Mon Aug 24 – Whale Watching

Today we sailed southeast to find cetaceans in an area where several humpbacks have been seen
previously. On the way, we found two large groups of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins (at least 120-150
individuals each) which we shared an exceptional encounter with. Typically, Tamanend’s are relatively
shy around our vessels and disappear beneath the surface when moving near us. These dolphins,
however, remained adjacent to the Viking Star, porpoising, interacting, and circle feeding providing
incredible views into this species’ daily lives. We continued south and came across an ocean sunfish,
Mola mola, which was resting at the surface. The densest of all bony fish, this animal did not mind our
presence and moved under the vessel from one side to the other, allowing everyone to observe this
unique species! We traveled on in search of blows and came upon two humpback whales in an area a
few miles shy of our intended destination. To our excitement, this pair was yet another humpback mom
and calf, the seventeenth documented this season (our previous high was five). The mom is MTK0011,
an early entry in CRESLI’s MTK Humpback Whale Catalog, having first been observed off Montauk in
2009, again in 2017, and in 2022 and 2023. She was here with her 2026 calf, who swam alongside and
dove in tandem with her. MTK0011, also known in the Center for Coastal Studies’ Gulf of Maine
Humpback Whale Catalog as Manhattan, exhibited numerous surface feeding activities including kick-
feeding, bubble-feeding, and dragging. As we observed these behaviors, fevers (schools) of cownose
rays passed us by the hundreds. At least 3-4 minke whales also popped up sporadically around the vessel
as hundreds of Wilson’s storm petrels fed in the productive waters. As we headed home, we
encountered two additional blows and changed course to investigate. Unfortunately, these whales (also
likely humpbacks) were on the move and did not resurface within ten minutes so we continued home
under sunny skies and comforting breezes. Cetaceans are still in the area and we never know what (or
who) we will encounter.

240-320 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins
4 humpback whales
3-4 minke whales
1 ocean sunfish (Mola mola)
Several fevers (schools) of cownose rays
40-60 great shearwaters
30-50 Cory’s shearwaters
200-250 Wilson’s storm petrels