I love whales. They are my second favorite large mammal after elephants. New York used to have a large whale population but they were hunted for their meat and blubber to make oils and many of them were driven off due to pollution. But thanks to the conservation efforts of Gotham Whale, our waters are cleaner and there were been hundreds of whale sightings in 2018 alone. Hildon and I used to go whale watching in Boston, but now that more whales, dolphins and seals are in our area in the summer months we do not have to drive four hours to see them.

The whales come to our waters to feed and then go to the Caribbean in the winter. I am spreading the word because a lot of people do not know that the Rockaways are a great whale watching destination. American Princess Cruises have partnered with Gotham Whale to help educate people on whales while on their whale watching tour. This weekend was our second time on this cruise and we were able to spot two humpbacks, one of which was a completely new whale that had not yet been documented. Hildon got a great shot of the tail, which was used to determine we had a new whale on the block.

Whale watching is a lot of work. You will be running from port to starboard to bow to stern and everywhere in between trying to get a glimpse. On our way out 20 miles off the coast, everyone on the ship is chatting and laughing until the first whale is spotted. Then it is silent. Except for children asking questions, no one makes a sound. Everyone is on whatever side of the boat the captain said he spotted a humpback, waiting with cameras and phones already recording. One lady was complaining that we were blocking her view. I turned and told her, “Ma’am, you gotta be quicker than that.” When the captain says he sees one you have to move, because whales are fast. At one point the port side of the boat was leaning into the water from the weight of everyone waiting for the whale to come up for air. It is intense, suspenseful and positively thrilling, especially when you get a great shot.

 

 

 

That day the whales swam alongside us and we were able to get shots of their backs and tails. But if you go to American Princess Cruises’ Facebook page you will see great shots of the whales breaching.

If you live in New York City or are visiting or plan on visiting, I encourage you to book a tour with American Princess Cruises. They go until November and set sail from Wednesday to Sunday.