MA Group Spots Blue Whale, The Largest Animal On Earth, While On Boat

GLOUCESTER, MA — A tour group with Cape Ann Whale Watch had a once-in-a-lifetime experience Thursday when it spent "the most extraordinary 30 minutes in the presence of a blue whale," the largest creature on Earth.

"We had heard the rumors but wouldn't allow ourselves to get our hopes up," Cape Ann Whale Watch wrote on Facebook after the encounter. "As we were scanning the area for whales, we spotted a blow (whale exhale) taller than a two-deck whale-watching vessel. Could it be?"

The tour guide, Tina, said she had only ever seen a blue whale one other time; a blink-and-you'll-miss-it encounter more than 20 years ago.

"Today, this blue whale was doing 4-minute dives and we were able to see the whale's EXTREMELY long body under the surface and it nearly fluked," Tina wrote. "I did note that this whale looked quite lean; I could visibly see its ribs and could count the vertebrae on the peduncle."

Cape Ann Whale Watch shared a series of photos from the encounter, which were captured using a telescopic lens and in compliance with whale watching guidelines, Tina said. They also send data to the Center for Coastal Studies, which curates the Gulf of Maine Humpback Whale catalog.

"This encounter had passengers on other whale watch boats cheering to one another as one boat would leave, and another would move in," according to Tina. "One single animal ignited a sense of comradery between strangers...lessons to be learned from nature."

Cape Ann Whale Watch added that while they cannot guarantee that they will encounter the blue whale on any other trip, "being in the presence of wildlife reminds us that we share this planet and how absolutely awesome Earth truly is."

You can call 1-800-877-5110 to reserve a spot on a Cape Ann Whale Watch tour.