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.
JUNE 4, 2026
People seemed to like my last video showing Milkweed's calf from both above and below the water so here's another... but this time of Milkweed herself!
Again this is the two clips of the exact same moment on yesterday's trip. Milkweed swam right under our boat and I was able to capture her emerging on the starboard side from the top deck while Gabe filmed her under the water.
Note: One passenger was so impressed he used a bad word (twice) so I had to get creative with the sound editing on this one! ... See MoreSee Less
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JUNE 4, 2026
Milkweed's 2026 has been a joy to watch this Spring. This calf is very playful and curious and often spends as much time watching us as we do her.
On yesterday's trip this calf again engaged in this "Close-to-boat" behavior and decided to approach us. At one point the whale blew a "bubble stream" as it surfaced. We managed to capture this moment on two different cameras. Take a look.... ... See MoreSee Less
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WHALE SIGHTINGS REPORT ~ 6/2/26
All is swell in the southern Gulf of Maine… literally and figuratively.
The storm that rolled through on Saturday left us with a decent swell over the past couple of trips, especially on Sunday. Despite the rolling seas, the wind has remained light, creating glassy conditions and some beautiful whale watching.
On Sunday, we made our way down to Stellwagen Bank, where we eventually found a hotspot of activity filled with seabirds, minke whales, fin whales, and humpback whales. We spent our trip with Milkweed and calf, Bolide and calf, and Pele alongside Sprinkles.
Bolide erupted a single time out of the water in a spectacular breach beside the boat. Ironically, this happened just one day after a real bolide exploded over the Atlantic Ocean off Massachusetts, not too far from where the whale Bolide made her explosive breach! Many of the same whales were still in the area today, along with numerous gray seals that seemed just as interested in watching the whales as we were.
Thinking of coming out whale watching? DO IT. The forecast is looking good, especially tomorrow. ... See MoreSee Less
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WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 5/30/26
The whales we observe are inherently wild, and wild animals use their feeding grounds however they see fit. These past few days have been a great reminder of that. While we’re still enjoying excellent whale sightings, we’ve had to travel a bit farther to find them, with many of the whales now concentrated on the southern end of Stellwagen Bank.
Interestingly, many of the same individual whales we were watching on the northern end last week have simply shifted south. I have no doubt that at some point they’ll head north again. After all, for a humpback whale, 15 miles is about the equivalent of us walking to the fridge.
One of the most fascinating parts of long-term observation is watching how these whales move across the feeding grounds. The more years we spend with them, the more it seems that many individuals travel as a loose herd. While we certainly encounter solitary whales, it often feels like where there is one whale, there are more nearby, and frequently the same familiar individuals that have been loosely associating for weeks.
Today we are docked as 11-foot seas and howling winds sweep across coastal Massachusetts 🌊
Humpback Whales Identified:
Jabiru and calf
Lavalier and calf
Pleats and calf
A-Plus and calf
Glo and calf
Pele
Sprinkles
Spell
Tear
Schism
Crinkle
Boutonniere ... See MoreSee Less
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MAY 26, 2026
We had to travel a few extra miles today (not super far, but further than we have previously this Spring) but it was well worth the extra effort.
The highlight of the trip for sure was when the calf of a whale called “A+” be came interested in our boat. In such calm conditions it made for some of the clearest views of a curious whale I have ever seen (only the pollen on the water obscured the view). Another whale - “Crinkle” - also joined in at times.
This “Close-to-boat” behavior is rare and I think best captured in video as this is one case where still photos just don’t capture the way these animals move through their ocean environment so effortlessly and with such grace.
We can’t wait to see what surprises tomorrow’s trip will bring. ... See MoreSee Less
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WHALE SIGHTINGS UPDATE ~ 5/24/26
The festival of activity continues on Stellwagen Bank for the humpback whales! Over the past few days, we’ve seen 8 mother-and-calf pairs. Some are familiar flukes we’ve spent a lot of time with this season, such as Jabiru and Venom with their calves, while others are new moms to us, including Nile and her calf.
These calves have been an absolute joy to watch as they play with each other, the adults, and even us! While the adults are at the surface, the calves stay close to their mothers and the group. But once the adults head down on feeding dives, the calves quickly find ways to entertain themselves. Often, they’ll swim right up to the boat to spy on us, or find one another to roll, splash, and play together until the adults resurface. Jabiru’s calf seemed to prefer breaching while the adults were down, while Faceoff’s calf wasted no time swimming up to us and bouncing back and forth between the sides of the boat.
All in all, my face hurt from smiling so much yesterday and throughout these past few days. Come experience these wild whales with us! We can’t promise they’ll all stick around, but that’s part of the unpredictability and the magic of wildlife.
Photos from 5/21-5/23
Humpback whales identified: Venom and calf • Jabiru and calf • Faceoff and calf • Startrail and calf • Bolide and calf • A-Plus and calf • Nile and calf • Milkweed and calf • Eruption • Hashtag • Aphotic’s 2022 calf • Pele • 3.14 • Boutonniere ... See MoreSee Less
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