale watching in the Gulf of Maine since 1988. His skill in boat maneuvering and knowledge of whale behavior will allow him to get passengers the best views of the whales.

The Naturalist

Mechele Vanderlaan has her Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Biology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and has been whale watching in the Gulf of Maine since 1990. Her commentary will make your trip an informative, exciting and memorable experience.

The Crew

Our friendly and outgoing crew will make your trip as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. They have vast maritime knowledge and experience, holding their own U.S. Coast Guard Captains Licenses and graduating from Maine Maritime Academy and Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Reservations:

For reservations or information, please call
1-888-WHALEME (1-888-942-5363)
or 207-633-3500.

Our e-mail: info@whaleme.com is available for further information.

Our ticket office is located at Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Pier 6

22 Commercial St, Boothbay Harbor ME, 04538

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Whale Watch Rates:

Adults - $48.00
Juniors (11-16 yrs old) - $32.00
Children (6- 10 yrs old) - $25.00
Children Under 5 yrs old are Free

2012 Whale Watch Schedule:

May 26 - June 10: Pre-Season Schedule: Saturdays at 11:30am and Sundays at 12:30pm

June 11 - July 15: Monday - Saturday at 11:30am, Sundays at 12:30pm

July 16 - August 19: Monday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:30am; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30am and 1:30pm; Sundays at 12:30pm

August 20 - October 7: Monday - Saturday at 11:30am and Sundays at 12:30pm

ALL TRIPS ARE WEATHER PERMITTING

WHALE WATCH TRIPS ARE APPROXIMATELY 3 - 4 HOURS LONG

TIMES AND SCHEDULE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED

2-3 days in advance

If no whales are sighted during your trip, each passenger will receive a pass to join us again for another trip, anytime space is available on board. These passes do not expire.

Also check out…

HARBOR CRUISES Aboard the Harbor Princess:

1 1/2 Hour narrated tours of Boothbay Harbor to see islands, homes, lighthouses, seals and other wildlife.

Times and Schedule are subject to change. Please call or email for more information and reservations

Music Boat Trips Aboard the Harbor Princess:

Reggae Cruise ~ Sunday evenings only from 6 - 9pm beginning mid-June and running until the Sunday after Labor Day,

$20 for tickets purchased Monday - Friday and $25 for tickets purchased Saturday or Sunday.

Tickets may be purchased and Reservations accepted only 6 days prior to the Sunday cruise.

Group rates not available for this cruise.

Must be 21 years old or older for this tour.

Live music from the Dani Tribesmen. Full bar on board. Reservations required.

Classic Oldies Cruise with Cahoots ~

Thursday evenings only from 6-9pm beginning in July and running until the Thursday after Labor day,

$15 for tickets purchased Friday-Tuesday and
$20 for tickets purchased Wednesday or Thursday.

Tickets may be purchased and Reservations accepted only 6 days prior to the Thursday evening cruise.

Group rates not available for this cruise.

Must be 21 years or older for this tour.

Reservations required

What to Bring:

The ocean air tends to be a little cooler than on land so it is a good idea to bring sweatshirts, jackets, hats and rain gear. In addition to clothing remember to bring your camera and film. Binoculars are also a good idea, but don’t worry if you forget yours, a limited supply is available for rent on board. NO ALCOHOLIC beverages or large coolers may be brought on board.

Wildlife

White-Sided Dolphin (7 ft. - 10 ft.)
White-side’s are frequently encountered in large “pods” of twenty-five or more. Often seen riding the bow waves and jumping out of the water.

Harbor Porpoise (4 ft. - 6 ft.)
The most solitary of all the toothed whales, Harbor Porpoises are difficult to spot because of their small size and small triangular dorsal fin.

Ocean Sunfish (3 ft. - 5 ft.)
These summer visitors are often seen basking at the surface. They lack tail fins and are perhaps the strangest shaped fish in our waters. Jellyfish constitute a large portion of their diet.

Basking Shark (45 ft.)
This plankton feeder is the largest shark in our waters. It is completely harmless and can often be seen sunning at the surface or feeding by cruising slowly with its mouth open.

Harbor Seal (4 ft. - 5 ft.)
Common along our coast and often seen around harbor entrances where they sun themselves on rocks and sand bars. In the water, they can be seen “bottling” or floating upright, nose pointed up.

Greater Shearwater (19″.)
A dark cap and white patch at the base of the tail distinguish this species. Shearwaters, as well as albatrosses, and petrels all have prominent tubular nostrils though which excess salt is excreted.

Manx Shearwater (13″)
A newcomer to the western Atlantic, this Old World shearwater can be readily identified by its small size, quick wingbeats, and black and white plumage.

Wilson’s Storm-Petrel (7″)
Nests in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic during the southern summer (November to March) and “winters” off our coasts from May to September.

Northern Gannet (37″)
Occurs offshore throughout the year, but is rare in summer. Adults and white, juveniles dark, and sub-adults are mottled. It plunges into the water, sometimes from great heights, to catch fish.

Herring Gull (24″)
Familiar to most as the commonest of the “sea gulls”, these birds were scarce along our coast at the beginning of the century

Great Black-backed Gull (30″)
Adult black-backs are unmistakable because of their large size and striking black and white plumage. Young birds are mottled brown.

WHALES

Finback
(Balaenoptera physalus)

Description
Long, thin whale with sickle-shaped dorsal fin. Right jaw white, left jaw dark. Spout is tall, rising up to 20 ft. Rarely shows flukes when diving. Length to 80 ft.

Seasonal Distribution
Spring-Fall: New England.
Winter: Unknown

Status and Estimated Population
Endangered. Approximately 3,000-6,000 in U.S. Atlantic waters.

Floating Carcass
Has throat grooves that reach to nave, body longer than 30 ft., relatively short flippers.

Humpback Whale
(Megaptera novaeangliae) Description
Fairly stocky whale with long, white flippers and small, usually rounded dorsal fin. Acrobatic. Spout is about 10 ft., bushier than that of fin whale. Shows flukes before deep dive. Length to 50 ft.

Seasonal Distribution
Spring-Fall: Primarily New England; also mid-Atlantic and southeast water.
Winter: Caribbean and wlsewhere.

Status and Estimated Population
Endangered. Approximately 5,500 in Northwest Atlantic.

Floating Carcass: Has throat grooves, long white flippers (>1/4 body length).

Minke Whale Description
Small, thin whale with hooked dorsal fin. Has white patch on short, slender flippers. Spout is low and difficult to see. Rarely shows flukes when diving. Length to 30 ft.

Seasonal Distribution
Spring-Fall: Found from Cape Cod north.
Winter: Unknown, possibly Caribbean or offshore.

Status and Estimated Population
Approximately 2,650 in U.S. Atlantic water; total abundance unknown.

Floating Carcass
Has short throat grooves (doesn’t reach navel), body shorter than 30 ft., short flippers, pointed snout with cream-colored baleen.

Orientation

Boothbay Harbor lies on the Maine Coast slightly more than one hour’s drive northeast of Portland, Maine. If visiting from afar, the Portland jetport is likely your best bet, though Bangor or even Boston would not be too distant.

Boothbay Harbor being on a peninsula, it is necessary to take Route 27 to the actual coastline. Route 27 lies just off of historic Route 1, which runs the length of the Maine coast and interconnects with Interstate 95.

The Mystery of the Piers

One of the most confusing things for an outsider to the Boothbay waterfront is the numbering of the piers. While technically, somewhere in the vaults of the town zoning archives, there are really piers designated for each of the numbers, you will find that Pier 1 is right next door to Pier 6, which is right next door to Pier 8.

Basically, the rule to remember is that the piers begin counting from the interior of the harbor, so if you want to reach the Boothbay Whale Watch, which is at Pier 6, and find yourself at Pier 8, turn into the harbor and you should see our signs beckoning from just down the waterfront. Use the same strategy in reverse if you find yourself at Pier 1. We hope to see you soon!