FLUKES International Whale Tours Presents

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1 FLUKES International Whale Tours Presents Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Maine & Bay of Fundy August 15-23, 2015 Allied Whale / Bar Harbor Whale Watch Acadia National Park, Maine & The Bay of Fundy, Canada

2 The greatest tides in the world, 47.5 to 53.5 feet, occur in the Bay of Fundy at Burntcoat Head in the Minas Basin, Nova Scotia. The Guinness World Book of Records Everett Potter Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Maine

3 The sea, the great unifier, is man s only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: We are all in the same boat. Jacques Cousteau Ocean Futures Society Itinerary August 15 (Day One) Arrive Schoodic Education & Research Center (SERC), Acadia National Park / Lobster Bake Reception Shuttle from Bangor International Airport at 11:15AM and the Bangor Fairfield Inn at 12:00PM to SERC. Stop for Lunch at Geaghan s Restaurant and Pub in Bangor at 12:15. Arrive at SERC at 3:30PM. Meet at Moore Auditorium at 5:00PM for a welcome greeting from Schoodic Institute President, Mark Berry and FLUKES president, Zack Klyver. An icebreaker reception will follow with wine, cheese and instrumental guitar music by Bob Bowman. Enjoy a Maine Lobster Bake at Schooner Commons at 6:30PM. (L, D) August 16 (Day Two) Schoodic Peninsula / Marine Mammal Lectures / Night Sky Program This day will provide an opportunity to get to know your surroundings, take in the beauty of Schoodic and Acadia National Park and enjoy some introductory whale and oceanography lectures. Breakfast is served at Schooner Commons from 7:00-8:00AM. Bring you camera and binoculars and meet Zack Klyver at Rockefeller Hall at 8:30AM for a guided walk to magnificent Schoodic Peninsula. At 10:45AM we meet back at Rockefeller Hall for a lecture, Old Tails and New Discoveries: Humpback Whales of the North Atlantic, from Allied Whale Researchers, Tom Fernald and Mindy Viechnicki. Lunch will be served at Schooner Commons from 12:00-1:00PM. Meet at Rockefeller Hall for the lecture Oceanography and Tides of the Gulf of Maine by Dr. Sean Todd from 3:00 4:15PM. There will be a 15 minute break to be followed by the program The Mighty Mysterious Finback Whale by Dan Dendanto from 4:30-5:30PM. Dinner will be served at Schooner Commons from 6:00-7:00PM. Sean will provide a Introduction to Marine Photography workshop between 7:15-8:00PM at Rockefeller Hall. Meet local naturalist Lynn Havsall at the Moore Auditorium for a night sky star watch program from 9:00-10:00PM (weather permitting). (B, L, D) August 17 (Day Three) Whale Watching / Marine Mammal Program Breakfast is served at Schooner Commons from 7:00-8:00AM. Shuttles leave from Rockefeller Hall at 9:00AM. Whale Watching aboard the Osprey, leaving from Winter Harbor, 9:30-4:00PM with bagged lunch served onboard. Travel offshore in search of marine mammals including Humpback, Finback, Right and Minke Whales. Meet at Schooner Commons for an Naturalist s recap at 5:15PM and for dinner from 6:00-7:00PM. Enjoy an evening Lecture: Evolution of Whales, by Dr. Sean Todd from 7:15 8:30PM at Rockefeller Hall. (B, L, D)

4 August 18 (Day Four) Whale Watching / Marine Mammal Program Breakfast is served at Schooner Commons from 7:00-8:00AM. Shuttles leave from Rockefeller Hall at 9:00AM. Whale Watching aboard the Osprey leaving from Winter Harbor between 9:30-4:00PM with bagged lunch served onboard. Travel offshore in search of marine mammals including Harbor Porpoise, White-sided Dolphin, Harbor and Grey Seals. Meet at Schooner Commons for a Naturalist s recap at 5:15PM and for dinner from 6:00-7:00PM. Enjoy an evening program: Marine Mammal Life Spans, Genetics, and How we Define a Species by Dan DenDanto from 7:15 8:30PM. (B, L, D) August 19 (Day Five) Sunrise Whale Watch / Marine Mammal Lecture / Maine Fishing Industry The shuttle will leave Rockefeller Hall at 5:30AM and breakfast will be served on the Osprey at sunrise. We will go whale watching from 6:00-11:00AM. Lunch will be served at Schooner Commons 12:00-1:00PM. After lunch enjoy a program, Conservation Issues affecting Marine Mammals: Noise and Chemical Pollution by Sean Todd from 1:15 2:15PM at Rockefeller Hall. Take pleasure in some R and R from 2:15-5:00PM. Meet at the Schooner Commons at 5:00PM for an informal interview and discussion with Maine fisherman, lobster buyer and local selectman Dana Rice. Enjoy dinner from 6:00-7:00PM. (B, L, D) August 20 (Day Six) Whale Watching / Visit Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor Breakfast is served at Schooner Commons from 7:00-8:00AM. The shuttles leave from Rockefeller Hall at 9:00AM. Whale Watching aboard the Osprey with Zack Klyver, leaving from Winter Harbor 9:30AM, with drop off in Bar Harbor at 1:30PM. A bagged lunch will be served onboard. Enjoy an Oli s Trolley bus tour of Acadia National Park from 2:30 4:30PM. Dinner will take place at the Looking Glass Restaurant from 5:00-6:30PM. On our return to Bar Harbor you will have time to shop along Main Street before taking the Miss Samantha Lobster boat to Winter Harbor at 7:30PM. (B, L, D) August 21 (Day Seven) Travel to Lubec, Maine / Whale Watching Campobello Island, New Brunswick Breakfast is served at Schooner Commons from 7:00-8:00AM. Leave SERC at 8:30AM and travel to via Coastal Route 191 to the West Quoddy Lighthouse. Arrive in Lubec for Lunch at 11:30AM. Drive to Campobello Island at 12:30PM for a whale watch with Island Cruises from 1:00-3:30PM. Check into the Inn on the Wharf Hotel in Lubec, Maine at 4:00PM. Meet at 5:00PM for an Naturalist s recap with dinner served from 5:30-7:00PM. Enjoy an evening lecture from the New England Aquarium right whale research staff, Saving Right Whales, from 7:00-8:00PM. (B, L, D) August 22 (Day Eight) All Day Whale Watch Breakfast is served at the Inn on the Wharf from 7:00-8:00AM. Leave at 8:30AM for an all day Whale Watch with Island Cruises on Campobello Island. Weather permitting; travel to Grand Manan Island, in search of the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales. If the sea state is too rough then we will spend the day whale watching in Passamaquoddy Bay with a likely stop in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick. Lunch and Snacks will be served onboard. Upon return we will have a final Naturalist s recap and evaluation at 5:30PM. A final dinner celebration will start at 6:00PM and Sean and Dan will provide a slide show of highlights from the week. (B, L, D) August 23 (Day Nine) Check Out / Shuttle to Bangor Coffee, Pastry and Fruit 5:30-6:15AM. Shuttles leave Lubec for Bangor Airport at 6:30AM and arrive at 9:00AM. (B)

5 TEAM BLUE: Your Staff Trip Leader: Dr. Sean Todd Bio: Sean is the director of Allied Whale and the Steven K. Katona Chair of Marine science professor at College of the Atlantic. His courses center on marine biology, oceanography, and marine mammals. Sean works with students to conduct research of behavioral ecology, foraging, diet studies (using stable isotopes), and bioacoustics. Sean received his Phd at Memorial University in Newfoundland were he worked with the Whale Research Group examining marine mammalfishery interactions, designing and testing acoustic alarms for fishing gear, and helping to release entrapped animals from nets. Sean leads marine mammal tours around the world including Antarctica on a variety of eco-tour ships. Trip Leader: Dan Dendanto Bio: Dan is the director of the North Atlantic Fin Whale Catalogue and one of the nation's foremost experts in the specialized field of cleaning, articulating and restoring whale skeletons for display. He is a twenty-five year research associate with Allied Whale at College of the Atlantic. His company, Whales and Nails, has completed 16 whale installations including: a female right whale and her fetus that were both killed after being struck by a ship and are housed at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, a sperm whale for the Nantucket Whaling Museum, and a 46-foot female humpback for Glacier Bay National Park. Dan is pursuing a Phd in Genetics at the University of Maine. FLUKES, Founder and President: Zack Klyver Bio: Zack grew up in Eastport, Maine and attended College of the Atlantic where he interned with Allied Whale and fell in love with whales. Zack is the twenty-five year guide for Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company. He founded FLUKES in 2011 to take guests to the best places to see whales at the peak time of year to create a profound learning experience that allows them to delve deep into the lives of whales and be inspired. He has spent thousands of hours on the water, educating the public, and studying whales in their habitat.

6 WHAT IS INCLUDED? Accommodations Six (6) night stay at Schoodic Education and Research Center in Acadia National Park with access to hiking and biking trails, short walk to Schoodic Point and internet service. Two (2) night stay at the Inn on the Wharf in Lubec, Maine with an ocean view room. Delicious Meals Twenty four meals in total: 8 Dinners (D), 8 Breakfasts (B), and 8 Lunches (L). On the first night enjoy a Downeast Maine Lobster Bake. Most meals will be served at Schooner Commons and are prepared with special care local and fresh ingredients. Some lunches will be bagged lunches to go. Two Lubec area-restaurants, one in Bar Harbor, and one in Bangor are also featured. Six Whale Watch Days * - College of the Atlantic s research vessel Osprey and the whale watch vessel Mister Mattews will be used for whale watching. There is a scheduled sunrise whale watch one morning and weather permitting we will also hope to spend a whole day on the water around the island of Grand Manan in search of the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. *(weather permitting) Night Sky Star Viewing - The very dark night sky is natural resource that makes Acadia National Park special. We will be joined by amateur Astronomer Lynn Havsall as she uses a laser pointer to share the night sky. Mount Desert Island / Acadia National Park A visit to the town of Bar Harbor for shopping and dinner and a narrated bus tour of Acadia National Park with stops at Ocean Drive and the Cadillac Mountain Summit. Exciting Whale Lectures Seven slide show presentations exploring lives of whales and our long and ever-changing relationship with them. Also, an interview and Q and A period with life-long fisherman Dana Rice. Great Information and Narration Two whale expert trip leaders to answer all your questions, share stories, and inspire you. Transportation All transportation from Bangor International Airport to SERC, Lubec and back to Bangor. SENT AFTER THE TOUR Picture CD Photo highlights by our trip leaders.

7 Written Report A summary report listing daily sightings and highlights. FLUKES T-Shirt With drawings of the wildlife highlights from our 2015 GOM & BOF Tour. Schoodic Education and Research Center Map Acadia National Park SCHOODIC EDUCATION RESEARCH CENTER (SERC) SERC is located within 2000 of the most beautiful acres of Acadia National Park. Many parks are fortunate to have education and research centers this is the largest. The facility recently received a $22 million dollar renovation and now boats a state of the art campus. Schoodic Institute is the non-profit that was recently established to manage all the science and education activities. The institute has been instrumental in the founding of the citizen science association.

8 ACADIA NATIONAL PARK In total, Acadia National Park consists of more than 47,000 acres. Originally named Lafayette National Park in 1919, it is one of the first national parks east of the Mississippi River. It was renamed Acadia in 1929 named after the French word L Acadie, meaning land of the north. Today the park preserves mountains, a vast ocean shoreline, woodlands, lakes and many islands. SCHOODIC POINT Part of Acadia NP, this long peninsula extends out into the Gulf of Maine, and ends at the point like the bow of a ship. Here the shoreline is made up of pink granite containing many dark volcanic dikes. Schoodic Point is a short 5-10 minute walk from the SERC campus. A great place to relax, listen to the crashing surf and watch seabirds and porpoise. Schoodic Institute ROCKEFELLER HALL The historic Rockefeller Building was built in the 1930 s and recently went through a complete remodel. During this renovation six apartment suites were added with beautiful furnishings and tastefully decorated rooms. The Rockefeller apartments are themed to each to represent a different national park: Grand Canyon, Smokey Mountains, Mesa Verde, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Denali. Rooms come with WiFi and DirectTV. Guests are encouraged to use and enjoy a beautiful patio overlooking a field and towards the open ocean. This hall is the administrative building for Schoodic Institute and houses a Welcome Center with interpretive displays and a bookstore.

9 Schoodic Institute Schoodic Institute MOORE AUDITORIUM The Moore Auditorium is a new state of the art meeting facility with seating for 125 people. We will hold our opening welcome reception here on the first night. WHITE ARROW = LUBEC GREEN ARROW = SERC Acadia National Park GULF OF MAINE & BAY OF FUNDY The Gulf of Maine is a unique body of water spanning 36,000 square miles and includes the largest tides on earth. Bay of Fundy tides are diurnal, with two high and two low tides each day. Another defining feature is the wide shallow sandy bank lying across the mouth called George s Bank. Within the Gulf, the average depth is 500 feet, while the average depth of the Atlantic is 11,000 feet. For this reason oceanographers have long-called the gulf a bathtub when compared to Atlantic. A third important element in making the gulf a highly productive marine environment is the Labrador Current which brings cold and nutrient water down from the Arctic Ocean. Cold ocean water is miraculous, as it can dissolve elements like carbon and oxygen, which in turn become food for plant plankton and the foundation for the entire food chain. Phytoplankton is eaten by zooplankton and then small fish and so on up the food chain. Here in the Gulf of Maine, enormous shoals of fish and plankton provide food for marine mammals. During the summer, as whales work to build up blubber reserves, their lives are lived in rhythm with the in the great rise and fall of the tides.

10 ALLIED WHALE PHOTO ID When humpback whales dive deep, they frequently lift their foot wide tails (flukes), high in the air. Each humpback whale has a unique tail shape and pattern of color, markings, and scars on the underside, that allow researchers to identify individual humpbacks and track them over their life-time. This process of photographing flukes is called photo ID. Allied Whale published the first North Atlantic Humpback Whale Photo ID Catalogue in That catalogue has grown from a one hundred individual whales to more than 8,000. Today, Allied Whale curates a catalogue representing 300 organizations, research trips, and individuals. These research techniques have provided tremendous insights into the life history and migratory patterns of humpback whales. MOUNT DESERT ROCK COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC The Rock is a 3.5 acre island, lighthouse, and keeper s house, located 25 miles south of Bar Harbor, Maine. This island sits on a series of ridges and ledges were shallow water meets the deep resulting in great upwelling of cold nutrient-rich and biologically productive waters. In 1972, Allied Whale staff members were first stationed here to use the island as an offshore marine research station and study whales. For over forty years a field season has been conducted with a dedicated tower watch and in some years the use of zodiacs. In 1998, the US Coast Guard gave the island to College of the Atlantic. M/V OSPREY Built in 2012, the 46-foot Osprey is the educational research vessel for College of the Atlantic. She provides transportation and supplies to the College s two island research stations and is used in the recovery of marine mammals, including large whales for the stranding program at Allied Whale. The vessel is operated by COA grad, past director of the Bar Harbor Whale Museum, naturalist, dive master, and teacher; captain Toby Stephenson.

11 HUMPBACK WHALE Humpback whales have been returning annually to the Gulf of Maine for thousands of years, with their young, to feed on small fish and plankton. When prey are found in dense schools near the surface, humpbacks will team up in cooperative and coordinated feeding groups that can be spectacular. Other exciting behaviors we will look for include: tail slapping, lobe-tailing, spy-hopping, flipper flapping, and breaching. FINBACK WHALE The second largest whale on earth at a record length of 89 feet and 260,000 pounds are always breath-taking to see. Finback whales are long, sleek and submarine-like in shape. Allied Whale scientists began photo-id on this species in the gulf of Maine in the 1980 s. You can tell them apart as individuals by the shape of the fin, marks and scars in the fin and body, and a beautiful swirl pattern found mostly on the right side of the head that is unique to each finback whale. Barry Gutradt with NMFS Permit # RIGHT WHALE Right Whales can be feet in length, weigh over 200,000 lbs. and boast huge symmetrical tails. In the North Atlantic they are endangered; numbering just 500. The right whale to hunt; tens of thousands were killed for oil and baleen. Right whales often gather in late summer in the Grand Manan Basin to feed on small plankton called copepods. Scientists working from the New England Aquarium have identified most as individuals through callosity patterns found on the head and unique to each animal.

12 Wikipedia Shawn Costello Visit Lubec WEST QUODDY HEAD LIGHT/LUBEC The West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, established in 1806, is the eastern most lighthouse in the United States. Standing on the point below the light, one is closer to Europe than anywhere else in the US. Today, the lighthouse is part of a 500 acre state park, which features a number of beautiful ocean trail walks. Lubec, Maine is a beautiful small seaside town of just 1300 residents, which was once a thriving fishing, boat building, and lumber community. Maine Travel Maven Inn on the Wharf Visit Lubec INN ON THE WHARF The Inn on the Wharf is the dream of Judy and Victor Trafford who discovered Lubec in This once busy sardine factory has been converted into a beautiful inn with ocean view rooms; where one can watch the coming and going of boats, seabirds, and seals. The wharf is an active fisherman s landing and recently the development rights were sold to the Land for Maine s Future so that this will permanently remain working waterfront for fisherman. The Inn is also home to the Fisherman s Wharf restaurant which serves the delicious area seafood and lobster. Sunset RV Park Trip Advisor CAMPOBELLO & M/V MISTER MATTHEWS - ISLAND CRUISES Campobello Island is part of New Brunswick, Canada and is linked to the US by a small international bridge. The island is 9 miles long, three miles wide and sits at the entrance to Passamaquoddy Bay. The summer home for the Roosevelt family, now the Roosevelt Campobello International Park, is located here. The Mister Matthews is a whale watching boat owned and operated by Mackie Green, a life-long island fisherman and whale conservationist, who directs the local Canadian whale rescue team.

13 BANGOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BGR) and FAIRFIELD INN Delta, American/US Airways and United provide daily, non-stop service from Detroit, LaGuardia, Philadelphia, and Washington DC's Reagan National to BGR. Allegiant provides several weekly flights from Sanford/Orlando and Tampa/St. Petersburg. The Bangor Fairfield Inn/Marriott Hotel is newly renovated and offers internet, a swimming pool, exercise room and free breakfast. The hotel is within 3 miles of the airport, a six minute taxi ride, also within five minutes drive of downtown Bangor and many area restaurants.

14 SIGHTINGS Daily Sightings: Harbor Porpoise Grey Seal Harbor Seal Northern Gannet Likely Sightings: Humpback Whale Finback Whale Minke Whale White-sided dolphin Ocean Sunfish Basking Shark Special Sightings: Right Whale Orca Sei Whale Sperm Whale Long-finned Pilot Whale Bottlenose Dolphin This high and mighty God-like dignity inherent in the brow is so immensely amplified, that gazing on it you feel the deity and the dread powers more forcibly than in beholding any other living object in living nature - Herman Melville, Moby Dike 1851

15 COSTS ROCKEFELLER HALL Suite INN on the WHARF Ocean View $5,400 (Single Occupancy Supplement) Additional $900 General Information & Policies Air Travel and Transportation Fly to Bangor, Maine on August 14 th and stay overnight at the Fairfield Inn or arrive on the morning of the 15 th by 11:00AM. The Fairfield Inn is located near the airport and you may receive a 10% discount when reserving your room using the online promo code WHLO or by calling and asking for discount under the name "Whale Tail". The airport is not so close to the airport to be disturbed by air traffic. Shuttle service will be provided from Bangor to the SERC campus on the morning of August 15 th. The Shuttle will arrive at the airport at 11:15AM and the Bangor Fairfield Inn at 11:45PM. The first stop will be at Keagan s Pub for lunch in Bangor. You may choose to rent a car and drive directly to the SERC campus on your on. If so, other regional airports to consider would include Hancock/Bar Harbor (BHB), Portland (PWM), and Boston (BOS). Transportation will be provided on August 23 rd from Lubec at 6:30AM arriving at Bangor Airport at 9:00AM. Transportation from Bangor to the SERC campus will also be provided for those in need. Airfare is not covered in the price of the tour. If you would like help booking airfare we are happy to assist and answer questions. Accommodations During the first six nights, accommodations will be located in Acadia National Park at Rockefeller Hall, on the campus of Schoodic Education and Research Center. These rooms have cable and internet and are of four star hotel qualities. The crashing waves can be heard from the each room that is designed with a different park theme. The final two nights we will move to Lubec and stay on the ocean in a building that was once a working sardine factory and recently has been renovated into a hotel called the Inn on the Wharf. If you are traveling by yourself, we will do all possible to place you in housing with another single traveler at no additional cost. If no additional traveler is available then you will need to pay a single occupancy supplement rate (standard in the travel industry) to cover costs. Daily Itineraries Daily itineraries will be dependent on weather and will be established the night before. Every evening we will review the next day s itinerary and answer questions during the Naturalist s Recap. Our goal is to get you out on the water every day we can. Lunch will be packed for daily outings. Evenings will often include an evening program (one hour). Meals All meals are included. When staying on SERC campus, delicious meals will be served at the Schooner Commons, a short walk on a paved path through the woods from Rockefeller Hall. During days when have a scheduled whale watch we will take a bagged lunch with us. When in Lubec we will be eating at the Inn on the Wharf. We will also eat lunch a Keaghan s Pub in Bangor on the first day and a dinner at the Looking Glass Restaurant in Bar Harbor with a spectacular view overlooking Frenchman s bay. Whale Sightings We cannot guarantee that we will see whales on any of our trips as they are wild animals that move around and every year is different. Our goal is to put ourselves in best place at the best time of year. There is no money back if no whales are sighted. However, we are choosing the best time of the year to see a great variety of marine mammals in the Gulf of Maine.

16 Days off the Water Some days we maybe kept off the water due to high seas or inclement weather. We will need to be flexible and adjust the schedule so that we take advantage of the good weather days. These days off the water will be filled with educational and exciting land program options including: marine lectures, hikes, beach combing, or a visit to the Penobscot Maritime Museum. You will have options and can also have the time to yourself to relax if you prefer. Giving Back Flukes strive to make a difference in the local regions we visit and to give back. We will be making a financial contribution to the Canadian Whale Disentanglement Team. You will also have an opportunity to write a letter to political officials about a conservation issue facing the Gulf or Ocean that you feel strongly about. Group Policy Those individuals, who can bring a group of six (6) guests or more including themselves, will all receive a 10% discount on the cost of the tour. A $350 deposit is still required for each guest. Frequent Traveler Discount All guests will receive a 5% off voucher for your next FLUKES tour. Travel Credits Receive $150 for each friend you refer on a FLUKES trip. Your friends benefit also and receive a $100 discount on their first FLUKES tour. Passports Please make sure to bring your passport as they are required when entering Canada. ATM There are ATM machines at the Bangor International Airport and the Fairfield Inn. Tour Size Our tour size is between 8-14 guests. Smoking Most people prefer a smoke-free environment. There is no smoking allowed on the boats, in vans, inside the hotels, or outside of Rockefeller Hall. If you smoke, please be sensitive to the group and refrain from smoking near them or the trip leaders. Tour Registration To register please complete and submit our Registration and Release and Indemnity Agreement forms. We also require a $350 deposit to secure your registration to be received on or before May 18, Your deposit is the only way to secure your registration and deposits will be taken in the order received. Guests must provide full payment for Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy by May 18, 2015 (90 days prior to departure). Please make all checks and money orders out to FLUKES, Inc. Please send your deposit, forms and final payment to FLUKES, Inc., Attn: Zack Klyver, 257 Mud Creek Road, Lamoine, ME Tour Information Packets Upon receipt of the tour deposit, participants are sent a recommended reference and reading list. About 60 days prior to departure, guests will receive luggage tags and a detailed information packet describing climate, clothing recommendations, important addresses & phone numbers and other relevant information. Upon returning home a summary FLUKES field report listing all wildlife species sighted and trip highlights will be sent to each participant. You will receive a GOM FLUKES t-shirt with artwork showing wildlife highlights from your tour. You may order extra shirts if you want. A picture CD will be sent to each guest with the best pictures of the tour taken by our trip leaders and guests who choose to share them. You may print these pictures and use

17 them as you wish. However, permission must be received for all commercial use. All pictures taken by guides are under copyright law and property of FLUKES, Inc. or individual guests. Cancellation Policy We understand that people s plans sometime need to change. For any cancellations made 80 days or more before departure a full refund of deposit and payment, minus a $100 handling fee will be made. If you cancel between 79 and 65 days before departure you will receive a full refund minus the deposit. For cancellations between 64 and 30 days before departure, a 50% refund of the total tour fee will be issued. After 29 days all deposits and payments are non-refundable. However travel insurance can cover all or most of your trip if you decide to cancel or in case of emergency. This insurance should cost around $250. Travel Insurance/ Trip Cancellation and Medical Insurance: When registering for this tour we strongly encourage you to consider purchasing trip cancellation (including medical emergency) insurance to cover your investment in case of injury or illness to you prior to or during a trip. CSA Travel Protection or Travelers Insurance will insure for trip cancellation and interruption, medical coverage, travel delay, baggage loss and delay, 24-hour accident protection, and emergency medical transportation. Participants covered by Medicare should be aware that Medicare does not provide coverage outside the US; a CSA or Traveler s Protection policy does. You can learn more travel insurance by contacting these companies online or CSA at (877) and Traveler s at (888) Trip Cancellation We need a minimum amount of guests to go. We reserve the right to cancel if we cannot reach this threshold. A full refund will be rewarded in this case. FLUKES, INC. 257 Mud Creek Road Lamoine, Maine (207) flukewhaletours@gmail.com