What to do to Relax? How about Whale Watching?

byMarkLoe

172 followers

4 years ago

Took a break from working yesterday. What to do to relax? How about doing something I've never done? What a great day spent doing something new with my family! Feeling refreshed and revitalized today! Here's how it went down...

Busy, Busy, Busy

Since I've started my home business it's been crazy! But in a good way. Learning so many new things and implementing them. Doesn't always go smoothly but overall, progress is being made. More importantly, in my mind I feel that I'm making progress. So my mindset is very positive at this time.

I"ve been hidden away in my home office/desk in my room hunched over the computer. Having an addictive personality is a two edged sword here. It keeps me focused on my work to the exclusion of all else. Therein lies the problem. Family time suffers. But I've been working on myself and my wellness as well. Time to take a break.

How About Whale Watching?

So my wife says "How about going whale watching?" It's something I've always wanted to do and the whole family could enjoy. Let's do it! Did some online research and booked online. There are some really good deals now because of the Covid 19 situation. Booked the 0830 tour and had just over a 2 hour drive to get to the boat. So, the plan was: Early start in the morning. Whale watching tour on the boat (about 3-4 hours). Followed by a quick look see in Gloucester and lunch. Then a leisurely drive back home. A full day, but one well spent.

Hurricane II

Let me say up front that this is not a promotional post and I'm not getting paid for this. Just wanted to share a most wonderful experience and give credit where it's due. The company we used was Cape Ann Whale Watch and the boat was the Hurricane II. Very professional in a laid back style. Check in and boarding were seamless and on time.

The boat itself was in great shape and clean. And the crew were friendly and knowledgeable. Both in information shared about the marine life we saw. And in the operation of the boat, equipment and crew. The boat was clearly marked for social distancing and the briefings were clear and not onerous. There was a galley where food and drinks could be purchased. Most importantly, the boat handling in the proximity to the whales and other creatures was spot on. I was sort of expecting a cowboy mentality of chasing whales all over the ocean. But was pleasantly surprised when that did not happen. Still saw many whales and dolphins. Think there was even a seal sighting but I didn't see it.

Whales and Dolphins

I must say we thoroughly enjoyed the day! The run out to the area where the whales were took about an hour. The weather was overcast and the sea was flat calm. First off we came up on a fairly large pod of dolphins. I think they were Atlantic White Sided Dolphin (from my memory so don't blame the crew if I got it wrong). There were a lot of mother and calf pairs. I think that this was the highlight for the children on board. Dolphins swimming in the wild always have a most positive effect on people watching them. You can't help but smile when you see them.

After we left the dolphins we came upon a mother and calf pair of Humpback whales. Not as visually stimulating as dolphins but amazing to see none the less. At first glance they looked like logs drifting on the sea. Until you looked closely and see the movement. I was on the lower deck but feel that with the water clarity, a better view might have been from the upper deck. But then, you would be further away from these magnificent creatures. We hung out with this pair for a little while. When they dive, they can be gone for 5-10 minutes so lots of time spent waiting for them to re appear. However, I found the time passed quickly so was personally never bored.

We also followed another pair of females for a while. You may be wondering how I knew what they were? But that information all came from the guides who even had names for the individual whales. They could tell the differences by the markings on the whales. Like the color differences on the undersides of their tails. Most interesting. All too soon we were on our trip in. Here I must say, the temperature out on the water is definitely cooler than on the land. So, if you want to enjoy the open deck, a hoodie or light jacket would definitely be useful.

Take Aways

All in all a lovely day. Covid was good for one thing. The boat was only running at 35% capacity of passengers for social distancing. This was great as it allowed mostly uninterrupted viewing when the creatures were around the boat. You could even easily move from side to side depending on where the whales were. I think that the experience was way better than if the boat was at full capacity. This together with the pricing specials now on make this a deal not to be missed.

I am so glad that I took the day off for this experience. Making time for leisure and relaxation is one of the factors that lead to improving your wellness. As a result, today I'm back at my desk recharged and revitalized. Family is happy too. All is well in my present moment so will enjoy the now.