What a finale for the 2016 Humpback Whale watching season in the Rockaway/Long Beach area!
Humpback Whales are getting ready to head south for Winter, but first they seem to be staging off Fire Island and the New York City barrier beaches.
They can be seen on a daily basis offering amazing aerial lunge feeding shows up and down the South Shore of Long Island.
These Humpbacks are taking mouthfuls of Menhaden (aka Bunker) and are getting fatter by the day.
They are gearing up for their annual migration to the Silver Bank just north of the Dominican Republic.
I work for Gotham Whale, as their staff photographer and photo curator of the NYC Humpback Whale Catalog.
Gotham Whale’s team goes out and documents the Humpbacks that pass through or reside in the NYC/LI waters.
An interesting note about Humpbacks is that no two flukes (or tail) are alike. The underside is always unique, similar to a finger print.
By photographing and catologing the local Whale population we have become quite familiar with different Whales and their habits.
Gotham Whale is the education and research arm of the American Princess.
The American Princess is the only NY State Whale Watching boat dedicated solely to Humpback Whale and Dolphin watching.
The American Princess with Gotham Whale leave from Riis Landing in Breezy Point from May through November for Whale watches with Seal watches starting soon after Humpback Whale season is over.
Please come out on the American Princess with Gotham Whale and see these gentle giants for yourself.
The following photos are a few shots I have taken from the American Princess whale watching boat.
Be sure to scroll through all three pages!
Follow Gotham Whale on Facebook by clicking this link.
More of Artie’s work can be seen on his website and Instagram!
