whale watching

This whale watch was not your standard vessel fleet launching from the tourist ridden harbor docks. There was no time slotted tour where advanced purchase of tickets were required. This was a Saturday morning adventure with friends seeking a glimpse of the oceans largest mammals. We set out from an eerily calm inlet off the backside of Nauset Beach. It was low tide but luckily not too low to venture through the sandbar ridden channel. The inlet here stretches between the towns of Orleans and Eastham and leads out into the vast Atlantic Ocean.Only - we did not have to venture very far into its vastness to spot a pod of Humpback Whales (we estimated about 12 - 14 different individual whales) who were swimming just off shore.Seeing these mammals in person is completely breathtaking. One of those times where the camera (and all my cropping and zooming) can't even begin to do the experience justice. The whales came really close to us, I am talking a tiny stones throw close. Did I mention we are on a 23 foot recreational motorboat? It was kind of an adrenaline rush? You never knew just where they were going to pop up next to you! I was so glad they decided to share their morning with us. Thank you, beautiful Humpback Whales :)