“This was highly unusual for the area but anything is possible!” the department said in the post.

According to a Facebook post from the Wareham Department of Natural Resources, the whale was spotted swimming between Onset Island and Hog Island Channel.

The department, along with a US Army Corp. of Engineers patrol boat, provided a security zone to allow the unexpected visitor space to swim. Onset Harbor Channel was closed while the whale continued its journey but reopened once the whale had moved on.


The post noted that the whale “eventually continued on its journey down Hog Island Channel towards Buzzards Bay and has not been spotted since.”

Last week, a boater had a close encounter with a humpback whale who jumped out of the water near Gloucester.

Abbi Matheson can be reached at abbi.matheson@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AbbiMatheson