Please come whale watching with me!

Please come whale watching with me. 

We are going out to sea from the magical settlement of Provincetown - landing place of the founding fathers of the USA and now a colouful stronghold of liberal values. 

First we have to take a little walk along the pier past the various shacks selling art and tours.

Our boat awaits us. 

And at the allotted hour, off to sea. We pass by some washing King Eider ducks.

We pass the famous artwork dedicated to the Portuguese settlers who came here: Portraits of four elderly ladies face out to sea.

The naturalist on board tells us where we are going and what we are likely to see. On the map Provincetown is at the very end of the long peninsula where his finger is pointing..

It's a Saturday and looking back at the shore we see folks have taken their 4x4 vechicles out for a day on the beach.

Thirty fast-moving minutes late we are near the northern edge of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and spy a great puff of 'steam' ahead - the blow of a whale. 

We encounter two feeding humpback whales


When they leave the surface a giant circular fluke-print is left at the surface.

The humpback whales have a famously small dorsal fin, distinctive black and white tail flukes and giant pectoral fins. Each whale weighs about 50 tons.

'Fluking-up' ahead of a dive.

Another whale-watching boat packed with tourists has joined us.

We return back to shore - along the way we also see fast moving fin whales and some distant dolphins. 

Here's a view of one of the lighthouses and behind it the Pilgrim Monument tower which acts as a marker for shipping for tens of miles around.

In a sheltered bay - 'house-boats' Cape Cod style.

Close to port - cormorants have colonised a breakwater.

 And back to shore!