Whale Madness and a Salt Sighting
04.30.2026
A True New England Whale Watching Experience
Trusted by generations of guests since 1983
North of Boston's Best Small Business Award Winner 2025
#1 Ranked Whale Watch in Gloucester Since 2009 on TripAdvisor
#2 On Tripadvisor’s List of "Top Family-Fun in the World" Dec 2023
Welcome Aboard the
Privateer IV
From Historic Gloucester to the Waters of Stellwagen National Marine Sanctuary
Departing just 50 minutes north of Boston, we introduce thousands of passengers each year to the whales and marine wildlife found just miles from our Gloucester dock. Our daily whale watch trips run from mid-April through mid-October, offering an educational and inspiring experience in this remarkable marine sanctuary. Family-owned and operated for four generations, 7 Seas Whale Watch has worked from this very dock for over 70 years. We look forward to welcoming you aboard.
What You Could See on Your Whale Watch
GUARANTEED SIGHTINGS! The productive waters off Massachusetts are home to a variety of species of whales and other marine wildlife. Over our 45+ years in business we have a 99% success rate in finding whales. In the unlikely event you do not see a whale on your trip you will receive a voucher for a FREE whale watch that you can use anytime in the future.
Recent Sightings & Photos
Check out our Facebook feed for the latest sightings, photos, and updates from the water.
Recent Instagram Posts
Explore additional photography and video highlights from our whale watches on Instagram.
Departing from the Heart of Cape Ann
Located on Cape Ann, Gloucester’s historic working harbor provides one of the closest and best departure points for reaching the feeding grounds of Stellwagen Bank.
WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 7.31.26 - 8.3.26
Oh girls just wanna have fun!
Over the past few days, we've been spending time with humpback whales back on the northern end of Stellwagen Bank, and one of the highlights has been watching Jabiru's and A-plus's 2026 calves. These two seem to have mastered the art of making the most of every moment while their mothers are busy feeding.
As Jabiru and A-Plus head down on a feeding dive, their calves often stay at the surface together. Jabiru's calf frequently invites A-plus's calf to play, and before long the pair is rolling and splashing until their mothers return to the surface. Once the adults are back up, the calves settle back in at their mother's sides… at least until the next dive, when the cycle begins all over again!
Jabiru and A-plus have associated with one another multiple times this season, so it's no surprise these calves have become very familiar with each other. It's hard not to wonder if there's a bit of comfort for the mothers in knowing their calves are often together, and I can't help but think all of the splashing that probably makes it easier for them to reconnect with their calves as soon as they return from a feeding dive.
Watching these calves grow over the course of the season has been rewarding. They're already so much bigger than when we first met them, and it makes you wonder what the future holds. Humpback whales are known for maternal philopatry, with calves often returning to the same feeding grounds their mothers brought them to as youngsters. It's fun to imagine that years from now these two might cross paths again on Stellwagen Bank.
Wind, rain, and rough seas kept us at the dock this afternoon, but the forecast for the rest of the week is looking better! ... See MoreSee Less
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AUGUST 1, 2026
Highlights from this morning's whale watch.
It was a perfect weather morning with great whales (and dolphins!)... ... See MoreSee Less
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WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 7.24.26 - 7.27.26
High seas have kept us at the dock over the past couple of days, so here is a collection of photos from this past week on the water before the storm rolled through. We've continued to observe playful calves alongside groups of deep-feeding humpback whales!
I've always found that rough seas and passing storms have a way of mixing things up out on the water (quite literally). As the winds ease and the seas begin to subside overnight, we're excited to head back out and see what awaits us.
#gloucesterma #whalewatching #northofboston #humpbackwhale #Massachusetts #NewEngland ... See MoreSee Less
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JULY 28, 2026
After an absolutely spectacular day on the water today, we are sad to say that tomorrow the weather will keep us tied to the dock. We will be back it Thursday, however (weather permitting).
Until then I threw together this video. The majority of the clips were taken today (July 28th). A few are from yesterday (July 27th), and a couple are from late last week.
As you can see, it's been a great week of whale watching! I threw in some easter eggs too ;-)
Enjoy! ... See MoreSee Less
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JULY 28, 2026
Have you ever heard whale calves talking to each other?
This morning we had an amazing trip. We saw many humpback whales and a lot of surface activity.
While breaching, tail lobbing, flipper slapping, etc is great to see, one of the most interesting parts of the trip was watching two humpback whale calves (Jabiru's calf and Firefly's calf) interacting with each other at the surface while their mothers were feeding deep beneath the surface.
Check out this clip of them vocalizing to each other!
Many more photos and videos from this amazing trip (and others) to come... ... See MoreSee Less
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JULY 27, 2026
A humpback whale named "Flounder" on this afternoon's trip... ... See MoreSee Less
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