I recently went on a whale watch tour off Plymouth, Massachusetts. It was my first time on a whale watch, and I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t bring any special gear, as the whale watch was part of a longer trip and I was trying to travel light. Right before the trip, I picked up a 24-200mm telephoto lens, and that was the only lens I brought.
After sailing for about 40 minutes, we came upon a bonanza of whales. In fact, the tour guide said afterward that it was the most spectacular outing she had seen in three-plus years leading tours. She counted sightings of 15 individual whales, including humpback, minke, and right whales. They were very active and surfaced frequently. Several swam right up to the ship — so close that we could count the barnacles on their heads. One even followed the ship for a good while and repeatedly leaped out of the water, making for some amazing shots.
