NANTUCKET (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – An unidentified species of whale prevented boat traffic, including ferry service, in and out of Nantucket Harbor on Wednesday delaying preparations for the island's Race Week.
The whale, which is approximately 20- to 25-feet in length, was first spotted near Jetty's Beach around 10:30 a.m. The Coast Guard, along with the Nantucket Harbormaster's office and the Nantucket Department of Natural Resources, were alerted and were dealing with the situation, reports The Inquirer and Mirror.
At first, the whale was reported as being injured; officials have learned that the whale was unharmed. In order to make sure the whale remains unharmed, marine officials advised vessels traveling into and out of the harbor to proceed slowly.
According to the Inquirer and Mirror, the whale was approximately 100 feet offshore in about 15-feet of water, just off Brant Point Lighthouse.
The tall ships, including the Pride of Baltimore II, are expected to arrive as early as 1 p.m. on Wednesday for Nantucket's Race Week which benefits Nantucket Community Sailing; however, the ship did not enter the harbor as planned.
For more information: The Inquirer and Mirror
