Ocean Touring and Whale Watching – Scituate, Massachusetts
Mass Bay Guides offers the best private whale watching and site seeing trips departing from Scituate, Massachusetts. You can go to Stellwagen Bank and view all types of creatures in the wild, or you can tour Boston Harbor and the beutiful lighthouses and islands. We also offer trips to Historic Plymouth Harbor, where the Pilgrims landed. You can go to Provincetown, MA on the Tip of Cape Cod and get some good deals on some great Native Art or have a nice lunch and dinner.
Stellwagen Bank, is most well known for its 19 species of marine mammals. Many of the visitors come to see the seals, dolphins, porpoises and of course, the great whales. Whale watch tours from spring through fall regularly introduce viewers to, among others, Atlantic white-sided dolphins and finback and humpback whales, who are renowned for their exciting breaches through flocks of seabirds. We recommend a 8hr, or 10hr trip so you can get offshore to see the animals. Book here!
The Giants of Stellwagen Bank: A Guide to Local Whale Species
Located just a short run from Scituate Harbor, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is globally recognized as one of the premier whale-watching destinations on the planet. This 842-square-mile underwater plateau creates a unique upwelling of nutrient-rich water, attracting massive schools of sand lance, herring, and mackerel. Where there is bait, there are whales. For guests aboard a Mass Bay Guides charter, the opportunity to see these apex marine mammals in their natural habitat is a bucket-list experience.
To help you prepare for your offshore adventure, here is a detailed look at the diverse whale species we commonly encounter on the Bank.
1. The Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
The undisputed star of the New England coast is the Humpback whale. Known for their incredible size (reaching up to 50 feet) and even larger personalities, Humpbacks are the most “acrobatic” of the great whales. On any given trip, you might witness a full breach, where the whale launches its 40-ton body completely out of the water, or lobtailing, where it slams its massive tail fluke against the surface.
Humpbacks are also famous for their unique feeding style known as bubble-net feeding. A group of whales will swim in a shrinking circle while blowing bubbles to trap a school of fish, then lunge upward through the center with their mouths wide open. Because every Humpback has a unique black-and-white pattern on the underside of its tail (fluke), many of the whales we see, like the famous “Salt” or “Nile,” are well-known individuals that researchers have tracked for decades.
2. The Finback Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Second only to the Blue Whale in size, the Finback is the “Greyhound of the Sea.” These sleek, streamlined giants can reach lengths of nearly 80 feet and swim at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour. Despite their massive scale, they are often more subtle than Humpbacks, gliding gracefully through the water with a tall, curved dorsal fin that stays visible for several seconds.
An interesting fact about Finbacks is their asymmetrical coloring: the lower right jaw is creamy white, while the left side is dark gray. Scientists believe this helps them camouflage as they circle schools of fish. Seeing a 70-ton Finback surface next to the boat is a powerful reminder of the sheer scale of life in the North Atlantic.
3. The Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
The Minke is the smallest of the “great whales” found on Stellwagen Bank, typically reaching about 25 to 30 feet in length. What they lack in size, they make up for in frequency. Minkes are incredibly common and are often the first whales we spot during the early season. They are easily identified by their sharply pointed snouts and the white “mitten” patches on their pectoral fins. Because they are quick and often travel alone, spotting a Minke requires a keen eye on the horizon for their quick, rolling surface breaks.
4. The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis)
The North Atlantic Right Whale is one of the rarest animals on earth, with fewer than 350 individuals remaining in the wild. Stellwagen Bank serves as a critical feeding ground for them in the spring. They are distinguished by their lack of a dorsal fin, V-shaped blow, and rough white patches on their heads called callosities. Spotting one of these gentle giants is a somber and awe-inspiring reminder of the importance of marine conservation.
5. Atlantic White-Sided Dolphins and Harbor Porpoises
While technically not “whales,” no trip to the Bank is complete without encountering our local cetacean cousins. Atlantic White-Sided Dolphins often travel in massive pods of 50 or more, leaping through the boat’s wake and putting on a high-speed show. We also frequently see the shy Harbor Porpoise, the smallest cetacean in our waters, usually found in small groups near the shoreline.
Why Experience Whale Watching with Mass Bay Guides?
Unlike the massive “cattle boats” that carry hundreds of people, a private charter with Mass Bay Guides offers an intimate, front-row seat to the action. We can maneuver more effectively to follow the activity, providing you with better angles for photography and a quieter, more personal connection to the ocean. Whether we are watching a mother Humpback teach her calf to dive or witnessing a Finback on a high-speed chase, our goal is to provide an educational and exhilarating experience that respects the wildlife and the environment.