Miss Cape Ann
We are proud to take you on our 100 foot Miss Cape Ann. This state of the art vessel was custom designed for whale watching and offers a safe, smooth ride, plenty of viewing space and ample seating for all. Our boat offers large, enclosed, heated cabins, squeaky clean restrooms, and a full galley. The vessel is fully licensed and inspected by the United States Coast Guard. Ride in comfort while our 12-cylinder diesel engines whisk you to the whales leaving others behind, giving you extra time with the whales.

Bill Cunningham - Captain and Founder
Captain Bill was one of the original whale watching pioneers. He started Capt. Bill and Sons originally for deep sea fishing charters, however on many trips they would stop and watch the whales. The passengers were always excited and amazed at the incredible size and beauty of the whales off the coast of New England. Capt. Bill. thought this awesome experience should be shared with more than just the fishing trips so he started taking passengers out on daily excursions to watch the whales. Knowing that these amazing creatures should be cherished, he teamed up with the naturalists of what is now known as The Whale Center of New England to make your trip both educational and fun. Capt. Bill always prided himself on offering the best whale watch, his motto was "we will go further and work harder to make your trip the most enjoyable experience! Treat yourself you deserve it!" This philosophy is the basis behind Capt. Bill and Sons success and why they have so many repeat customers.

Marc Cunningham - Captain
Marc’s early childhood was spent with his dad, Captain Bill clam digging around Cape Ann. Later he helped in the start up of the family business Capt. Bill and Sons Whale Watchand Deep Sea Fishing. His dad wanted to give visitors to Cape Ann an experience off the waters of Gloucester. Marc has been certified to meet Coast Guard requirements for decades – too modest to say how many, and makes passenger safety a top priority. He is proud of his family’s three-generation commitment to conservation and protection of whales and other marine life.

Sean Cunningham - Captain
From the time he learned to walk, Sean accompanied his grandfather Captain Bill out on the water. During Capt Bill’s Deep Sea Fishing trips, Sean helped by carrying bait buckets and handing out bait to guests on board. In his teen years, he crewed on party boat charters, fished in Key West, Florida and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Sean is a Coast Guard certified licensed captain. In Sean’s spare time he volunteers with the Whale Center of New England assisting in their rescue missions of whale and seal strandings. Sean brings the legacy of his grandfather aboard each trip. He thoroughly enjoys showing our guests an incredible time whale watching.

Mark Buotte - Captain
Mark was born and raised in a Gloucester fishing family and has worked in the fishing and charter industry since 1979. He has been a Coast Guard certified Captain since 1985, and has worked for the Cunningham family at Captain Bill & Sons since 1989. Mark’s work on the water and alongside the scientists from the Whale Center of New England has given him a deep appreciation for the whales and other marine life of Stellwagen Bank and Jeffreys Ledge. His experience as a whale watch captain is evident in the time he takes to observe the whales’ behavior and movements. Mark works hard to ensure the quality of his trips for both the customers and the safety of the whales!

Mason Weinrich - Executive Director of The Whale Center of New England
Mason is the head naturalist at Capt. Bill and Sons Whale Watch. Since 1980, Mason has been Executive Director of The Whale Center of New England, where he studies humpback, fin, right, and other baleen whales. His work centers on the social behavior and ecology of humpback whales on their feeding grounds. As a field biologist and primary captain of the research vessel, Silver II, he has an intimate knowledge of all of the waters of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary through thousands of hours spent in and around it. Mason is also the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the American Cetacean Society, a member of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, and a technical advisor to New England's Large Whale Recovery Team. He holds a B.S. in Zoology from Cornell University. The Whale Center of New England is a non-profit organization dedicated to research, conservation and education pertaining to marine mammals and the marine ecosystems of New England.

Jude Seminara - Mate
Jude originally started as a mate on our fishing charters when he was 16 years old. He now works on the whale watch boat as the first mate. In addition, Jude is a local public school teacher residing in Gloucester. After many years of working on the whale watch boat Jude can spot and identify whales with the best of them. Be sure to check with Jude for special spotting techniques

Jackie - Galley Crew
Jackie has been employed in our galley, for the last 5 years. She is very friendly, enjoys working with people, and loves children. She is a lifelong resident of Gloucester, and loves to be on the ocean. Improvising daily with enthusiasm, she makes sure to have coffees and hot chocolate available during all our trips. Jackie welcomes challenging requests and questions from our whale watching guests, "Everyday is different, and exciting. Watching the wildlife on the sea never gets old." She is currently pursuing a teaching degree at Salem State College, where she is majoring in Education/Spanish.

Capt. Bill Cunningham Jr.
Bill Jr. has been a licensed captain for over 30 years. Bill is currently a commercial fisherman who captains our sister ships, fishing the local waters year round. Bill offers Capt. Bill and Sons a unique advantage as he is out at sea in the early morning hours and is able to radio back to us with sea conditions and early whale activity. Be sure to say hi to Capt. Bill Jr. when he is at the dock unloading his daily catch.