Research Vessel Whale Watch Trips

During the summer we will take up to six people per cruise, two days a week from June 17 to September 9. Days of the week vary, but will generally be Thursdays, and some Thursdays and Fridays; please call us at 978-281-6351 for exact dates. Cruises last a full day (7 AM - approximately 4 PM), and cost $110 per person for members, and $125 per person for non-members (join when you make your reservation and receive the member price). All trips are conducted with Whale Center staff and U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains for your safety. $50 of the fare is tax-deductible; all of the fare goes to support our work at The Whale Center of New England.

A trip aboard the Mysticete is truly a unique experience. By spending more time on the water, we hope to see a variety of whale species and behaviors, and come to understand more about the lives of whales than can be experienced on a short whale watch. Because we have more time, we have the option of going farther out than whale watch boats can. In the past our most important sightings and identification photos, especially from humpback whale mother-calf pairs, have taken place aboard our former research boat, Silver II.

We expect the Mysticete to provide even more opportunities for collecting data and getting great sightings. Participants are not only able to spend a full day with whales, they also have the option to help us gather our data. Cruises include a variety of research components, depending upon what nature offers on a given day. In 2008 we will emphasize photo-identification censuses of the whales in one or more areas, detailed behavioral observations (especially of humpback whale mother-calf pairs), and surveys of whale prey using sonar systems (to correlate with whale behavior). We may also explore areas where public whale watch boats don't go, to see if whales are present. These trips are also very different from public whale watches; there is no structured narration, although there is ample opportunity to interact with the Whale Center scientists in informal discussion. Further, the smaller vessel and more intimate setting gives you an experience absolutely unique in the New England area!

Reservations Policy: Due to the limited number of times that we run Mysticete with passengers, and the very limited number of spaces available per trip, we have the following policies:

• Reservations are required for all trips.
• When making reservations, one half of the fare must be placed as a non-refundable deposit, unless the trip is canceled by us: $55 for members; $62.50 for non-members.
• Any time up to 2 weeks prior to the trip you will lose the non-refundable deposit given when you made the reservations.
• Between 2 weeks and 48 hours before the trip there will be a 50% charge of the remaining balance: $27.50 members; $31.25 for non-members.
• From 48 hours to the time of the trip you will be charged the remaining balance; there is no refund, unless canceled by us.
• Our scientists may decide one week in advance to cancel the trip if low whale numbers make the research trip impractical. You will be notified the day the decision is made. You may either have your deposit refunded, or reschedule your trip.
• Reservations are accepted from the public starting April 15. Members can register prior to April 15, as well as afterwards.