Wonderful, beautiful humpback calf.

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Hello!
Milkweed and her calf. 
On Sunday's whale watch aboard the Tails of the Sea, Captain John Boats, we had an amazing look at a very special calf. This was Milkweed's calf and this calf was very playful and curious.

Hancock and Milkweed surface feeding. 
Milkweed and Hancock were feeding together on baitfish. They were using bubble nets to help them concentrate the bait before lunging mouth open through the water and fish. Hancock was really putting on a show as she opened her mouth as wide as can be!

Hancock bubble net feeding.
Hancock
Hancock
Hancock
Hancock
Since the calf is getting its nutrition from mom, it was hanging close to mom's side watching and sticking to her like glue. Once the calf came over to our boat to look us over. What an amazing experience to be eye-to-eye with a baby humpback whale.

Peek-a-boo
I see you!
As the calf swam next to mom's side, it was rolling over and on top of Milkweed. I don't know how mom was able to chase the baitfish with the calf being right on top of her!

Hancock's calf lobtailing with dolphins. 
As we started to head home, the calf got even more active by lobtailing and tail breaching, as if to say goodbye to us! These once in a lifetime experiences remind us how fragile the oceans are and how dependent their inhabitants are on a clean and healthy environment. If the health of the oceans declines, then the population of bait fish that the whales feed on will decline as well. No fish, no whales. It is as simple as that.

Milkweed's calf checking us out!
So help NECWA protect this little one and keep her from harm's way. Become a member of NECWA and go to our website at www.necwa.org to make a donation. Help us do the work we do on behalf of all marine wildlife. NECWA is a volunteer nonprofit so all donations go back into the work we do.

Hancock lunging through the bait fish. 
Milkweed's calf represents the future hope for humpback whales in our New England waters. What a character this baby is and what a joy she is to watch and admire.

Milkweed and her calf. 
To be honest, it is easy to see that Milkweed has her hands full with this exuberant child. But I can't wait to see her again!

Mom and calf. 

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