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--Boundary_(ID_9tP87SCCNK4dnO/8l/k6QQ) Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Today we had a lovely Sunday afternoon, so I went sailing in my 12- foot catboat. Shortly after I was under sail, just at the mouth of Hubley Cove into St. Margaret's Bay, I heard a snorting, breathing sound off the port stern. I turned to see the blur of an aquatic mammal disappearing under the waves a mere ten feet away. Then in a few seconds I got a better view of two cetaceans, in tandem (almost touching), breaking the water and breathing through their blowholes. They were pure black and shiny from the water, and the dorsal fins were very noticeably curved aft at the top. Twice they breached before disappearing. Because my boat is small and puts me very close to the water, I had an excellent view. I have checked the Peterson Field Guide to the Mammals, and the best fit seems to be the Common Blackfish (Globicephala ventricosa). I did not get to see the head, however, which would have been definitive. The description says that these swim in large groups, though, and I only saw two individuals. Two years ago the Atlantic Harbor Porpoises showed up in the same area, but these were not the same. --Boundary_(ID_9tP87SCCNK4dnO/8l/k6QQ) Content-type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Today we had a lovely Sunday = afternoon, so I went sailing in my 12-foot catboat. Shortly after = I was under sail, just at the mouth of Hubley Cove into St. Margaret's = Bay, I heard a snorting, breathing sound off the port stern. I = turned to see the blur of an aquatic mammal disappearing under the waves = a mere ten feet away. Then in a few seconds I got a better view of = two cetaceans, in tandem (almost touching), breaking the water and = breathing through their blowholes. They were pure black and shiny = from the water, and the dorsal fins were very noticeably curved aft at = the top. Twice they breached before disappearing. Because my = boat is small and puts me very close to the water, I had an excellent = view.<div><br></div><div>I have checked the Peterson <i>Field Guide to = the Mammals</i>, and the best fit seems to be the Common Blackfish = (<i>Globicephala ventricosa</i>). I did not get to see the head, = however, which would have been definitive. The description says = that these swim in large groups, though, and I only saw two = individuals.</div><div><br></div><div>Two years ago the Atlantic Harbor = Porpoises showed up in the same area, but these were not the = same.</div></body></html>= --Boundary_(ID_9tP87SCCNK4dnO/8l/k6QQ)--
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