April 24th was Massachusetts Right Whale Day. A vertical puff of water vapor split the air on that bright, calm day in Cape Cod Bay off Provincetown’s Wood End Lighthouse. The V-shaped blow is not visible because the whale is positioned broadside to us. Most baleen whales have narrower spouts. With no dorsal fin and a brief glimpse of broad flukes—the whale’s tail—confirms the presence of a right whale, approximately 50 feet long.

A right whale releases a vertical spout off Provincetown’s Wood End Lighthouse on Massachusetts Right Whale Day.

Right whales are so rare that whale-watching vessels must stay at least 500 yards, or 1,500 feet, away so as not to disturb them. Right whales are like icebergs in freshwater, with most of their bodies hidden underwater. We watched the magnificent mammals from a distance.

Two right whales worked the shore along Herring Cove. Herring gulls showed no interest in the whales as they followed the fishing boat, heading for the harbor with the morning’s catch. Right whales eat zooplankton, straining small animals that drift in the water column with six-foot-long cartilage plates hanging down from the roof of the whale’s mouth. Hairs on baleen form a fine mesh that traps zooplankton inside, where the whale’s tongue, the size of a BMW Smart car, swipes and swallows.

A pair of right whales swim in synchronization, turning and rolling onto their right side to elevate the left side of their flukes above the water. A third whale follows closely behind the twisting whales.

Today, the whales are likely eating shoals of Calanus copepods that are corralled between them and the steeply rising shore. We saw between 12 and 17 right whales from Race Point, with its lighthouse, to Long Point, which has a lighthouse at the tip of the sandy finger at the end of the raised arm known as Cape Cod.

Further offshore from Herring Cove, a slim, long whale with a sharply curved dorsal fin blows, wheels, and dives. With many decades of experience, the whale-watch boat captain maneuvers closer and stops the engine as a second sei whale surfaces. Reaching as much as 60 feet, sei whales are the third largest whale in the world, preceded by blue and fin whales. Sei is Norwegian for pollack fish, as they were often seen together. 

A sei whale arches before diving — its slim frame and distinct dorsal fin barely breaking the surface.

The two dark, bluish-gray whales settle beneath the water beside the boat, the white of their undersides visible as they roll onto their sides. The roqual grooves along their pleated chin and cheeks distend. Still in the water, these whales let the plankton float into their mouths, or so we think, as we cannot see any plankton in the dark waters. They rose to breathe after a few minutes, which seemed to our astonishment like an eternity.

The first humpback whales of the season are found north of Race Point. Low in the water, they appear to be lounging about, perhaps taking it easy after a morning of feeding on sand lance. Last week, I found the pencil-thin fish on the Herring Cove beach, likely dropped by a gull. 

A humpback whale lies below the surface with its blowholes and dorsal fin above the water.

A humpback whale lies below the surface with its blowholes and dorsal fin above the water. To the right, a second whale stirs the water that laps over its back. 

The boat floats by the two humpback whales. Looking through the water, we see the whale’s 15-foot-long white flipper.  The scientific name for humpback whales is Megaptera novaeangliae, meaning large-winged New Englander.

We are startled to see a second flipper looming white beneath the whale. A third whale is stealthily poised directly below the whale on the surface.  When we saw two whales on the surface, there were really four humpbacks, surfacing two by two.

Later, all four whales were on the surface nearly at once. One rolled on its side to reach an enormous flipper to the sky. The narrator assured us that the whale was not waving. Whales slap the water to communicate with more distant whales, but there were no slapping sounds today.     

The whales slowly drifted beneath our vessel, revealing their entire outlines from above. Here, the tail fluke can be seen while the head and flippers are on the other side of the boat. The whales moved beneath us, from left to right and then from right to left, four times!

Finally, a humpback whale lifted its tail before diving. The black and white pattern on the underside was recognized as belonging to the female humpback named Habanero for the appearance of a chili pepper mark. Habanero is well known to the Dolphin Fleet of whale watch vessels. Habanero was observed with a calf in September 2012.  A second humpback was identified as Candlestick. The other two humpbacks never showed their tails.

The black-and-white tail fluke of Habanero, a known female humpback, rises above the bay before she dives deep once more.

Returning to the harbor, the right whales continued to forage along the shoreline. These whales are called urban whales because they come near our urban shores more often than others. Right whales do not migrate, except for females that give birth off Savannah and Jacksonville. The newborns have little blubber and require warm water. However, these clear waters offer little food. Therefore, right whales travel to Cape Cod Bay for the abundant shoals of zooplankton. They may stay for six weeks before spreading out across the North Atlantic.

Lobstermen do not trap during April and May along Massachusetts’ sandy shores and boat traffic consists of smaller vessels alert to right whales. The greatest threat to right whale survival is the diminishing availability of food. Our pollutants have caused phytoplankton productivity to drop by 60% since 2000. Copepods now have less fat content, requiring whales to consume more to obtain the same nutritional value.  

What we are doing to the land is harmful. We have crossed a tipping point by removing vegetation and soil, which hard surfaces and urbanization have replaced. There are cascading negative consequences. Boston’s annual rainfall is a steady 46.4 inches a year, yet, destructive stormwater and combined sewer overflows are rising because we have removed the vegetation and the soil carbon sponge.

Water that once soaked into the ground now washes across heat islands. It warms up and transports heat to the ocean. The year 2023 was not an exceptionally hot summer for Boston but it was the wettest summer since 1955. This resulted in a record warming of the Gulf of Maine surface waters nearest to Boston. While 2021 was Boston’s hottest summer, the surface ocean water did not experience significant warming.

Nutrients spilled into the sea fuel harmful algal blooms and ocean dead zones.  The ten-fold increase in the use of the herbicide Roundup since 1996, when Monsanto developed crops resistant to glyphosate, is likely more than coincidental to the loss of phytoplankton.

The solution to the threat to the ocean ecosystems on which whales depend lies on land. Land should be granted the right to retain the rainwater that falls upon it. Developers should not be permitted to profit from their constructions while leaving the municipality responsible for managing increased stormwater, likely leaving people in the flood zone standing in CSO sewage. 

The dry land heats up worsening climate change when developers starve the land of water.  Property owners must instead slow water down, return it to the ground where plants may draw to photosynthesize during the dry season, where groundwater may recharge rivers, and with water in the ground to prevent forest fires. Let’s improve the whale’s marine ecosystem with no more pollution, stormwater damage, and ocean heating from the land.

Returning past Race Point, a right whale raised its head high out of the water. Gray baleen plates hung beneath a white, encrusted black upper lip. In doing so, I don’t know what advantage was gained by the whale. I took it as a smile, as my smile was no less broad.

Nearly fifty years ago, on April 15, 1976, I was on the first Dolphin Fleet whale watch. We saw right whales and a humpback whale that the boat captain’s son would later name Salt when he became the boat captain. Since then, Salt has birthed 12 calves and is the grandmother of seven more humpback whales. There were then estimated to be 350 right whales. Today’s estimate is 372 whales, not including the ten calves born last winter.

I was on the first commercial whale watch because two summers earlier, I was alone on the deck of a 27-foot sailboat, south of Seguin Light off the coast of Maine. A right whale surfaced next to the boat. I babbled, having never imagined that something alive could be the size of a sandbar. The whale left only a circular slick spot on the water for the rest of the crew to see.

We are fortunate to be in the company of whales, which grace our sandy shores for about six weeks in spring. The loss of vegetation and soil on our properties and in neighborhoods is harming the marine ecosystem on which right whales depend to break their winter fast. To ensure future generations can share the ocean with a burgeoning right whale population, we must increase the carbon sponge on our land and stop stormwater runoff.  

Breathe. Wheel. Flukes up. Dive. Swim on, whales! 

Dr. Rob Moir is a nationally recognized and award-winning environmentalist. He is the president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute, a nonprofit based in Cambridge, MA, that provides expertise, services, resources, and information not readily available on a localized level to support the efforts of environmental organizations. Please visit www.oceanriver.org for more information.

More from Dr. Rob Moir

• Methane-Eating Bacteria & Archaea Saving Earth from the Ravages of Climate Change (and cattle burps)
• The Sultans of Swag Versus Looking at Clouds from Both Sides Now
• Restoring The Climate with Native Plants and Deeper Soils
• Hope for Right Whales
• Cooling the Gulf of Maine Surface Ocean Waters
• Touch the Earth Lightly, Use the Earth Gently
• Easter Island, Hard Work & Good Cheer for a Changing Climate-Challenged World
• Cooling Our Planet: New England’s Battle with Climate Change
• Land & Sea Change for Earth Day, Expanding The Climate Change Narrative
• The Earth and Three Blinkered Scientists
• Fallen Forests and Rising Ocean Fury
• What If There Was a Right Whale National Marine Sanctuary?
• Atlantic Ocean off Florida Spawns a Giant Sargassum Blob Due to Climate Change & Nutrient Pollution
• Emerald Bracelets to Solve Three of the World’s Greatest Environmental Problems
• Slowing Water for Greener Neighborhoods
• Put Down the Federal Stick to Build a Greener Future
• Of Mousy & Elephantine Cycles, Managing The Climate Crisis After Glasgow COP26
• Melting Greenland Ice Sheet, Sea Ice Formation, and the Flow of The Gulf Stream
• A Whale of a Pattern of Thought and Organizing Principle for Community-Based Environmental Management

For the first time in recorded history, divers have captured footage of two North Atlantic right whales in The Bahamas, marking a rare and extraordinary event. The sighting occurred on April 15, 2025, near Bimini Island, offering groundbreaking insights into the behaviors and travels of these critically endangered whales.

The Whales’ Incredible Journey

Researchers have been closely monitoring Curlew and Koala, documenting their travels since their births in 2009 and 2011, respectively. The pair were first seen together off South Carolina in November 2024. Since then, they’ve embarked on an unusual journey:

 

“These two are really on quite the swim about!” remarked Philip Hamilton, senior scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center. “It is fairly unusual for right whales to be seen in the Gulf of Mexico, and there are no recorded sightings of right whales in The Bahamas. What inspired them to make this journey will likely remain a mystery.”

A Critical Discovery for Endangered Whales

The sighting is particularly significant as North Atlantic right whales face severe threats from fishing gear entanglements, vessel strikes, and climate change. With only 370 individuals left, every encounter contributes to better understanding and conservation efforts for the species.

“Besides the unusual locations, it is also rare for two right whales to remain together for more than a few days unless it is a mother with her calf. Everything about this sighting is remarkable and exciting,” added Hamilton.

The sighting further enriches the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog, a decades-long collaboration documenting whale movements since 1935. Contributions from organizations like BMMRO are vital to building a comprehensive picture of this species’ behavior.

Tracking Right Whales with WhaleMap

To follow the latest right whale sightings, the public can visit WhaleMap, an online resource managed by the New England Aquarium. This tool provides updates on whale locations and movements, offering a glimpse into the life of these majestic creatures.

Looking Ahead

As rare as this sighting in The Bahamas may be, researchers hope Curlew and Koala will soon make their way safely back to northeastern feeding grounds. Their journey serves as a poignant reminder of the mysteries surrounding North Atlantic right whales and the urgent need to protect them.

For additional photos and videos from the encounter, visit Pelagic Life’s official gallery.

ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM

The New England Aquarium is a nonprofit research and conservation organization that has protected and cared for our ocean and marine animals for more than 50 years. We provide science-based solutions and help shape policies that create measurable change to address threats the ocean faces. We inspire action through discovery and help create engaged, resilient communities.

ABOUT THE BAHAMAS MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION

The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of marine mammals in The Bahamas through scientific research and educational outreach.

The Ebiil Society, led by Ann Singeo, works to preserve Palau’s marine habitats while supporting women fishermen in Ngardmau. As part of IUCN Oceania’s Kiwa Initiative, the Ebiil Society is causing concerns in the community with their ingenious method to environmental conservation and sustainable fishing practices. 

It all started with a straightforward yet impactful concept for Ms. Singeo: giving women fishermen the knowledge and skills they need to embrace sustainable fishing methods so that the ocean’s abundance will continue for upcoming generations. The outcomes have been quite impressive. In order to assist sustainable revenue generation, women fishermen have shifted from conventional fishing to running four prosperous giant clam farms, with 4,000 clam seeds supplied.  

In addition to offering steady income flow, this reduces the burden on wild fish populations. However, that is not all. By raising and delivering 8,000 sandfish and grayfish sea cucumbers to 49 participants—22 of whom were female fishermen—Ebiil Society has also made considerable progress in reseeding sea cucumbers.

This effort has improved marine biodiversity and given local communities a source of income from the fishing sector. To further improve the marine habitat, about 300 giant clams were discharged into the Ngarchelong-Bengall reef. 

One of the most important components of the Ebiil Society’s mission has been education. 231 students have gained knowledge of endangered species, biodiversity, seagrass ecology, and the significance of women in fisheries through interactive activities. As a result, a new generation of ocean stewards has been raised, one that is more prepared to protect the marine ecosystem.  

The numbers speak for themselves. Monitoring efforts have shown a significant increase in biomass in restored sites, with adult sandfish populations growing from just five to 1,800 over 18,000 square feet in Toluk el Bad. In Matul, numbers rose from zero to 1,500, a tribute to the project’s success in promoting sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity restoration, and community education. As Ms. Singeo looks to the future, she remains committed to building on these achievements. 

The project aims to improve hatchery reproduction and nursing of ecologically, economically, and culturally important sea cucumbers, while increasing the number of women fishers involved in sea cucumber restocking activities. By promoting sustainable sea cucumber harvesting practices, the Ebiil Society is helping to ensure the long-term health of Palau’s marine ecosystems. For Singeo, the Ebiil Society’s work is more than just a project – it’s a movement.

“We’re not just empowering women fishers; we’re empowering a community to take ownership of their marine resources,” she said. “By working together, we can create a brighter future for Palau’s oceans and the people who depend on them.” 

Without a doubt, the future of Palau’s marine ecosystems is in capable hands as the Ebiil Society continues to make impacts in the community. 

To learn more click here. 

Photo banner of Brown curryfish is credited to George Stoyle and Ebiil Society.