Our Captains

Our captains bring decades of experience navigating the waters of Cape Cod, earning an intimate knowledge of local currents, seasonal patterns, and the rich marine life of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. That deep familiarity with our home waters is something no guidebook can replicate — it’s built trip by trip, season by season, over a lifetime on the sea.

Together, our captains work as a dedicated team to ensure every voyage is safe, engaging, and memorable. Get to know the seasoned professionals who bring these waters to life for every guest aboard our vessels.

Captain Steve Milliken

Captain Steven Milliken is the Owner and President of Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch in Provincetown. He began working on the docks at just six years old and later purchased the company from his stepfather, founder Al Avellar. Captain Milliken has owned and operated the Dolphin Fleet for more than 25 years.

Captain Milliken was a part of the very first whale watch trips on the East Coast in 1975 on the legendary Dolphin III. Since then, the Dolphin Fleet family has remained committed to responsible whale watching and marine education.

A trusted advisor world-wide, Captain Milliken has helped develop whale watching guidelines for the Northeast and created a captain training program focused on safely operating around whales in their natural habitat. The program has been shared with NOAA and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for consideration and broader use.

Captain Milliken served on the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council for more than 20 years and has participated in working groups around the world focused on improving whale watching safety and advancing education about marine wildlife.

Captain Paul Milliken

Captain Paul Milliken is the General Manager of the Dolphin Fleet and also serves as a captain. He has held a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master Captain’s License for more than 20 years.

Paul joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 2003 and served for more than two decades in a variety of roles at sea and ashore. During his Coast Guard career, he held command of two Coast Guard cutters. In 2019, he earned his law degree and became a Coast Guard JAG officer in Boston, serving as legal counsel to the First District Commander. He also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Rhode Island prosecuting environmental crimes. Paul retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2024.

Paul grew up on Cape Cod working on the docks and as a deckhand on whale watch boats. His family founded the Dolphin Fleet and has spearheaded the rise of whale watching around the globe. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Center for Coastal Studies and is a member of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

Captain Doug Hall

Captain Doug Hall serves as the Director of Sales for Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch and is also a Captain with the company. In his role, he leads sales partnerships, group bookings, and industry outreach while also bringing his maritime experience to the wheelhouse.

Doug has spent decades in the passenger vessel and tourism industry. Prior to joining Dolphin Fleet, he served for more than 20 years as Director of Sales at Boston Harbor Cruises. He has also served as a Captain with Captain John & Son whale watching out of Plymouth, MA.

A graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Doug combines deep maritime knowledge with extensive experience in tourism, hospitality, and event sales. His background allows him to connect the operational side of running vessels with the business side of bringing visitors to the water.

At Dolphin Fleet, Doug focuses on expanding partnerships throughout the travel and tourism industry while also sharing his passion for the ocean as a captain on whale watch trips.

Captain Dennis Waite

Captain Dennis Waite began his maritime career in Provincetown in 1972 as a summer deckhand on the Ranger III deep-sea fishing boat while still in high school in Albany, New York. After graduating in 1974, he returned as first mate on the Ranger III during the summers and spent winters commercial fishing aboard the F/V Little Infant, continuing that seasonal routine for several years.

In 1979, Dennis earned his captain’s license and helped convert the Ranger III from a fishing vessel to a whale watch boat as whale watching began growing in Provincetown. In 1984, he helped launch the Portuguese Princess Excursion Company, initially operating the M/V Captain Joseph while the Portuguese Princess was being built.

After recovering from back surgery in 1985, Dennis joined Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch at the invitation of founder Al Avellar. He has been part of the Dolphin Fleet team ever since, bringing decades of experience and deep knowledge of Provincetown waters to every trip.

Captain Johnny Vasques

Captain Johnny Vasques spent 25 years as a commercial fisherman and owner of the F/V Gale, working the waters surrounding Cape Cod. During that time, he gained extensive experience navigating in all types of weather and developed a deep respect for the power of the ocean.

In the early 1990s, Johnny earned his Merchant Mariner Captain’s License. After retiring from commercial fishing, he joined Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch as a captain, where he has now spent more than 30 years sharing the waters he knows so well with passengers.

Coming from a family with a long history in commercial fishing, Johnny proudly followed that tradition to the sea—and after decades on the water, he still enjoys every day spent on the ocean.

Captain Todd Motta

Captain Todd Motta has spent more than 40 years working on the water. He began his career in commercial fishing, where he worked from 1974 to 1992 as captain and owner of the F/V Liberty Bell and F/V Carol Ann. He earned his U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Captain’s License in 1985

In 1993, Todd began running whale watches aboard the Portuguese Princess. He later served as captain of the Boston Harbor commuter boats from 1994 to 1997 and joined Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch in 2004, where he continues to captain today.

During the winters from 2016 to 2024, Todd captained vessels for Key West Express. Earlier in his career, he also served with NY Waterway for two and a half years beginning the day after September 11, assisting with emergency transportation efforts following the World Trade Center attacks.

Captain Mark DaLomba

Captain Mark DaLomba began his maritime career in 1980 in commercial fishing, working primarily in groundfish dragging and tuna fishing, with some lobster fishing as well. He entered the whale watch industry in 1984 as a mate on the Ranger 4, and later served aboard the Portuguese Princess from 1985 to 1994.

Mark first joined Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch in 1995, returned to the Portuguese Princess from 1996 to 2003, and has been part of the Dolphin Fleet team again since 2004.

He holds a 200-ton Master Captain’s License along with Able Bodied Seaman endorsement, marine firefighting certification, CPR, and First Aid credentials. Mark also served 12 years with the Provincetown Volunteer Fire Department and is well known for his skill in identifying whales and seabirds in Cape Cod waters.

Michelle Silva

Michelle Silva grew up in Provincetown as the daughter of a commercial fisherman and has spent much of her life on the water. She began working with Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch in 2006 at just 12 years old, helping handle dock lines during the summers before eventually moving into the galley in 2010. Over the years she took on a variety of roles, becoming a naturalist assistant and later a mate in 2017.

Michelle stepped away in 2020 and 2021 to work with the Center for Coastal Studies on their whale disentanglement team before returning to Dolphin Fleet in 2022. She holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Captain’s License, along with CPR and First Aid certifications, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Framingham State University. Michelle is currently a Captain in Training with the Dolphin Fleet.

Known for her strong whale identification skills, Michelle’s favorite whale is Sockeye.

Xia Maxwell

Xia Maxwell has spent much of her life on the water in Provincetown. Since the age of 16, she has worked on several local vessels, including the Long Point Shuttle, Provincetown Parasail, and the schooner Hindu.

She joined Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch in the summer of 2018 working in the galley. After graduating from college with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Xia decided to pursue a career as a captain. She earned her captain’s license that winter and has since worked her way up to First Mate and Captain in Training with the Dolphin Fleet.

Xia is certified in CPR and First Aid and developed her passion for boating at a young age. Beginning at just three years old, she spent her summers at a Provincetown boatyard and marina where her family operated a watersports business in Provincetown Harbor.