A Provincetown Legacy: The Family Behind Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch

In the spring of 1975, a Provincetown fisherman named Albert “Al” Avellar Jr. quietly launched a revolution. Rather than chase cod or haddock, he took a group of local schoolchildren aboard his vessel Dolphin III to see something rare and wondrous—whales. At the time, whale watching was virtually unheard of on the East Coast. Al’s simple idea—to trade fishing lines for binoculars—sparked what would become one of Provincetown’s most defining industries. With that trip, Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch was born, and so too was a family legacy that has endured for five decades.

Al Avellar came from a long line of Provincetown fishermen, but he had the foresight to recognize that the waters off Cape Cod held a different kind of treasure: living giants that could inspire awe, curiosity, and conservation. He started running tours regularly, narrating the trips himself and cultivating relationships with early marine researchers, including Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo of the Center for Coastal Studies. These partnerships helped solidify Dolphin Fleet’s commitment to education and environmental stewardship from the start.

As the business grew, it remained firmly in the family. Al’s son Aaron Avellar worked aboard the vessels, following in his father’s footsteps. More significantly, Al’s stepson, Steven Milliken, also became an integral part of the company. Steve started as a captain and gradually took over leadership of the operation, learning every aspect of the fleet while helping to expand and modernize it. Under Steve’s guidance, Dolphin Fleet added newer, purpose-built whale-watching vessels like Dolphin VII, VIII, IX, and X, all outfitted to optimize observation and onboard education.

Following Al’s passing in 2008, the business officially transitioned to Steve Milliken, who continues to serve as owner and president. Though the original Dolphin III is long retired, the mission remains the same: connect people to whales in a way that informs, inspires, and respects the marine environment. Steve’s leadership has also ensured Dolphin Fleet stays involved with research and policy; he has served on the Sanctuary Advisory Council for the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for over two decades and helped create regional whale watch guidelines in coordination with NOAA.

Dolphin Fleet is still a family-run operation, with Aaron Avellar maintaining a presence on the docks, and a new generation stepping into roles across the business. Today, trips are staffed with trained naturalists and scientists who interpret whale behavior and gather data for conservation. The company even helped pioneer the practice of identifying and naming individual whales, like the iconic humpback “Salt,” first spotted in the 1970s and still returning to Cape Cod Bay.

Now celebrating its 50th season, Dolphin Fleet remains not just Provincetown’s original whale watch but a symbol of how one family’s vision helped transform a fishing village into an international center for marine conservation and education. It is a story of tradition, transformation, and a deep-rooted connection to the sea—still told every day from the decks of the Dolphin Fleet.

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