[Skitterpop]

As impressive, even bigger by volume, was the exceptional marine mammal show that Nikula witnessed. Northern right whales, among the rarest creatures on the planet with fewer than 300 members, have been putting on a show off North Truro and Provincetown for the past couple of weeks. This would be a great time to take a whale-watching trip to see these animals, as they are engaging in courtship and mating, often not far offshore. Nikula saw a Northern right whale, a minke whale, a fin whale and two humpback whales flipper-slapping - all in a mere 20 minutes from the Race Point parking lot Sunday morning.