Harbor porpoises travel Maine’s cool nearshore waters, including the channels and open bays off Acadia and Petit Manan. From a headland or boat, watch for a small dark back rolling quietly through the surface, usually without the high leap or conspicuous splash associated with dolphins.
Records are concentrated from June through September, when calmer seas, boat traffic, and coastal watching improve detection. Porpoises surface briefly and unpredictably, so patient scanning with binoculars is more effective than following them closely.
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