Whales of Stellwagen Bank and Jeffereys Ledge

Let's  start things off big, truly BIG! I could not think of a better subject for the first gallery on this site that will feature wonders of God's creation than those among the largest --- Whales. The selected photos capture three of the most common whales seen in the waters off New Hampshire and the North Shore of Massachusetts. You'll find humpback whales, well-known for amazing solo and group feeding methods, huge white flippers, frequent surface play, and for having tail fluke patterns as unique as human fingerprints. And for BIG -- I have included fin (aka finback) whales, which at up to 82 feet long and 80 tons, are earth's second largest creature, sometimes called "the greyhound of the sea" because it can swim at close to 30 miles per hour. The last resident in this gallery will be the minke whale -- a smaller 'cousin' of the fin whale. Minkes share the sleek profile of their finback cousins, but typically run 25-35 feet long and 9 tons or under. They are very stealthy as they ply the waters and any more than a few quick glimpses of them is rare.

I hope you will enjoy a brief visit with these beautiful marine mammals!

Select any photo to open a full-sized view.