Most of our time on the breeding grounds was spent with humpbacks, but a few curious bottlenose dolphins also made an appearance! This species, which we don't encounter often here at home, was an exciting and delightful surprise! 🐬 🐬 Video by naturalist Andrea with Deep Blue Charters. * In-water encounters are conducted following strict guidelines and accompanied by a permitted guide, ensuring that we always respect our role as visitors to their ocean home. #dolphin
Why do humpbacks sing?
Right now, it's peak mating season for our Gulf of Maine humpbacks, cruising the waters off Turks & Caicos, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. 🐋
On the breeding grounds, male humpbacks belt out complex songs — but why? Could it be to woo a mate, assert dominance, mark territory, or a combination? While we don’t have the exact answer, we do know that each population of humpbacks has its own signature tune, with new “phrases” and changes added each year.
Filmed in the Dominican Republic, following all in-water whale watching guidelines, by naturalist Andrea.
Leaving Provincetown with northerly winds cutting across the bay and smooth sailing through the Cape Cod Canal, The Dolphin XI glides into the boatyard for a well-earned winter’s rest. She’ll be back and ready for whale watching in April! See you then! 🐋
This past Saturday, we wrapped up our final trip of 2024. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us this season—whether it was your first time experiencing the magic of whale watching or you’re a cherished regular. It has truly been our pleasure to serve as your crew, from the ticket office to the pier and out on the water.
We look forward to welcoming you back for our 50th season next year! We have a few exciting surprises planned to celebrate this incredible milestone together, so stay tuned!
For now, enjoy this footage of surface activity from a humpback named Four, captured during one of our last trips. ~The Dolphin Fleet Crew 🐋
Sunday, October 12th 10am trip. Who had a breaching THRESHER SHARK on their 2024 bingo card?!
DF Crew member Kaloyan captured an exhilarating moment yesterday afternoon as a feeding humpback whale lunged through the surface, mouth wide open, sending fish scattering in all directions. 🐟 🐟 🐋
This breathtaking spectacle is even more awe-inspiring in person. While we can’t predict how long this surface feeding will last, now is the perfect time to grab the opportunity and get on a boat with us!
Most of us have heard a sea lion bark, but have you ever tuned in to the mesmerizing howl and moan of a gray seal? Turn up the volume to hear their haunting song as we passed by Long Point Lighthouse on a recent trip. 🦭
Today’s 2pm trip (9/14) was treated to a full repertoire of surface behaviors, including tail breaches, pec-slapping, and tail-lobbing from a whale named Putter! Which is your favorite? 🐋
This past week, as we set our sights on a whale splashing in the distance, our excitement turned to heartbreak when we discovered it was an entangled humpback. While a distressing sight for passengers and crew alike, we believe it is important to share this encounter—a reality all too common for whales in areas affected by human activities. So what happened?
Naturalist Mark recalls that the whale was acting strangely, slashing its tail sideways over and over, becoming more violent with its body throws as we approached. “I remember wanting it to be something other than entanglement—perhaps just lob-tailing or kick-feeding—and I even explained those behaviors to the public as we approached the huge splashes, hoping it wasn’t what I had suspected.” But it was…
As a whale-watching crew, we are Level 1 Responders with the Large Whale Entanglement Response Network and are well-trained to report, document, monitor, and standby as needed for trained rescuers to respond. In our area, that is the Center for Coastal Studies, Marine Animal Entanglement Response Team in Provincetown, MA. After informing our passengers that we had reported the entanglement to the rescue team, we continued to document and monitor the whale while the CCS team prepared. During the monitoring, we had the sense that this was far worse than it initially appeared. Mark recalls, “Watching the humpback struggle against several tight wraps of rope around the tailstock, trumpeting in panic as she exhaled. We were all feeling sickened, even more afraid for the whale’s life when it appeared the rope had formed a closed loop around the tailstock with tension to something beneath the waves that the whale just couldn’t get free from.”
And then, it was over—the whale was suddenly free. With massive applause and much cheering from passengers and crew, and I’m sure plenty of tears, the whale was able to break the rope and swim away. Mark says, “I have not stopped thinking about this e
What is happening here!!? Humpback whales are incredible strategists, using bubbles as tools to herd and capture fish. But as if witnessing these eight humpbacks bubble-net feeding wasn’t amazing enough, six of these whales surfaced in perfect synchrony!! Tickets still available for Labor Day weekend. Come join us! Link in bio 🐋
Rise and shine with graceful common dolphins gliding alongside our boat in tranquil, glassy seas. 🐬
Video from 8/27/2024 by passenger Walter Demkowicz.
When humpbacks fly! 🐋 Spectacular breaching from today’s 10 am trip captured by Dolphin Fleet crew Milo Putnam.
Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch originated whale watching on the U.S.East Coast in 1975 and is a family own Group tours and student field trips are a speciality.
