Incredible lunge feeding behavior witnessed on the whale watch today!
Humpback whales will lunge or quickly move toward their prey with their mouth open. The lower part of the jaw and throat expand enabling the whale to engulf more prey. Water will be pushed from the mouth or strained through the baleen. You can see the baleen hanging from the whales’ upper jaw in the footage. The hairy side keeps prey inside the mouth.
It is an impressive behavior to see. Whales are here in the Gulf of Maine to feed. Humpbacks will eat krill and fish.
Thank you Naturalist Ruth for sharing this amazing video!
#barharborwhalewatch #whalewatching #humpbacks #gulfofmaine #whales
Have you stopped in at our gift shop yet? We have a large assortment of unique items.
Need some warm layers like a jacket or sweatshirt? We got you covered!
Looking for a fun souvenir? We have many to choose from!
When you join us on a boat cruise you get 15% off on items over $5! Just present your tickets at checkout! We are also happy to book your tickets at the counter.
Come on by! #barharbormaine #barharborwhalewatch
The sounds of spring in Bar Harbor! #barharbormaine #barharbor #maine #coastalmaine #spring #seaside
Mother and calf humpback whale diving.
That's a wrap! Another season of amazing wildlife sightings and memorable moments on the water!
Thank you to everyone that joined us this year! We can't wait to see you in May of 2024!
Video: Cow and calf humpback whales seen on September 28th, 2023.
Patches and Squiggle continue to hang out together and WOW passengers with behaviors like pec slapping!
August 12th 2:30 trip
Video: Naturalist Abigail
Come aboard the Miss Samantha to learn and see how Maine fishers catch lobster! 🦞Watch traps hauled, hold a lobster, see some seals, and spectacular views of Acadia National Park!
Captain Edwin and Naturalist Tim had a fun adventure out int Frenchman Bay hailing traps and showing folks the sites of Frenchman Bay!
#acadianationalpark #lobster #lobstering #barharbor #maine #coastofmaine #downeast
Lighthouses, puffins, and Acadia National Park! Oh my!
The Puffin and Lighthouse boat cruises offer a great experience viewing and learning about lighthouses, wildlife, and Acadia National Park!
This lighthouse cruise runs until early August and then we start our wonderful Historical Lighthouse and Acadia National Park cruise!
Join us to learn about the amazing maritime and natural history of Acadia and Mount Desert Island!
#visitbarharbor #barharbormaine #downeast #downeastmaine #lighthouses #puffins #acadianationalpark
Our research assistant Shannon captured this great video of an ocean sunfish! We saw several throughout the day. On calm and warm days, they come to the surface to thermoregulate or warm up their bodies after deep dives. They are the largest bony fish in the world and have a dorsal and anal fin to help them move though the water. And two pectoral fins to keep them balanced. They tend to eat jelly fish and other gelatinous invertebrates. Their dorsal fin moves up and down in the water and they can be easily be mistaken for sharks! #molamola #oceansunfish #whalewatching #gulfofmaine
Today left us all in awe! After days at the dock due to dense fog and rough seas, we headed offshore and happened to spot a minke whale in the distance. After floating for a bit, waiting for it to surface, it suddenly popped up right next to us! For an hour, the whale swam back and forth, under the boat. It would swim off a bit and then come back to us. Interactions like this a rare and not sure as to what it thought of us, but it seemed curious. Not sure, but that’s what makes whales so intriguing. Still so much to understand and learn about these amazing animals.
A big thank you @blueblood_greg, our engineer, for capturing and sharing some amazing footage!
Note: the vessel followed regional whale watching guidelines. Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company is @whale.sense certified.
#whalewatching #gulfofmaine #barharbormaine #downeast #minkewhale #whale #whalewatching #barharborwhalewatch
Happy World Whale Day! Celebrating the animals that continue to inspire, amaze, and intrigue us!
🐋When whales thrive, the oceans thrive! 🌊
🐋Please consider adopting a whale from Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic to support the research that is needed to help protect whales!
🐋Be an advocate for whales by helping to keep the oceans clean and safe!
🐋Choose companies that are respectful to whales by following guidelines. Whale SENSE companies like ours promote responsible whale watching and ocean stewardship!
Ending the season with a pec slapping humpback!
That’s a wrap! Our whale watches have sadly ended for the season. We were so fortunate to have a humpback named Garden end the season with some farewell pec slaps.
Thank you to all our amazing passengers and devoted captains, naturalists, and crew! We were also so fortunate to continue our valuable partnership with Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic!
We look forward to spending time with the whales in late May 2023!
We will continue to offer a nature cruise and lighthouse cruise until October 27th!
Thank you to Naturalist Abigail for sharing this great video!
The vessel was operating in compliance with regional whale watching guidelines and is a Whale SENSE company.
