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Mon Aug 10 – Whale Watching

Another spectacular trip – 2 species of cetaceans along with hundreds of cow-nosed trays and thousands of Wilson’s Storm petrels

We met a small pod of  early in our voyage (they typically are not found in water deeper than 120 feet). Not surprisingly, we met a large aggregation of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins on our way back to the dock (several hundred individuals collectively in groups of 10-20). We received reports of humpbacks offshore and found Reflection and her 2026 calf interacting in amazing ways. Often flipper slapping while facing each other ventrally (belly to belly) slapping in unison. Breaching, lobtailing, diving, surfacing and rolling over and flipper slapping again and again. Their coordinated bouts of activity interspersed with logging (resting) and probably nursing. We left mom and calf to look elsewhere about an hour later we found another associated pair of humpbacks (Pickle and Epee), who were hanging out together 2 days earlier. Throughout our journey we encountered hundreds of Cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus). Neither I, nor Captain Carl Forsberg, nor a visiting fellow naturalist (Cynde McInnis) from Massachusetts had ever seen these fish before. Another fellow naturalist from Gotham Whale, Chris St. Lawrence, identified these fish for us. Chris and his colleague on the American Princess in the western NY Bight have seen them regularly. We were pleasantly surprised.

  • 200+ Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins
  • 4 humpback whales
  • 1000’s of Cownose rays in fevers (schools) of 20-50
  • 1000+ Wilson’s storm petrels in large aggregations throughout the areas with whales

Humpback whale breaches near a boat with two people observing. Two dolphins swimming in the ocean near the surface. Two dolphins swimming with dorsal fins above water Humpback whale showing fin above ocean surface. Whale fluke and back visible above water in the ocean. Whale tail emerging from ocean water surface. Whale's tail emerging from ocean water Whale tail emerging from ocean with boats in distance.

 

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