Whale Watching in Plymouth

Cape Cod Bay opens directly onto Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, a shallow feeding ground where humpback, finback, minke and occasionally right whales gather from April into October. Boats leave from Plymouth's Town Wharf, about twenty minutes from the houses.

Expect a four-hour round trip. Naturalists narrate, sightings are common through the summer, and most operators offer a return-trip guarantee if the whales don't cooperate.

Practical notes: it is ten to fifteen degrees cooler on the water than on shore, morning trips are usually calmer, and if anyone gets seasick, take something an hour before boarding rather than at the dock.

You can also watch from land. Whales are occasionally visible from the deck of the house with binoculars, and seals are a near-certainty at Ellisville Harbor in the cooler months.