I spend the majority of my boating and fishing time in MA 11 & 13. I have been seeing Harbor Porpoises for many years. Usually when I have seen them they would be moving lazily along the surface and showing only their dorsal fins.

I have noticed an increase in the frequency of my sightings of these creatures in the last (approx) 10 years. Well about a month ago I witnessed one jump clear out of the water several times. Since then I have seen much more unexpected (by me) behavior exhibited. Last Thursday and Friday I was fishing on a 34' boat with my wife, and a Harbor Porpoise spent quite a bit of time with us. He would swim up close enough to the boat that it was easy to see him clearly. He spent most of his time on our Starboard side, which was the side my downrigger was deployed from. At one time it looked to me like He actually rubbed his nose on my spectra. After spending perhaps 1/2 hour or so with us he moved on.

Fast forward to today, I was fishing by myself in a 14' boat, and I first saw Him jumping and splashing in the midst of a group of trolling, boats about 1/2 mile away, He carried on for at least 1/2 hour. About 1 hour later I had picked up my speed to move up on my troll path against foul current, and He came to visit with me. He swooped along side of my boat on the boats Starboard side pacing me and rolling so as to expose his port side as if He were looking at me. He proceeded to spend more than several minutes quite close to me, within 5' at times, possibly a little closer, and when I slowed back down He seemed to become bored with my program. Then He would cruise ahead of me and circle around getting distance behind me and then jetting by me while doing a couple of jumps, but not very high, and perhaps 15 minutes after I had slowed down to resume my troll he appeared to have had enough of me and my fishing. He then took off in a North Westerly direction doing 5 serious go fast, go high jumps (the last of which was about 1/4 mile away) and all of which he rolled his belly to the starboard side as if He was catching a glimpse of me.

Does anyone out there have any other Harbor Porpoise stories?

I certainly hope that it's not some kind of brain decease that is at the root of this behavior, because he sure does provide a lot of entertainment.