Swampscott's 'Espresso' Whale To Be Memorialized With Plaque Dedication

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — The humpback whale dubbed "Espresso" when it made its way to the Swampscott shoreline in May 2024 will be memorialized at Beach Bluff Park with a bronze plaque dedication and ceremony.

The whale twice came ashore along the North Shore in Marblehead and Swampscott. She was taken 50 miles into the ocean for a burial at sea before the tides took it back to Swampscott a few days later.

It was then buried in the town near the Marblehead line.

• Swampscott 'Espresso' Whale Buried At Preston Beach

The ceremony is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. at the park on Atlantic Avenue. Commercial SCUBA diver Doug Cassidy will be there, along with children's author Jeana Khan, who wrote the book "Winky the Humpback Whale."

Children are invited to bring a sand pail and take part in family-friendly activities at the event.

Espresso was estimated to be 11 years old, 42 feet long and weighed about 65,000 pounds when she made her final visit to the North Shore.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)