Join us on what has been one of our favorite field trips, a whale watch in the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, a federally protected area in Massachusetts Bay. 

The heart of the sanctuary is Stellwagen Bank, an underwater plateau stretching that is, on average, 100 to 120 feet  below the surface, while surrounding waters to the west are over 300 feet deep and to the northeast as deep as 600 feet.

The steep sides of the plateau cause deep-water currents to rise up when they hit the bank; this upwelling brings with it nutrients and minerals from the bottom, feeding the local ecosystem. The biodiversity of Stellwagen Bank makes it an attractive feeding area for whales and other marine mammals.

Captain John Boats is the premier whale watching company in Plymouth, MA.  Their whale watching excursions depart from Town Wharf in Plymouth and out to Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen Bank where you will have the opportunity to view sights you’ll never forget.

The knowledgeable naturalists will guide us on a four-hour experience that is educational, exciting, and exhilarating. At the feeding grounds for humpback whales, finback whales, pilot whales, minke whales, and the endangered right whales, we will get within feet of some of the rarest, most graceful mammals in the world.

Throughout the trip we will also see pelagic birds like Northern Gannets, shearwaters, storm petrels, and Northern Fulmars.

The full individual fee that Captain John Boats charges  or the whale watch is $70. The special group rate for this Menunkatuck trip is $40 per person if we get a group of 20 or more people.

Register for the trip. For Phone Number, please give the cell phone number at which you can be reached at during the trip.. Please register as soon as possible to ensure that there is space available. 

Full payment must be made by July 28, 2023. You may pay by PayPal/credit card on the Whale Watch Payment page. or by mailing a check to Menunkatuck Audubon Society, PO Box 214, Guilford, CT 06437. If paying by check, indicate in the Memo section that it is for the Whale Watch. Should it be necessary to cancel your registration for the trip, your money will be refunded up until July 28, 2023. If the company cancels the trip, complete refunds will be given.

The drive to Plymouth from New Haven is 3 - 3½ hours, depending on traffic and stops.

Schedule

7:30 am - Group will depart in private vehicles from Guilford Commuter Parking Lot I-95 and Route 77.
11:30 am - Lunch at area restaurant
1:00 pm - Meet at Captain John Boats ticket booth to get boarding passes and board the boat.
2:00 pm -  Vessel gets underway.
5:00-5:30 pm -  Vessel returns to dock.

There are several other good restaurants around the dock area where we can go to have supper before heading back home. Recommended is the Lobster Hut, 25 Town Wharf, Plymouth.

For more information or to sign up for the trip off line, contact Carl R. Harvey at cacenbts64@gmail.com gmail.com or call 203-389-6076.

Join us on what has been one of our favorite field trips, a whale watch in the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, a federally protected area in Massachusetts Bay. 

The heart of the sanctuary is Stellwagen Bank, an underwater plateau stretching that is, on average, 100 to 120 feet  below the surface, while surrounding waters to the west are over 300 feet deep and to the northeast as deep as 600 feet.

The steep sides of the plateau cause deep-water currents to rise up when they hit the bank; this upwelling brings with it nutrients and minerals from the bottom, feeding the local ecosystem. The biodiversity of Stellwagen Bank makes it an attractive feeding area for whales and other marine mammals.

Captain John Boats is the premier whale watching company in Plymouth, MA.  Their whale watching excursions depart from Town Wharf in Plymouth and out to Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen Bank where you will have the opportunity to view sights you’ll never forget.

The knowledgeable naturalists will guide us on a four-hour experience that is educational, exciting, and exhilarating. At the feeding grounds for humpback whales, finback whales, pilot whales, minke whales, and the endangered right whales, we will get within feet of some of the rarest, most graceful mammals in the world.

Throughout the trip we will also see pelagic birds like Northern Gannets, shearwaters, storm petrels, and Northern Fulmars.

The full individual fee that Captain John Boats charges  or the whale watch is $50, $60, or $70, depending on age. The special group rate for this Menunkatuck trip is $35 per person if we get a group of 20 or more people.

Register for the trip. For Phone Number, please give the cell phone number at which you can be reached at during the trip.. Please register as soon as possible to ensure that there is space available. 

Full payment must be made by July 27, 2022. You may pay by PayPal/credit card on the Whale Watch Payment page. or by mailing a check to Menunkatuck Audubon Society, PO Box 214, Guilford, CT 06437. If paying by check, indicate in the Memo section that it is for the Whale Watch. Should it be necessary to cancel your registration for the trip, your money will be refunded up until July 27, 2022. If the company cancels the trip, complete refunds will be given.

The drive to Plymouth from New Haven is 3 - 3½ hours, depending on traffic and stops.

Schedule

7:30 am - Group will depart in private vehicles from Guilford Commuter Parking Lot I-95 and Route 77.
11:30 am - Lunch at area restaurant
1:00 pm - Meet at Captain John Boats ticket booth to get boarding passes and board the boat.
2:00 pm -  Vessel gets underway.
5:00-5:30 pm -  Vessel returns to dock.

There are several other good restaurants around the dock area where we can go to have supper before heading back home.

For more information or to sign up for the trip off line, contact Carl R. Harvey at carlrharvey79@gmail.com or call 203-389-6076.

Postponed until Sunday, March 6.

The Shepaug Dam Bald Eagle Observation Area has provided visitors with views of wintering Bald Eagles for 30 years. The Shepaug Hydro electric Station keeps the water below the dam to be ice-free in winter and the churning water brings fish close to the surface making it a place that Bald Eagles are able to find food in the coldest of winter.

We expect that Mary-Beth Kaeser from Horizon Wings will have her educational Bald Eagle at the viewing site. You will be able to ask questions and get close looks at America’s magnificent national symbol.

We will be at the observation area for about two hours. There are no facilities besides porta potties. Dress warmly in layers. Bring lunch, binoculars, and cameras. After the Bald Eagle viewing there will be an optional trip to the Bent of the River Audubon Center where there are facilities) and where we will have lunch. Audubon’s New York and ConnecticutDirector of Center Operations will describe the role that the 700-acre nature sanctuary and education center play in Audubon's open space and working lands conservation efforts in Connecticut. The Bent is about 10 minutes away from the dam.

The drive time between Shepaug Dam or Bent of the River and the Menunkatuck chapter towns is between 45 and 75 minutes.

Space is limited to 20 participants, so reservations are required. For more information email Carl Harvey at carl@menunkatuck.org.

(As of January 18, signing up puts you on the waitlist.)
Reserve your spot. Oversubscribed.

Canceled

Because of the rising number of the COVID-19 delta variant infections in eastern Massachusetts, the whale watch trip is canceled.

Captain John Whale Watch Cruises from Plymouth, MA Town Dock

Cost: Group rate of $32.00 per person. DO NOT purchase your tickets through their website, otherwise you will be charged the full individual fee and we will not get credit for you being part of our group.

Check in at Ticket Booth: 1:00 PM

Vessel Underway: 2:00 PM

Return to Dock: Approx. 5:00 to 5:30 PM

7:30 AM – Group will depart in privately owned vehicles from Guilford, CT Commuter Parking Lot I-95 and Route 77 for arrival at John Carver Inn in Plymouth, MA by 11:00 AM in time to get lunch at the Hearth and Kettle Restaurant. Directions will be provided to interested participants.

12:30 PM – Proceed to Plymouth Town Dock and Whale Watch Cruise Office to get boarding passes. Upon return from the cruise, there are several other good restaurants around the dock area where we can go to have supper before heading back home.

To register for this trip, please go to Registration. For Phone Number, please give the cell phone number that the party can be reached at during the trip. If you click on the “More” button to indicate the number of people in your party, please send an e-mail to Carl R. Harvey at carl@menunkatuck.org stating the exact number of people that will be in your party. Please register as soon as possible to ensure that there is space available. Full payment must be made by July 27, 2019 to Menunkatuck Audubon Society. If paying by check, indicate in the memo section that it is for the Whale Watch and mail the check to Menunkatuck Audubon Society, PO Box 214, Guilford CT 06437. Payment can also be made by PayPal/credit card on the Whale Watch Payment page. Should it be necessary to cancel your registration for the trip, your money will be refunded up until July 27th.

If the company should cancel the trip, all passengers will be given their money back.

Specific directions for how to get to Plymouth will be provided at a later date.

For more information or to sign up for the trip, contact Carl R. Harvey at carl@menunkatuck.org.

Join Menunkatuck Audubon Society on Sunday, May 5, for a behind the scenes look at A Place Called Hope. We will get close looks at the resident birds and some of those undergoing rehabilitation. The visit will start at 1:00 p.m. and last for about an hour. Space is limited and registration is required. Register at menunkatuck.org/fieldtrips. A donation of $10 or an item from A Place Called Hope’s wish list is requested. For questions about the trip email Lorrie Shaw at lorrie@menunkatuck.org.

Photo credit: A Place Called Hope