About Our Whale Skeleton
Finny's Journey
On Thanksgiving 2023, a young female fin whale came ashore in Steuben. She was emaciated and barely half the size of a full-grown adult at just 49.6 feet long. After her death, a storm carried her a few miles south, and the tides returned her to rest within the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge. College of the Atlantic Allied Whale staff, students, and volunteers recovered her skeleton many months later with support from Maine Beer Company.

Collecting Bones
Bones collected by students and volunteers. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet nisl congue nisi lobortis a. Mauris pharetra imperdiet auctor semper ac dui nunc imperdiet. Habitasse est adipiscing pharetra proin urna molestie diam dapibus suspendisse turpis dapibus platea blandit. Platea tincidunt lacinia aliqua senectus tristique lacinia condimentum. Lacinia porta erat eros adipiscing hendrerit nunc fermentum fringilla erat quis nibh diam tortor dui.
Removal on Floats
Removing the larger portions by float and towed by boat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet nisl congue nisi lobortis a. Mauris pharetra imperdiet auctor semper ac dui nunc imperdiet. Habitasse est adipiscing pharetra proin urna molestie diam dapibus suspendisse turpis dapibus platea blandit. Platea tincidunt lacinia aliqua senectus tristique lacinia condimentum. Lacinia porta erat eros adipiscing hendrerit nunc fermentum fringilla erat quis nibh diam tortor dui.

A Unique Partnership.
Dan DenDanto of Whales and Nails, COA '91 and research associate with Allied Whale.
Hands-on Experience
Finny’s skeleton, suspended above the Maine Beer Company tasting room, was carefully cleaned and reassembled by Whales and Nails over the course of several months. This effort was led by Dan DenDanto, with assistance from students at College of the Atlantic. From shore to skeleton, their hands shaped a story in bone, giving her a second life to spark curiosity, and connection to these magnificent animals.

Time Lapse Video of Installation
Time lapse video of skeleton installation here. Description of the process. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet nisl congue nisi lobortis a. Mauris pharetra imperdiet auctor semper ac dui nunc imperdiet. Habitasse est adipiscing pharetra proin urna molestie diam dapibus suspendisse turpis dapibus platea blandit. Platea tincidunt lacinia aliqua senectus tristique lacinia condimentum. Lacinia porta erat eros adipiscing hendrerit nunc fermentum fringilla erat quis nibh diam tortor dui.
A Fin Whale Called Lunch.
Lunch, a fin whale first spotted along the Maine coast in 1982, has what looks like a bite taken out of her dorsal fin.
In 2009, Lunch captured the imagination of Maine Beer Company co-founder, David. Following an unplanned visit to a whale museum on a rainy day, he named our signature IPA after her. Our first nonprofit donation of only $100 began a partnership that has grown over time and continues to this day. College of the Atlantic Allied Whale is leading the way in marine mammal field research. Home to the world’s largest library of photo-identified whales, scientists use this research to follow them by comparing patterns, fin shapes, and identifying marks.
While not Lunch, this fin whale skeleton serves as a reminder of our lasting partnership in support of the wild and majestic marine mammals of Maine.

Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus
STATUS:
Endangered
FEEDING HABITS:
Lunge feeders, consuming krill, small fish, and plankton
DID YOU KNOW?
Fin whales are nicknamed “the greyhounds of the sea” for their speed and sleek shape
Often seen in the Gulf of Maine, especially near Mount Desert Rock.
The Latin name Balaenoptera physalus means “fin whale that bellows”—a nod to this giant with a towering 20-foot blow!
The fin whale is the second-largest animal on Earth, reaching 80 feet and 80 tons, maturing at 25 and living up to 90 years.
Capable of achieving 25 knots, they are the fastest large whale. Their asymmetric markings aid researchers in photo identification.
