Humpback Whales Flock to New York City Waters

by Stephanie Colombini | 09/02/2014 | 5:00am

Humpback Whales Flock to New York City Waters

Whale lovers in New York travel the world for chances to see the massive marine mammals in their natural habitats. But many people don't know they can do the exact same thing in their own backyard.

Humpback whales have always passed through New York waters as they migrate up the Eastern Seaboard after winter breeding seasons in the Caribbean.  But 2014's seen more than ever, partly due to the city's increasingly clean water. 

That's according to Paul Sieswerda with Gotham Whale.  The research group teamed up with American Princess Cruises in 2011 to run whale watching cruises off the coast of the Rockaways in Queens.  Sieswerda says they had 5 sightings in their first season, which pales in comparison to the over 50 whales they've seen so far this year...make that 51...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Wow, right next to us!" he said.  "We're 35 feet from that whale."

Sieswerda says the toothless mammals, known as baleen whales, come to feed on fish called bunker.  He says one whale can grow as large as a city bus, and can consume millions of the tiny creatures in a single gulp.

Catherine Granton's a fellow naturalist on-board.  She says New York City's clean waters provide a perpetual thanksgiving for the whales. But she says the urban environment can also pose some dangers, like ship strikes, unused fishing lines, and floating plastics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"One of the things I'm always telling people is to please pick up an 'urban tumbleed,' or one of those ubiquitous plastic bags you see along the street," she said.  "If you just pick up one plastic bag, you'll probably be saving a marine mammal's life."

Granton says the humpback whale's an endangered species Gotham Whale and other groups monitor closely.  She says they've identified over ten whales in the area so far by comparing what are known as "fluke shots"

"If you look at your fingerprints, the underside of a humpback whale's tale, or its fluke, is as individual as our fingerprints," she said.

 

 

 

 

 

Alan Vernon, flickr

Granton says she considers the chance to see marine life like whales,dolphins, sharks, and sea turtles just a few miles off the city's coast a dream come true.

"We're out here in the shadow of the Freedom Tower, and yet we're watching whales in their wild and free habitat," she said.  "No one's blowing a whistle or holding up a fish."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Patrick Hardy from Hicksville's gone as far as Alaska and Hawaii for whale watching trips.  But he says he saw more right here in New York than ever in his life.

"I thought it was a farce, like they just want you to get on the boat!" he said.  "But actually just seeing it is really awesome."

Hardy says he'd definitely come back for more.  So would Michaela Hopkins from Brooklyn, and she got seasick!

"I'm glad I came," she said.  "Even though I'm sick, I'm really happy, and it was really nice.  I hope more people do it."

Hopkin's grandmother Phyllis has lived in Brooklyn her whole life.  But she says she was unaware she had whales for neighbors until now.

"I had no idea I had whales in my backyard," she said.  "It's such an exciting thing.  It was like electricity in the air, everybody started screaming to say, 'Look!'"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Captain Tom Palladino with American Princess Cruises says they've had so many sightings they've decided to extend their whale watching season.  He says they'll continue to run weekend cruises until Columbus Day.

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