April, 1991

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Page 19

TRAVEL '91

P-town is also playground for

giants of the sea

On your visit to Provincetown, put some excitement into your vacation. Besides the bars, beaches and bodies, experience, close up, the exhilarating sight of 35-ton whales cavorting in the Atlantic. These giants of the deep are graceful and accommodating as they roll, lob, and jump from the water. Sometimes the entire whale lunges out of the water, giving view to the massive body, flippers and tail. Several types of these magnificent creatures may be seen on Cape Cod Bay-humpbacks, finbacks, minke and the rarest, the North Atlantic right whales.

Whale-watching and the preservation of marine mammals had its beginnings in Provincetown, and the local population is very conscious of the fact that at their doorstep lives a wonderful example of an endangered species. These whales are like old friends to the people living along the Bay. The North Atlantic right whales, for example, are estimated to number only 300. Scientists from the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown photograph, catalog and track the activities and patterns of these gentle water giants.

The Center is housed in a typical little Cape Cod building in the town's West End, a hub of research on marine and coastal ecology. Founded by Dr. Charles Mayo, it seeks to learn about the Provincetown whales' environment and what can be done to protect them. Dr. Mayo's concern is for the whales' future. He states, "Each whale is unique, just like us!"

The dedicated staff photograph the whales again and again, keeping the photos in a large book with the name of the whale and a number. When a scien-

tist spots a whales and doesn't recognize it, that person can look it up in the book. Because each of these creatures is unique, they have been given names. Trunk and Salt, for instance, are the most photographed whales in the world.

The migration cycle begins in Provincetown in the spring when the humpbacks return from the Caribbean. Others arrive from seemingly nowhere. Finally, there are those that have stayed on around the Cape.

The two whale-watching fleets that belong to the Provincetown Business Guild are the Dolphin Fleet and Portuguese Princess. The Dolphin Fleet was the originator of whale-watching on the East Coast. Members of the Center for Coastal Studies research team are aboard for each trip. Daily trips from MacMillian Pier are offered from April through October. For information and reservations call 800-826-9300 or 508255-3857.

The Portuguese Princess Whale Watch is a women-owned company offering daily trips from MacMillian Pier from April through November 15. One feature of its schedule is special women-only cruises. For reservations or information call 508-487-2651 or write Portuguese Princess Whale Watch, P.O. Box 1469, Provincetown, Massachusetts 02657, USA.

On your next trip to Provincetown, take the time to visit with these gentle, playful mammals. And be sure to bring your camera; you'll have a whale of a time!

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