As of today, out of season, returns ~February. Earth Exhibit tracks the live conditions and flags it the moment it is on.
Each late winter and spring, North Atlantic right whales — one of the most endangered large whales on the planet, with only about 370 individuals remaining — gather in Cape Cod Bay to feed on dense patches of tiny copepods, the rice-grain-sized zooplankton they strain through their baleen.
So many copepods pack their mouths that the baleen can look orange.
In peak months around 100 or more right whales have been counted in the bay, roughly half the entire species in one shallow body of water near the tip of Cape Cod.
You can see them skim-feeding at the surface, sometimes close to shore off Provincetown.
This is not a boat-tour spectacle: federal law makes it illegal to approach within 500 yards of a right whale by any means — boat, kayak, paddleboard, or drone — so the honest way to witness this is from shore with binoculars, or through approved research and naturalist channels.
The whales are wild and their daily positions shift with the copepods, so sightings from land are never guaranteed.
Where to see it
A taste of where to see it. The full map, exact coordinates and the best timing for each spot live in the app.
| Viewing spots |
|---|
| Race Point Beach / Province Lands (Provincetown) |
| Herring Cove Beach (Provincetown) |
| + 1 more spot, with exact coordinates and timing, in the app → |
This is the short version
This page shows a taste. The app has the full list of where to see this, the exact timing, and live conditions for 1,000+ natural phenomena worldwide, so you know the moment one is genuinely worth the trip.