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Viking Fleet Fishing Reports

Whale Watching

Sun Aug 6 – Whale Watching

Patience and persistence pay off! Our tenth trip of the season had us worker harder than usual to find cetaceans, but as with our other nine trips, we succeeded! We first headed south of Montauk following up on reports of whales, but instead of whales, we found several small pods of inshore bottlenose dolphins, collectively…

Wed Aug 2 – Whale Watching

Our streak continues! With temperatures in the 70’s, calm seas, and absolutely unlimited visibility, we could not have asked for better conditions to search for cetaceans on our ninth trip of the season. Reports of whales brought us west of Block Island where spouts were immediately spotted. The first belonged to two humpback whales, surfacing,…

Sun July 30 – Whale Watching

Just gets better and better!   On a comfortable day, with unlimited visibility, we were ready to find lots of cetaceans , and that we did. We had reports of dolphins “everywhere,” and whales where we’d seen them on our last, as well as closer to shore. Are assumption that the nearshore whales were juvenile humpbacks was correct. These juvenile humpback whales and dolphins were searching for and feeding on the abundant patches of Atlantic menhaden (AKA bunker). We watched as the whales fed via subsurface lunges. These were small humpbacks, probably no larger than 24 feet. Our first 4 humpbacks undertook no “surface” activity, but our 5th humpback was repeatedly flipper-slapping and surfacing lunging. Beautiful to watch.  We’re already looking forward to Wednesday’s trip!!  Join us. 300-400 Inshore bottlenose dolphins 6 humpback whales 200 Great shearwaters 10 Cory’s shearwaters

Wed July 26 – Whale Watching

An epic trip unlike any this century! We headed out to sea to escape the heat. We had reports of dolphins and whales and headed SE and soon found a group of 50-60 inshore bottlenose dolphins, chasing their prey over an area of about 1 square nautical mile. After the dolphins we headed south to…

Sun July 23 – Whale Watching

Dolphins, humpback whale, sharks, and more!   Sunday’s trip began with a bang! A gray seal rolled acrobatically in the water alongside our vessel as we sailed out of port. Then, only five minutes from the lighthouse, a breach was spotted by one of our sharp-eyed volunteers. We quickly turned course to find a juvenile…

Wed July 19 – Whale Watching

Expectations Exceeded! After Wednesday’s incredible encounters and a weather-cancelled trip on Sunday, we headed offshore with high hopes that the whales observed last week would still be around for today’s cruise. That plan was quickly interrupted by two humpbacks appearing halfway into our transit, feeding and moving closely in association with one another. Upon further…

Wed July 9 – Whale Watching

What a day at sea! We always begin each cruise by reminding passengers that we are sailing into the natural environment and have no idea what we will see or when. This trip was definitely a testament to that! We traded in the heat and haze of land for cool, ocean breezes traveling approximately 14 miles offshore in search of cetaceans. Visibility improved tremendously and conditions were highly favorable for spotting life at the surface. Despite this, no marine mammals were seen for the first two hours, but things were getting interesting. We passed through numerous debris ‘fields’, likely outwash from the Connecticut River stemming from the heavy rains that pounded New England earlier in the week. Then the water got very warm as we entered a warm-core eddy spinning off the Gulf Stream. Then came the flying fish, and…

Sun July 9 – Whale Watching

Fourth cetacean species in only three trips!   Today’s whale watch was an exercise in patience. Reports of bottlenose dolphins brought us southwest in search of these dynamic cetaceans. Despite abundant prey just below the surface for much of our transit, no dolphins were found. We passed through numerous patches of sargassum, hoping to spot a turtle or two, but no turtles were found. Occasional sightings of Great shearwaters entertained us while searching for life at the surface. We headed into deeper water, keeping dry from the soaking rains pounding the mainland. At last, a blow and fin were spotted and investigated, revealing a fin whale, our fourth cetacean species in only our third trip of the season! The fin whale appeared to be feeding, spending short intervals underwater and surfacing around our vessel. While watching this whale, a second…

Wed July 5 – Whale Watching

Long trip – but we found our 1st baleen whale! Our second whale watch of the 2023 season is in the books! Before leaving the dock, passengers were treated to sightings of two gray seals feeding in the harbor. Once departed, we swapped out the heat of land in exchange for cool, offshore breezes as…

Sun July 2 – Whale Watching

2 species of dolphins and tons of pelagic birds! Our first 2023 whale watch was on a windy and bouncy day. We had reports of whales and dolphins in the area. Shortly after passing Montauk Light we found our first group of about 60 bottlenose dolphins, stayed with them for a while. We headed further…