Good Evening Stellwagen Sentries,

This morning we made haste with Captain Adam aboard the Sanctuary to the Southwest Corner of Stellwagen Bank.  Our arrival upon the whales’ realm was met with a minor hindrance, as a finback whale surfaced abruptly in our path!  Adam deftly maneuvered around the cetacean to grant our passengers an introduction to the mysticete mammoth, and he proceeded to guide us into the southern feeding grounds in due time.  Mist from three remote blows lingered over the oceanic threshold, and we found ourselves upon Reaper!  It was a pleasure to find a humpback whale who was quite boisterous on my last adventure, but this titan took on a laxidazy demeanor as it stirred in calm disregard to our presence. 

We soon happened upon Glo-Stick, another humpback whale who took shallow dives that seemed lethargic in spirit.  Our faculties were soon focused on a whale named Pixar, who seemed to awake upon our arrival.  Pixar circled with urgency around the Sanctuary, emitting several trumpeting blows and even rolling to expose ventral features and pectoral flippers.  It was quite sobering to see this monumental creature break both the Stellwagen silence and Atlantic surface with such unexpected cetacean antics!

The Sanctuary was due to return to Central Wharf, but we later we returned on our 2pm expedition to an area just northeast of our morning trip.  We found Spoon and her calf swimming under the surface with culinary intent, but the local whale-prey was being monopolized by the bubbleclouds of Reaper!  The beast became voracious during our absence and was dutifully snaking and tail-lobbing to our content. 

Reaper’s volatile behavior seemed to attract the attention of the humpback whale Pepper, who made her first appearance for this season with a calf in tow!  Her daughter Habenero was also sighted with child this year, earning her the rank of a fertile grandmother!  The mother began surface feeding within our proximity, granting us an observation of the baleen arranged neatly on her top jaw. 

Both Pepper and youngling attempted to join with Reaper, but the serpentine whale vacated the association within one surface interval.  Spoon and her calf suddenly reappeared in the vicinity, and they were transparent in their decision to attempt an associated feeding as well.  It appears my favorite rogue humpback is respected for its hunting prowess, and  strange cetacean antics are no deterrent for hungry neighbors!

Peace and Love,

Rich

Reaper feeding with friends. Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist 

Reaper diving into the sea. Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist 

Pixar starting a syphop off the starboard pulpit. Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist 

Reaper as a water taxi. Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Herring gull! Rich Dolan, Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Glo filter feeding. Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Pepper fluking. Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

First reported sighting of Pepper's 2015 Calf! Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Pepper with her calf (in background).  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Reaper "snaking" and dragging. Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist