Local Montauk Whale Watching 2024
Our 29th year with Viking Fleet of Montauk, NY
By: A. H. Kopelman, Ph.D.
The Viking Fleet and CRESLI 2024 Whale Watching Season
The Viking Fleet and CRESLI are proud participants in the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Whale SENSE program. This voluntary program ensures that participating whale watch companies comply with NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic whale watching guidelines to prevent harassment of marine mammals. This includes slowing down, managing our time near whales and dolphins, and alerting NOAA of any entangled, ship struck, injured or diseased whales encountered. We are thrilled to be Whale SENSE’s 50th partner and promoting responsible whale watching and stewardship of the marine environment.
Join us next year! We are the only crew with over 38 years of whale watching experience AND professors/scientists as trip leaders. Come away with great memories, great photos and videos, and an education about whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and marine life that is second-to-none.
2024 LOCAL TRIPS: Our 100% successful 2024 whale watch season is over!
OUR NATURALISTS' BEST PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FROM THE 2024 WHALE WATCH SEASON ARE AVAILABLE to VIEW and/or PURCHASE.
- Every purchase provide some much needed funds, so please take a look
See our 2024 Naturalist Logs below - we are at 100% success in sighting cetaceans (whales/dolphins) in 2024. This includes ID's of 152 different humpback whales!!!!
- Just for context - we have been 100% successful for 126 consecutive trips since 2019 in finding cetaceans.
- SINCE 2009 - 98% SUCCESS RATE IN FINDING CETACEANS (2023 and prior whale watch sightings blogs)
- Sightings and behaviors are NEVER guaranteed, but we will always do our best to find them
Please note that the Viking Fleet supports CRESLI's work through in-kind donations of providing the vessel and vessel crew, and some funds per trip. We are eternally grateful to the Viking Fleet for our decades of collaboration
- The Viking Fleet and CRESLI are offering special family friendly marine cruises focusing on the sights of the ocean! Enjoy a day on the water with your family looking for whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sea birds and sunfish. Along the way you can view the Montauk lighthouse and all the landmarks of the east end.
- Our qualified naturalists/marine biologists will narrate the tour and answer all of your questions!
The Viking Fleet vessels are equipped with clean restrooms, comfortable seating and full galleys onboard. We recommend reservations. You can either do so by phone (631-668-5700) or via the link below
Tickets: https://vikingfleet.com/whale-watching-cruises/ The fare for these trips is $85 for adults, $55 for children 5-12y/o, FREE for Children 4 and under
Be sure to check the Marine Forecast for the waters around Montauk
Meet the CRESLI naturalists/educators
Best of the 2023 CRESLI Whale Watch Season" photos and videos.
HELP SUPPORT OUR WORK: purchase images/prints/artwork
Diving humpback pair, 8/2/23 (AHK_5757) from CRESLI_ Inc. on Vimeo.
Associated pair of humpback whales (Bombay on left and Snowslide on right) seen on our 8/2/23 whale watch
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5 species of cetaceans and thousands of pelagic birds!
12 Humpbacks (were able to reach 5 of them (including Degreee, Polaris, Flyingfox, and Sctachboard,and CRESLI-MTK.2024.07.01-03) 2-4 fin whales (including mom and calf) , ~12 minke whales, Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic white-sided dolphins, Great, Cory's, and Sooty shearwaters, Wilson's storm petrels galore
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Another spectacular multispecies trip (humpbacks, minkes, finbacks, and Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins)
We left the dock under excellent conditions (unlimited visibility and 2' seas). Early on, just around Montauk Lighthouse we found ~300 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins, always a good way to start. Further out, we encountered a small and lethargic humpback whale. We stayed with it for a while to see if it was OK. It was resting (logging) and eventually "woke up" and began to vigorously lob-tail. Once heard a trumpet blow, it was clear the whale wanted us to move away. We were never really close, but heeded the whale's "request."
Off we went, and found several finback whales, more humpbacks, minkes, and loads of pelagic birds. Another successful trip!
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The third whale watch of our 2024 season was as successful and amazing as the first two!
We headed out in search of two whales reported to be feeding right off the lighthouse. Blows and splashes could be seen before I even finished talking about the historic landmark. Between six to eight humpbacks could be seen feeding and diving on the abundant sand eels (sand lance) in the area. We spent most of our time watching two whales kick feed, throwing their massive bodies sideways, kicking at the bait in the water and coming up immediately after with large, gaping open mouths, as they filter out the fish through their dense mats of baleen. There were about six whales in the immediate vicinity, in all directions, so it took time to eventually encounter all of them. CRESLI can identify individual humpback whales by the unique markings on and shapes of their tails, easily observed when they complete high fluking dives, lifting their tail flukes high out of the water to generate the thrust necessary for a deep dive. With the bait close to the surface and the whales in relatively shallow water close to shore, not all of them would ‘fluke’ when diving, so we spent time with what we believe were each of the six whales taking photographs necessary for identification. While we did, we were joined by Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins, and at least one minke whale. On our way home, we encountered another humpback, with which we spent time, and got an extremely close but fleeting view of a leatherback sea turtle as we transited passed the lighthouse on our return. Approximately 200 shearwaters (Cory’s, Sooty, and Great) and a few Wilson’s Storm Petrels wrapped up our sightings for the day. This season is off to a hot start and we sail again tomorrow (Sunday, 07/06); come join us!
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On our fourth whale watch of the 2024 season, we replaced the heat and humidity on land for cool, offshore breezes at sea. Dense fog blanketed the Point, so we headed south to deeper water where visibility improved. Here, we encountered a small group of bottlenose dolphins, likely Tamanend’s, approximately seven miles from shore. This pod of 8-12 included, upon later photographic investigation, a young calf, which bore the light vertical lines from fetal folding while in the uterus. These lines remain on the young dolphin for up to a few months after birth. We continued in search of the whales and dolphins encountered in this same area just four and six days earlier. Unfortunately, the water which was a beautiful turquoise green, was now devoid of prey. Occasional groups of shearwaters (Cory’s and Great) and a few ‘rafts’ of 80-120 Wilson Storm Petrel’s were spotted, not long before finding a second group of dolphins. These were short-beaked common dolphins, and, unlike the bottlenose, were very interested in our vessel, circling around and under the boat, providing passengers excellent views of these colorful animals. We eventually continued on and came upon an unusual sight: an ocean sunfish! Mola molas, or ocean sunfish, are the largest and densest bony fish and can occasionally be seen resting and warming themselves at the surface. CRESLI did not encounter any sunfish during our 2023 season, so this was a welcome encounter. Passengers had amazing views of this uniquely-shaped animal which was accompanied by two pilot fish. A shark was also spotted nearby, but disappeared below the surface before we could get a closer view and ID. On our transit home, the dense fog returned, preventing any additional sightings.
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Another 4 species day!
We headed out to escape from the heat and found our first whales (2 small humpbacks) shortly after we passed the Montauk Lighthouse. We were able to spend some time with one that was flipper slapping and rolling over quite a lot. It was swimming, diving, and feeding in shallow water that was filled from surface to the bottom with Atlantic menhaden (AKA bunker). We eventually left this whale and headed further out. We came across a massive aggregation of 400-500 short-beaked common dolphins. They were everywhere we looked and often groups came to ride our bow wake. The passengers at the bow were able to look down and see and HEAR the dolphins vocalizing! The joy on people's faces said it all! What a beautiful encounter. Later we briefly encountered a group of bottlenose dolphins, but we unable to get good photos and unable to clearly identify which species. On our way back, we also briefly encountered a minke whale. We also encountered pelagic birds throughout our trip.
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Hungry, Hungry Humpbacks!
What an amazing day whale watching aboard the Viking Star yesterday! We left the heat of land in favor of cool, ocean breezes traveling approximately ten miles south to an area of reported whale activity. Two blows were spotted, belonging to a pair of humpback whales which turned out to be our first mother and calf pair of the 2024 season! The calf stuck close to the mom, often rising up next to her in a playful fashion, alternating between her left and right sides. We stayed with the pair for a while, but there were many other whales in the area. Soon, patches of sea all around us glowed green as bubbles rose up just ahead of gaping mouths belonging to feeding humpbacks at the surface. There were at least 8-12 individuals, each using bubble clouds to corral and engulf sand eels as they rose out of the water with enormous open mouths. Many of the individuals arched their backs to strain the water and swallow their prey, a unique behavior known as ‘snaking’, although I prefer the term ‘whale yoga’ as one passenger suggested! Our observations of this massive feeding event went on for over two hours. At least one minke whale was also documented and a small pod of short-beaked common dolphins was seen surfing the wake ahead of a surfacing humpback. We picked up a couple of mylar balloons before heading back to the dock, humbled by what we had seen.
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It keeps getting better and better - another 4 species day with dozens of whales!
Once again, we headed out to sea and escaped the heat. The visibility was excellent in terms of distance, but hazy. It didn't matter. Cap't. Steven D. Forsberg radioed to tell us of "thousands of whales" offshore. It wasn't thousands, but what dozens of whales, including finbacks and humpbacks. On the way, we found a large aggregation of short-beaked common dolphins. Later, we found the whales, we saw blows everywhere and in every direction. At any time, we were with a whale (or 4) we typically surrounded by an additional 20 more within a 1 nautical mile radius. Often times we were unsure which way to go and couldn't move until the whales we were with moved away.
We found trios of humpbacks (mom/calf and escort) and had several finback whales swimming together as well. We also saw some Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins on our way out. Lot's of pelagic birds too.
What a day!
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Another incredible day!
What an amazing experience for the passengers aboard the Viking Star yesterday! We headed off to find the many whales encountered on Wednesday’s trip, but were happily interrupted by three separate pods of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins while en route. Blows from humpback whales were spotted ahead as a minke whale and large pod of short-beaked common dolphins “welcomed” our arrival. We sat in ‘whale soup’ as humpbacks surrounded the vessel and were seen in every direction. Two associated pairs of whales dove in unison feeding on bait detected near the bottom. We spent time with these and at least five other whales before moving on to a large assemblage of whales spotted ahead. Here we encountered at least 12-18 more humpbacks, including groups of five, three, and two individuals tightly swimming together. With prey here patchily distributed, the whales spent more time approaching the vessel than feeding. Multiple close approaches by the three groups of humpbacks continued for an hour to the delight of everyone onboard. Short-beaked common dolphins charged ahead of the whales and repeatedly swam around the vessel offering everyone excellent viewing opportunities. Just as we prepared to leave, a minke whale and shortfin mako shark were spotted to top of the action. We know this was not the first human encounter for the mako because a tagging device was attached to the animal to help understand its habitat use and distribution. As with our other encounters, the shark ‘cooperatively’ stayed near the surface allowing excellent views. It was an incredible day spent with many of the apex predators that call this beautiful ecosystem home.
We don’t know how long these amazing sightings will continue. Don’t delay; come out with us today!
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Beyond amazing!
We are running out of superlatives to describe the Viking/CRESLI whale watches this season…and its only July! It was the trip of a lifetime for our passengers yesterday as we continued to find the large humpback whales feeding offshore including two mom/calf pairs and a large pod of short-beaked common dolphins. With the Summer Olympics starting soon, it was no surprise that these animals were showing off their athletic prowess. Dolphins leaped in unison and charged toward the vessel offering everyone incredible sights - and sounds – of these fast-moving animals. Not to be outdone, a calf began breaching nearby, rolling over, flipper slapping, and inverted lob-tailing (throwing the tail up and down while in an upside-down position at the surface). We sat safely out of gear as the spectacle surrounded us with close, intentional ‘swim-bys’ by adult humpbacks, a playful calf, and swarming dolphins. More breaching could be seen in the distance, so we eventually moved on to check out the action. Not surprisingly, we encountered a second calf, who was breaching right next to another humpback (likely mom) over and over again. This calf would breach, swim, breach, repeat, as it circled the vessel. As we waited excitedly for each leap, the calf would occasionally surprise us with a spyhop right next to us. Large splashes ahead of us revealed two more whales breaching, which turned out to be the calf’s mom and her escort. The breaching ended when all three united, that is, until the calf got playful again. More spyhopping and breaching continued until the calf leaped immediately ahead of the bow surprising passengers and wrapping up an incredible day at sea. Please join us and tell your friends – these experiences are not to be missed!
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Whale watch on the Viking Star, one of the best local whale trips of the past 20+ years!
Once again, we are running out of superlatives! Today’s trip, like so many others, began with a small pod of 15 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins. We received a report of “20 whales” miles ahead, about where they were on Sunday’s trip. The 20 whales, turned out to be over 45 different whales!!! At least 36 humpbacks, including 2 mom and calf pairs (Reaper and calf, and Ampersand and calf); and at least 4 fin whales including a female we had first seen in 7/21/2013, and saw again last year. This summer she’s had her 2024 calf and we’ve seen and her her for 3 weeks now. At least 4 minke whales, and short-beaked common dolphins, all within a 6 square nautical mile area.
The whales were feeding at the surface, and also in some areas throughout the water column. The humpbacks employed several different feeding patterns. 2,including Habanero, were chin slapping, then kicking, then diving in thefir concentrated prey and coming up filtering and “dragging;” long surface filtering sessions. We had cooperative bubble- ring feeding amongst many groups of humpbacks (they are the only baleen whales to do this), some groups of 5, others or 9, and still others of 11 or more, almost all simultaneously feeding around us. This cooperative feeding began at 12:30 PM and was still going on when we had to leave 1.5 hrs. later. Needless to say, there were pelagic birds everywhere the whales were feeding: Great shearwaters, Cory’s shearwaters, Sooty shearwaters, Wilson’s storm-petrels were all over the feeding whales.
Dr. Kopelman, CRESLI’s naturalist and president, led this trip, and is reviewing over 1650 photos and videos. So please be patient. They will be posted ASAP.
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Our 2024 trip reports are starting to sound more like fairytales than whale watching summaries
The east end experienced flooding rains in the morning and fog sopped in much of Montauk ahead of the trip. It was drizzling and/or extremely damp as we departed, and even Camp Hero was out of view due to the poor visibility. That all changed once we passed the lighthouse. Visibility improved to about three miles and then five. Within an hour, blows belonging to more and more whales were spotted. We spent time with approximately sixteen humpback whales and over one hundred short-beaked common dolphins. A minke whale surfaced repeatedly near the vessel (which is atypical for a minke) and, as if to agree with our moods, the skies cleared! I even reminded everyone onboard to apply sunscreen because the sun was in sharp contrast to conditions during our departure. Everyone had excellent views of the adult whales, which dove around and surfaced around our vessel, at times making close, intentional approaches towards us as the boat sat safely out of gear. One of the calves we have been seeing was briefly spotted and a yet-unidentified whale (possibly the calf) breached several times ahead of the vessel. It was a GREAT day. Eventually, it was time to head back and both whales and dolphins could be spotted for several minutes as we steamed back. In time, they disappeared out of sight and the dark clouds which enveloped the land were soon upon us, as if we had entered – and were now leaving – some magical portal into an amazing world. Many of the whales we encountered were new, but some were the same we have seen now for three weeks indicating that they are sticking around. Please join us and tell your friends. These opportunities are way too good for us to keep to ourselves!
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The tales of dozens of whales continues.
The day started out and ending with unlimited visibility, we could ask for better viewing conditions. We were able to see breaches and blows from 5 nautical miles away. Everywhere ahead of us had whales spouting. Most were humpback whales, but a few fin whales were clearly around, but farther out. The activity was frenetic. Many whales were logging (resting at the surface), while others always seemed to dive facing us, making identification difficult. Unlike the bubble-feeding bonanza of the 22nd, whales were feeding near the surface and rarely . We watched and waiting, giving whales their space. Eventually several associated pairs and trios began showing up. We saw Reaper and her 2024 calf, as well as Mostaza and her calf. Some new whales and some old whales were observed. At any point in time we had ~ 20 humpback whales and a few minkes near us, while another 20-30 were further out. Calves began to breach and flipper slap, and one spy-hopped within 8 feet of the port side. Amazing. All along, we had several hundred short-beaked common dolphins, coming over to our bow, vocalizing and making the passengers ecstatic. Since we were often out of gear and not moving, the dolphins headed over to find whales and were also bow-riding whales. Bow riding is a way of moving while being drafted by a vessel or whale and saves energy for the dolphins.
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Another spectacular day among whales.
The visibility was unlimited. Our first interesting sighting was a Parasitic Jaeger near Montauk Lighthouse. We headed out and ultimately saw whales from five nautical miles away. We saw picket fences of whale blows all across the horizon, as well as many breaches. When we got to the whales, we spent time with trios (mom, calf, escort), as well as many associated pairs. There were easily 30 humpback whales, and several minke whales around us. We were eventually able to identify 19 humpbacks (see below).
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Although the whales are still around, Mother Nature had other plans in store for yesterday’s trip. It was raining most of the morning and when we left the dock, but reports indicated a clearing shortly after our departure time. We headed towards the area where we have previously encountered large numbers of humpbacks and other cetaceans, passing through numerous downpours along the way. Most passengers spent the travel time staying dry inside the cabin while pelagic shearwaters and storm petrels were spotted and reported along the way. When we arrived on the feeding grounds, multiple blows belonging to at least eight humpback whales were spotted in near proximity to the vessel. Great news, were it not for the fact that driving downpours made viewing difficult for most. These were large humpbacks swimming in groups of three and two, at times surfacing close to the vessel. Hoping the rain would let up and everyone would get some views, we spent some time with the animals, which also included a minke whale and a spy-hopping humpback just ahead of the vessel. Unfortunately, the heavy rain continued and lightning put an end to our time with these majestic creatures. We steamed back, returning safely to the dock, ready to try again another day.
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Yesterday’s heat wave and the gridlock in the Hamptons may have put a damper on things on land, but our time at sea was INCREDIBLE!
While we expected to transit an hour or so to reach the whales, our trip was ‘interrupted’ by sightings of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins and close-up views of a scalloped hammerhead shark! Things only got better from there as we reached the whales sooner than expected and were treated to 12-18 humpbacks diving around the vessel, including a young calf which continuously swam around the vessel intentionally popping up left and right of the bow to check us out. Then things really got interesting; a ‘picket-fence’ of blows appeared ahead of us belonging to at least two dozen whales, including two fin whales and 2-3 minke whales. As we traveled the short distance to check things out, a gray seal popped up next to the vessel, as if to place a cherry on top of our delicious sundae. Well over twenty humpbacks were open-mouth feeding here, using coordinated bubble rings to trap their prey (likely sand eels). We sat safely out of gear, while bubbles appeared around our vessel in all directions. Short-beaked common dolphins sprung up ahead of surfacing fin whales and some humpbacks adding to the excitement. We spent well over two hours with the whales immersed in this magical world.
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What a great day!
We first headed out towards Montauk Shoals to search for a young whale that was seen earlier in the morning during a fishing trip. The juvenile humpback was spotted alongside a small group of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin. As we waited for the whale to surface following a shallow dive, we were treated to a massive and unexpected tail kick off our port side. We spent a little more time here watching dolphins surf in some of the larger waves beyond our vessel before continuing south in search of the adult humpbacks who have been spending time off Montauk this summer. As with many other trips this season, we found them and in great abundance. Eight initial humpbacks turned into twelve and then sixteen. Whales surrounded the vessel and many blows could be seen beyond. Not to be outdone by the Olympics in Paris, one individual continuously lobtailed and then reverse-lobtailed, lifting its tail stock high out of the water and slamming it down forward and then backward. Other whales could be seen breaching in the distance and a young calf lifted its tail flukes out of the water as if doing a ‘handstand’ underwater. There was a significant swell and it was magical to see whales appear and then disappear within the waves. A small pod of short-beaked common dolphin swam powerfully through the whales and waves to put the cherry on top of another amazing Sunday.
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Another trip, another multispecies day
Well, we keep on finding them. The visibility was exceptional and once we got within 5 nautical miles of the whale grounds, we saw blows, breaches, and other activity easily. The whales, dolphins, and pelagic birds were out there, just as they have been now for weeks. Some feeding near the surface, others at depth, and others giving us views of breaches, flipper slapping, and associated groupings. While we didn’t observe cooperative feeding, we did encounter associated pairs, duos, trios, and quadruples, sometimes all at once around us. The whales were so spread out that we weren’t able to get to all, but there’s always the next trip! The cooler sea surface temperatures and winds helped to cool us throughout our time out there. Heading home brought us back to warmer waters, and with the winds behind us, it was warm. Even with the warmth, it was an exceptional trip again!
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What a day!
The excitement was palpable as we headed toward an area where whales had been reported about twelve miles south of Montauk. Our transit was interrupted multiple times by several groups of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins consisting of at least 200 individuals collectively. These pods were very active, exhibiting multiple surface displays including fluke slapping, breaching, porpoising, and tail-walking (“standing”). Mating was also observed at the water’s surface! We continued on and made our way to the whales, encountering at first over a dozen humpbacks, including one curious calf, which was seen breaching, rolling over, and pec-slapping near the vessel. Close approaches by multiple whales brought sheer joy to the passengers as they purposefully swam and surfaced near the bow, as our vessel sat safely out of gear. Then things got more exciting as even more humpbacks moved into the area including not one, but two pairs of flipper-slapping whales, as the calf continued its own flipper-slapping on the opposite side of the vessel. All in all, we encountered close to two dozen humpbacks, several of which we recognized as individuals documented on previous trips this season. Our passengers had a ball and one even shared that of all the whale watches they have ever been on (including Iceland, the Azores, and Canada), this was the best. We agree; this season has been astounding!
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| OFSHORE TRIP (August 11-13, 2024) - A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
Here’s a list of the 31 identified humpback whales thus far:
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Without a doubt, exceptional days are becoming standard on Viking/CRESLI whale watching trips this season! Once again, we found a large group of humpbacks, approximately twelve miles from Montauk. We first encountered a group of three humpbacks feeding on dense shoals of bait (likely sand eels) midway through the water column. We know this because the whales pooped frequently and often came up straining the engulfed water through their baleen at the surface. Things quickly got interesting as a mom and calf pair appeared and at least seven more humpbacks were encountered, many of which were in close proximity of the vessel, affording excellent views. One adult humpback approached the vessel no more than ten feet off the starboard bow in an exhilarating encounter for the passengers. As we continued a bit more south, a group of five humpbacks were seen open-mouth feeding at the surface, while others popped up alongside the vessel dragging and snaking to strain water out through their baleen and to retain and swallow their prey. Occasional breaches, kickfeeding, and pectoral flipper-slapping kept everyone on alert because it really did not matter where you looked; humpbacks were everywhere! Then, as if that was not enough, a small pod of short-beaked common dolphins arrived delighting passengers with their porpoising alongside the vessel. Numerous passengers expressed how this trip “exceeded their expectations” and the atmosphere onboard was exhilarating. There is one month left to this remarkable season; book your trip with us today!
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| Friday, August 16, 2024
We headed out with a full boat of passengers and crew. The visibility was excellent once we were a bit offshore, although all was hazy due to the Canadian Wildfire smoke. We found our first whales off in the distance via looking for blows and seeing multiple breaches ahead of us.
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With only one month left in our season, we were eager to get out and find the whales we have had such success in finding on previous trips. We headed approximately twelve miles south where we came upon three humpback whales which at first appeared to be logging (resting) at the surface. In fact, they were traveling and coming up to breathe roughly every 30 seconds. We kept up with the whales, coming upon 6-8 additional individuals in an area that they were headed towards. Here the whales were actively diving, likely feeding on the prey that was detected throughout the water column. Two breaches close to the vessel delighted passengers and numerous close approaches by associated pairs, one mom and calf pair, and solo calves maintained the excitement. More blows in the distance brought the total number of humpbacks to at least a dozen, but likely 14-16 individuals. We spent a couple of hours here before returning back to shore. Despite the dreary forecast, the seas were fair and we did not hit any rain until the very last moments of the trip as we tied up to the dock, capping off another very special day aboard the Viking Starship.
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We found them again!
Once again, we headed out to the area where we have been seeing whales for several weeks. We found them again! 10-12 humpback whales, including moms and calves. While we are still working on identifying some of the humpbacks, we found several that we've seen since early July. On this trip, the calves and moms were often breaching, flipper slapping, and chin slapping. All of those behaviors serve many purposes, but predominately, are used to send non-vocal communication. Another gtreat trip on the ocean, with about 1 minute of light rain. We now have approximately 117 identified humpback whales off Montauk this summer. Our best season ever, and the best anyone can remember since 1987. Join us! All pertinent laws and guidelines were followed. Photos were taken from a distance using a telephoto lens. Some photos have been cropped.
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The magic continues!
It was another phenomenal day of whale watching aboard the Viking Starship as we headed south to find a very active group of approximately eleven humpback whales. We immediately encountered a tail-throwing, flipper-slapping, rolling-over calf with five to six adults in near proximity and a few more farther out. The adults were in groups of two or three, but would come together at times, diving and surfacing simultaneously in what was likely coordinated feeding events on rich prey detected at depth. Most of the whales were familiar, having been seen on numerous, previous trips throughout the summer. Multiple close approaches by the calf, associated pairs and trios occupied our time as the whales approached and swam along the vessel, even sprinkling passengers with the spray of their blows (exhalations). The changing angle of sunlight in late summer cast ‘rainblows’ of these exhalations when viewed at just the right angle. The playful calf continued to travel around the boat, rolling-over and tail throwing until finally, it was time for us to return to port. As if to say goodbye, the calf lob-tailed at the surface as we began our transit home. So we thought! The calf then breached clear out of the water for all to see, as 5-6 adults surfaced instantaneously, making it clear that our time with the whales was not yet over. Subsequent close approaches by all individuals kept us out later than normal as if the whales were not quite done with us! To top it off, we saw a seal pop up right next to the ship as we returned to dock (a little later than usual). It was an incredible day and we now have less than one month of trips remaining. There has never been a better season to join us. Make your reservation and bring your friends; this season has absolutely been one for the books!
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Another spectacular whale watch trip on the Viking Star!
While we expecting to go offshore to find the whales that were been seen on Wednesday, Dr. Kopelman and several volunteers saw humpback whales close to shore whales from the Overlook Beach on Old Montauk Highway on their way out to see to the ship. These we're most likely juvenile humpback whales. We decided to look for them first before heading offshore for the others. We found them and spent time with two humpback whales and were able to identify them. It was time to head offshore, and we found them offshore as well.
We found 10 to 12 humpback whales in and among a lot of vessels trying to catch tuna on rod and reel. The tuna and the whales were feeding on sand eels, not an uncommon sight. We found one calf that seemed lethargic and behaving strangely, but was just being a tired calf. It would roll onto its side but never lifted slippers, and roll back, then dive, then come up and log (rest). It was the 2024 calf of Angus. The other humpback whales we often swimming and groups, some of five and others of seven. Not only did it appear that they were swimming around the calf, but they would swim towards various fishing vessels and exhibit agitated behavior. Several whales were creating trumpet blows (a sound that is indicative of distress), a few made rumble blows [sound that indicative of even more stress). They swam in echelon formation and seemed to head towards the vessel around the calf.
Whales are still here - you should do this should and be here also!!
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Summer may be winding down, but the thrill of a CRESLI/Viking whale watch is certainly not! What a day we had yesterday on the Viking Starship: it began with a small group of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins swimming close to shore. We spent a bit of time with them ensuring everyone had a good look before moving on and spotting a juvenile humpback whale in 65 feet of water approximately one mile from the beach. We knew larger adults were still in the area so we headed offshore to find them and that we did! It all began with a pectoral flipper-slapping adult in the mix of a dozen humpbacks, including at least one calf. The calf, which we have seen on previous trips, exhibited a variety of surface-active behaviors, including full and partial breaches, tail throws, inverted lob-tailing, pectoral flipper slapping, roll-overs, and spy-hopping – all in close proximity to the vessel as we sat safely out of gear. The playful calf would also rise to the surface belly-up and slap its flippers backward akin to a human backstroke. All the while, the adults, including the calf’s mom, swam, dove, and surfaced together in groups of two and three, likely feeding at depth on the thick patches of prey detected in the region. Whales surrounded the vessel affording everyone stellar views of the action. After an hour and a half of this immersion, we began our transit home, but as with other trips this season, we were thwarted as the calf began a series of breaches around the vessel and closely approached the bow of the ship (now out of gear) to ‘perform’ roll-overs and flipper slapping, as if to protest our departure. At last, the calf joined its mom and it was clear for us to make our return, wrapping up another incredible day on the water.
Many of our passengers are returning customers and we know why! Come discover the magic for yourself before the season ends in just three short weeks.
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The whales are still around!
Another successful trip!
We headed out on a sunny morning to seek whales, dolphins, and other marine life. We were not disappointed! Early in the trip we encountered a an ocean sunfish (Mola mola), the largest of the boney fish. Shortly later we found a group of 30-50 Tamanend’s’ bottlenose dolphins, including calves that were young enough to have not lost their fetal folds. Shortly after that, we found a scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini).
It took a few hours more to reach the whale grounds. Ultimately, we encountered 15-22 humpback whales including adults and calves. 15 have been identified (the others are ‘a work in progress). We saw associated pairs, trios, quadruplets, as well as groups of 5-7 individuals form and reform repeatedly. Calves and adults were breaching, flipper slapping and lob-tailing (forms of non-vocal communication). Ankh, a humpback who’s been around for the past few 6 weeks was lob-tailing often. We countered over 120 lob-tails, interspersed with a few short-rest periods. It was exhausting to watch, but also amazing. As we were thinking about leaving the whales began a series of close approaches us in groups of 3-7. Several times they were just within a few feet of us. Look at the videos and photos. Wild and breath-taking.
Video available at https://youtu.be/WAQcckLAx1A?si=TuseGO4xLAwsTdqD
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Whales are still around, albeit a bit spread out
We heard of some humpback whales close to shore and decided to look for a bit before heading further out where we’ve been seeing them for weeks. Near shore we did find a group of about 30-40 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins. Offshore we headed into the waves and some cooling winds, Ultimately we find whales right where we expected. In associated groups of 2 or 3, as well as lone individuals, we saw at least 12 around un with a radius of ½ nautical mile. We were able to photo-identify 5 individuals, but encounters were short and elusive. It was not until we were ready to leave that a trio of humpbacks made a close-approach just a few feet away right under our bow and along the starboard side (look for the video). Amazingly, a large humpback breached directly in front of us several times and made the perfect ending exclamation point before our 2 hour ride back to the dock.
• 30-40 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins
• 5 Great shearwaters
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For the last trip of August, the whales (and waves) had us working a bit harder than usual, reminding us of the changing seasons and the fortunes previously bestowed upon us throughout this summer. We headed south towards the general area where the humpbacks have previously been encountered, but there were no whales to be found. We did enjoy views of Cory’s and Great shearwaters, and of Wilson storm petrels flying and hunting while we searched. Winds made spotting of blows difficult so we didn’t find the whales until we were much closer to them than usual (less than half a mile) but that was when we realized that not only did we find them, there were 8-10 to be found! These were all humpbacks, at first moving quickly in all directions around and beyond the vessel. Capt. JR expertly brought us to an area where viewing could be best had of three associated pairs and a surface-active calf all at once. The calf stole everyone’s attention, though, with his displays of spy-hopping, pectoral flipper slapping, tail throws, roll-overs, and inverted lob tailing. The young whale also partook in a behavior I refer to as ‘sailing’, bringing his tail flukes out of the water in a ‘handstand’ position and holding it there for a minute or so. The adults, meanwhile, were likely feeding at depth, moving in coordinated pairs, diving, and surfacing in tandem. A close approach of one of these pairs provided excellent views for the passengers to enjoy. Several breaches were also observed both around and beyond the vessel, while glimpses of dolphins and tuna were briefly shared by the sea, as if trying to keep them a secret. A minke whale was also briefly spotted in the mix before making our return home. Only six trips remain in what everyone agrees has been our best season ever; come join us one of these adventures before the season wraps up for good.
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Another Sunday on the ocean with lots of whales!
We keep finding whales! Sunday, September 1, 2024 was no exception. The weather was a bit cloudy but we had a full vessel, and we headed out. Early on, shortly after we pass by the lighthouse we encountered a small group of Tamenend's bottlenose dolphins. We stayed with these dolphins for a short while and then headed offshore. Regardless of the rain, and the seas, as we have done on all of our trips this year, we found humpback whales! Ultimately identifying 18 different individuals including some new ones and some of the moms and calves we've seen since early July. As I write this report, I'm still identifying individuals by looking at their flukes, and/or dorsal fin, and/or scars. It takes time to meticulously go through all of the photos and all the data collected. It's work that is always interesting, and inspiring. This year has been like no other year that we've had. So far, we have identified 133 different humpback whales in the waters around Montauk since early July! It's amazing!
Last year, we had our best year regarding humpback whales, and identified 59 different individuals. This year has been and continues to be on inspiring. We've been finding whales and actually, haven't missed in years. There are just a few trips left, come out and join us.
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Although Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, it most certainly did not herald the end of our stellar whale watching season! For starters, dolphins were seen leaping behind the boat as we turned out of the jetty just a few short minutes after leaving the dock. We encountered a few more as we headed south towards the feeding grounds, coming upon a single humpback whale a couple of miles from shore. This whale, likely a juvenile, was traveling far underwater between surface intervals which made viewing difficult, so we decided to continue south in hope of more whales and better views and we were not disappointed. Blow after blow after blow signaled the presence of at least a dozen whales, which were moving in groups of two, three, and four around the vessel. A calf, which we have encountered on multiple trips before, traveled alongside blowing bubble clouds. This technique, usually associated with feeding, was followed by a headstand, roll-over, or chin breach, all in close proximity for passengers to enjoy. Humpback whales were all around and views of pectoral flipper slapping and breaches were eyed in the distance, so after spending time with the first, we headed towards a second group of humpback whales nearby. Here, the whales seemed to be feeding heavily on bait detected at the bottom, surfacing and diving quickly in unison. A few close approaches by associated pairs and trios left passengers in a mist of blows closing out two hours of exceptional viewing. Upon our return, a group of 20-30 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins were spotted near the lighthouse, wrapping up another wonderful day on the water.
Yesterday marked the seasonal end of our Monday and Friday trips aboard the Star, but we still sail on Sundays and Wednesdays (2-7) on the Starship through October 13. Only nine trips remain; book yours today!
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Whales nearshore and offshore. Our incredible season continues!
What a day we had. The seas were flat, the sun was bright, and the temperatures were comfortably cool. Our 1st humpback, named Chive, who we’d not seen in 2 years was breached within about 60 feet of our bow and was within 5 miles of shore. After Chive, we headed offshore to find whales where we’ve been seeing them for many weeks. We found them again! Most were logging (sleeping) and in groups of 2-5. Once again, calves were more active at the surface than the adults. Flipper slapping, lob-tailing, tail-throwing, everywhere we looked and in just about in every direction, we saw whales and blows from about 15 individuals spread out over a 1nm radius. Even while resting, these animals are awe inspiring. At present, 15 have been ID’s and we are working on more. We also found a group of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins on our way back home.
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It was a beautiful, crisp day to search for whales and dolphins. Although we originally planned to head offshore, our plans were interrupted by a blow belonging to a juvenile humpback whale not far from shore beyond the lighthouse. While waiting for this individual to surface, two additional blows were spotted, and we were suddenly treated to a close approach by the first whale immediately ahead of our bow allowing great views by everyone near the front of the vessel. While we then planned to investigate the additional two whales (also humpbacks), a large splash drew us to a fourth humpback which was breaching and flipper slapping nearby. We spent time with this whale before seeing even more splashing from a fifth individual approximately a mile away. We headed towards the activity watching this single whale breach 19 consecutive times before switching to pectoral flipper slapping and then inverted lobtailing. A few Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin could be seen leaping in the same area. We watched this whale for a while before moving on toward additional blows. Here we saw even more Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin amidst three humpbacks, one of which alternated between breaching and flipper slapping. This whale turned out to be the same whale as our first (non-breaching) individual as evidenced by the unique tail markings on the underside of its flukes. The late summer sun set in awesome splendor as we made our return to the dock on what was a very full day of near constant whale (and dolphin) activity.
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| Wednesday, September 11, 2024 Another trifecta trip (humpback whales, minke whales, and Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins!
On this somber day, in the back of our minds were the friends, schoolmates, neighbors, first responders, and the endless work of volunteers clearing those hallowed grounds at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville PA. On this day, as a way of thinking about the inter-relatedness of all life on this planet, we went out to look for whales and dolphins. We found them, as we have done now on 110 consecutive trips since July 14, 2020. A beautiful, flat calm trip with unlimited visibility made the long trip well worth it. We found humpback whales that breached (briefly), chin-slapped, lob-tailed, flipper slapped, and logged (slept). We had triads and tetrads of humpback whales come over to watch us watching them. For the most part, the humpback whales were busy feeding , and a few came to the surface with mouths open, and were filtering, dragging, and snaking. The minke whales stayed on the periphery, but often we found them in every direction.
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This trip was a gift. The weather was warm like a summer’s day, but with Labor Day two weeks behind us, it felt better than usual. The mood on board was sweet and grateful. We found dolphins (Tamanend’s bottlenose) early, and then spent time with two juvenile humpback whales within a few miles from shore. We decided to continue heading offshore hoping to find the large adults which we spent time with most of the season. As we approached, blows lit up the horizon like (to quote one of our volunteers) fireworks in a summer’s sky. Here, we encountered 16-18 humpbacks, including at least two calves. The calves rested at the surface until breaking into a breach, roll-over, headstand, and/or tail throw. The adults were in associated pairs and trios surfacing and diving synchronously, feeding on dense patches of bait detected below. Whales surrounded the vessel and immersed the passengers with their sights and sounds. Two separate passengers celebrated their 30th birthday with us and one lucky couple got engaged while whales breached and surfaced around the vessel! Adding to the excitement, one of the whales was quickly identified as Salt, the ‘matriarch of the Gulf of Maine’ who was previously been encountered off MTK twice in early August (she is named by the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, MA for the extensive white ‘coating’ on her dorsal fin). Salt was first documented in 1976 off MA and is at least 48 years old. She is a well-documented mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to many humpbacks, some of which we encountered on previous trips (https://coastalstudies.org/our-work/humpback-whale-research/gulf-of-maine/a-humpback-whale-named-salt/). It was a wonderful day on the water and everyone was thankful to be a part of it. Only four trips remain in our (extended) season. Don’t miss the boat: book today!
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Another trip with whales (our 123rd consecutive trip since July 14, 20219)!
Well summer is over and the whales are still around (as were the gray seals in Montauk Harbor). Within about 15 minutes of passing Montauk Point, we found our 1st juvenile humpback whale, the first of ultimately 3. On a blustery, sometimes chilly and bouncy trip, we were able to find juvenile humpback whales within 0.3 to 1.0 nautical miles from shore. While the whales were rarely lifting their flukes (they weren’t diving deeply), we were able to photograph the dorsal fin and the left fluke from 1 of the humpbacks we encountered in efforts to identify the individual. Join us for our last trips on 10/13.
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CRESLI /Viking Fleet Montauk Sighting reports from 2013-2023
Best photos and videos from 2012-2023 CRESLI /Viking Fleet Montauk Whale Watch trips
We at CRESLI wish to acknowledge the indigenous peoples and tribes who were the original stewards of the coastal areas in which we work. The Coastal Research & Education Society of Long Island's research and work take place primarily on the land and waters of the Unkechaug (Cupsogue Beach), Shinnecock (Shinnecock Bay), Montaukett (Montauk), and Secatogue (West Sayville).
CRESLI is a non-profit organization as defined in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All Contributions are deductible to the fullest extent of the law. A copy of the last financial report filed with the Department of State may be obtained by writing to NYS Dept. of State, Office of Charities Registration, Albany, NY 12231