On Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:51:00 -0400, Rick B. wrote:

On Wed, 7 Mar 2007 19:02:11 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:

I'm thinking a fun thing to do this summer might be to take the boat out to
Stellwagen Bank or other whale spots. It would give my crew and guests a
taste of offshore life and be an interesting quest.

Has anybody done this in a sailboat? I'm wondering things like whether
public sighting reports are available, probability of seeing anything, etc.

We listen to the commercial whale watch boats on the VHF as the
spotters call to each other and then head in that general direction if
it's within reach. Had great luck last year out of Casco Bay. We'd
spent the night anchored off Richardson Island and then went out about
6 miles, not only whales but dolphins as well. It was one of the
better days.

Set a course out of a harbour on Ende Island, Indonesia that was clear
of all land, racks etc. Wife on watch yells out to check navigation as
there is a large black rock dead ahead. No, no such rock on the chart.
Checked everything again including GPS, bearings to land etc. On
getting closer the mass of seabirds perched on top and a hoard of
buzzing flies flew up. It was a dead Minke whale floating belly up.

It obviously had been dead for sometime if the stench was any
indication. I'd hate to have hit it at even just 5 knots. I reckon
you'd have to burn the yacht to get rid of the smell.

Peter

"Peter Hendra" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:51:00 -0400, Rick B. wrote:

On Wed, 7 Mar 2007 19:02:11 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:

I'm thinking a fun thing to do this summer might be to take the boat out
to
Stellwagen Bank or other whale spots. It would give my crew and guests a
taste of offshore life and be an interesting quest.

Has anybody done this in a sailboat? I'm wondering things like whether
public sighting reports are available, probability of seeing anything,
etc.

We have sailed out to Stellwagen a number of times. Sailing makes it an all
day trip, usually arriving in time for lunch. We look for the commercial
whale watchers. We have not found much on the radio. Some watchers come
into view on the way out and we follow their lead. We have never been
disappointed. My best story is the time I was photographing my wife and
niece and they were watching a humpback broach less than a boat length
behind me. They didn't tell me about it until after I snapped their picture,
by then I heard the splash, but it was too late.