Wednesday May 27, 2026

Fog, fog, and more fog 

It was super foggy start to our 31st season. While conditions north and west of the Montauk Lighthouse were excellent with 6 miles of visibility, as we headed west a bit offshore, we entered the fog. Visibility dropped to 440 yards (1/4 mile) and continued to drop to about 150 yards and would vary between these values as we headed west towards Napeague, where the SST (sea surface temperature) was 52.05 ^oF.  We headed out to deeper water in Block Channel, but the fog remained and the SST rose to a whopping 53.74 ^oF. More fog and slight clearings continued wherever we went.  We were able to see 2 Great shearwaters (Ardenna gravis) and 8 Sooty shearwaters (Ardenna grisea), as well as 1 Wilson's storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus). A few folks had a brief view of an Ocean sunfish (Mola mola). Just before pulling into the dock, one of the resident Atlantic gray seals (Halichoerus grypus atlantica) popped up. 

Totals:

•  2 Great shearwaters
• 8 Sooty shearwaters
• 1 Wilson’s storm petrel
• 1 Ocean sunfish
• 1 Atlantic gray seal (in the harbor)

Sunday, May 31, 2026

Our first humpback of the season!

For our second trip of the season, we sailed along the shoreline following an abundance of prey (bait) in the region in the hopes that cetaceans (whales and dolphins) might be found feeding there. On this last day of May, the wind and chill of spring were still present, but as we braved the cold, we were awarded with various sightings of numerous terns, immature northern gannets, common loons, Wilson’s storm petrels, and at least one shearwater. We decided to turn south and head to an area farther from shore to search. Along the whale, a sharp-eyed volunteer observed a single fin in the water which we quickly investigated. As expected, that fin belonged to an ocean sunfish, Mola mola, resting and warming itself at the surface after likely feeding at depth. We were able to spend some time alongside this wildly unique fish affording passengers excellent views. We moved on to continue our search and found two blows in the distance belonging to a small humpback whale, our first of the season! This whale spent a few minutes at a time beneath the surface moving large distances between blows. As we were waiting,  the young whale surprised us all by surfacing directly next to the vessel to the delight of those onboard. Even those on the opposite side of the boat could clearly hear the loud exhalation of the blow, and we were able to capture photos of its dorsal fin in the hopes that we might be able to match this individual to others in our humpback whale catalog or to others in the region. CRESLI photo-identifies humpback whales and has documented 272 unique individuals since 2009 aboard Viking whale watches. Documenting individuals helps scientists understand how long and how often humpbacks occur in the waters off Montauk. This individual also adds to our understanding of habitat usage by humpbacks contributing to 34 years of sightings data in the eastern New York Bight. The season is young and we are just getting started – book your trip with us today!

• 1 humpback whale (presumably a juvenile)
• 1 ocean sunfish (Mola mola)
• 8-12 immature Northern gannets
• 2 common loons
• 10-12 Wilson’s storm petrels
• 1 shearwater (unknown species)

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available

Sunday, June 7, 2026

We found them!! Dolphins, pelagic birds, and finback whales!!

On a day with good visibility, comfortable and sometimes cold conditions, we were successful finding a several aggregations of Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops erebennus) in the near shore waters just south of Montauk Point. After encountering ~150-200 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins, We decided to search further east where we encountered several ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and many Lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata). Just about everywhere we went, we saw pelagic birds including 25 Wilson's storm petrels (Oceanites oceanicus);135 Sooty shearwaters (Ardenna grisea), 36 Great shearwaters (Ardenna gravis), 2 Manx shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus), 2 Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis). On our way back, we saw a massive conical blow going 20' into the air - a finback whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the whale was about 1 mile away and blew 4 times before diving. We carefully got to the area and the whale eventually surfaced 1/4 mile away, which is typical fin whale behavior. While searching for this massive fine whale we found a smaller fin whale nearby and was able to capture photos of its dorsal fin and left side. Unfortunately we had to leave shortly thereafter. We can't wait to get back out.  Our thanks to CRESLI volunteers, and the Viking Fleet crew.  Join us (https://cresli.org/whalewatching)!

• 150-200 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins
• 2 finback whales
• 2 Ocean sunfish
• 25 Wilson's storm petrels
• 135 Sooty shearwaters
• 36 Great shearwaters
• 2 Manx shearwaters 
• 2 Cory's shearwaters

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Dolphins nearshore and surrounded by whales offshore! 4 species of cetaceans!! 

15 minutes after leaving Montauk Harbor and heading east we found our first cetaceans, a small group of 6-8 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins. It got better and better!  We find our 1st finback whale an hour later, just a few miles from shore. We had reports of whales offshore and we headed out. Offshore a few hours later we find a motherload of whales – finbacks, minkes , and humpbacks. We were officially surrounded by whales for the next few hours. Ultimately, we encountered approximately 10-12 finback whales,  3-5 minke whales, 2 humpback whales (one known from the coast of Virginia and one yet to be identified). The humpbacks were each bubble-ring/open mouth feeding on sand eels. The entire water column was filled with sand eels from the surface to the sea floor at 147 feet. It doesn’t get much better than that! All appropriate protocols were followed and no cetaceans were disturbed. Our thanks to the Viking Fleet crew and the CRESLI crew.

• 6-8 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins
• 10-12 finback whales
• 3-5 minke whales
• 2 humpback whales
• We thank John Gluth for compliling the following bird total were compiling the following pelagic bird counts
  • 103 Sooty shearwaters
  • 163 Great shearwaters
  • 2 Manx shearwaters
  • 9 Cory's shearwaters 
  • 2 Scopoli's shearwaters 
  • 143 Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwaters

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available

Saturday, June 27, 2026

Another astonishing trip with 5 species of cetaceans, a leatherback sea turtle, ocean sunfish, and a plethora of pelagic birds

We started our trip in slight haze that burned off as we progressed. We has reports of whales to our south and off we went. We found our 1st pelagic birds as well as finback whale and Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins(Tursiops erebennus) within a few miles of Montauk Light. As we  headed further S, we continued to find pelagic birds, and whales. Finbacks (Balaenoptera physalus) in every direction including what appeared to be mom/calf pairs, squid (Illex spp.) were everywhere and the finbacks were feasting. Most shearwaters (Great, Sooty, Cory's) were so full that they could barely take off. We were often surrounded by whales in every direction, minkes (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and finbacks mostly, but we did find 2 pairs of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) that we were able to observe and attempt to ID. Again, we are of the mind that we had mom/calf pairs.  Eventually along came an aggregation of 200 short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) that decide to ride along our bow wake and vocalize, surprising the passengers on the lower deck. We also observed a massive upwelling of sand eels (sand lance) (Ammodytes spp.) Just as we were ready to turn northward, a leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and an ocean sunfish (Mola mola) were sighted.Our thanks to the Viking Fleet crew and the CRESLI crew.
 All appropriate Whale SENSE, MMPSA and ESA guidelines were followed. No harassment took place. Photos were take with high resolution digital camera (NikonZ8 and Nikkor Z180-600mm lens)

• 35 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins
• 200 Short-beaked common dolphins
• 12-15 finback whales
• 12-15 minke whales
• 2 humpback whales (mom/calf pair)
• 1 leatherback sea turtle
• 1 ocean sunfish
• 42 Wilson's storm petrels
• 65 Sooty shearwaters
• 78 Cory's shearwaters
• 142 Great shearwaters

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork availabl

Friday, July 03, 2026

Another trip with 5 species of cetaceans!

With temperatures on land reaching the mid to upper 90s, a trip on the water amidst cool breezes and beautiful seas would have been enough. Then came the dolphins; three small groups of Tamanend’s bottlenose numbering approximately 40-60 individuals before we even passed the lighthouse. Then, on our way to the feeding grounds, we encountered scores of short-beaked common dolphins moving towards and around our vessel to the sheer delight of all onboard. But that was just the appetizer. Blows were spotted in the distance and we investigated. Those blows belonged to an unbelievable number of endangered finback whales; at least 8 confirmed at one time with more likely beneath the surface. Seeing a fin whale is a treat on any day, but seeing this many as they fed on the abundant bait (visible as dark shoals near the surface of the water) was extraordinary. Then, more blows farther away led us to at least 9-12 additional finback whales. Phenomenal! Dozens and dozens of sooty, Cory’s, and great shearwaters along with Wilson’s storm petrels flew nearby and rested on the water. Then, a minke whale appeared and stayed next to vessel, affording rare and incredible views of an otherwise elusive species. But then, dark figures broke the surface of the water ahead of us, belonging to ten (possibly more) humpback whales bubble cloud- and open mouth- feeding, likely on sand eels. Fin whales, common dolphins, and minke continued to make appearances around the vessel as the sounds of blows and sights of four different cetacean species filled our hearts and senses. Our season is just beginning and we are off to a hot start! We sail every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; grab your friends and book a trip with us today.

• 40-60 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins
• 280-340 short-beaked common dolphins
• 18-22 finback whales
• 9-12 humpback whales
• 1-3 minke whales (likely the same one though)
• 40-60 Wilson’s storm petrels*
• 50-70 sooty shearwaters*
• 60-80 great shearwaters*
• 12-24 Cory’s shearwaters*

*bird count estimates are conservative and based on those identified at time of encounter; there were many more in the area

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available

Sunday, July 05, 2026

MTK Whale Watching is HOT!

The heat wave on land may be finally breaking, but Montauk whale watching is ON FIRE right now! We started our trip with a surprise appearance by an adult gray seal swimming next to the boat as we were transiting out of the harbor. We headed south toward the feeding grounds where so many whales and dolphins were encountered on Friday’s trip. Along the way, we found sporadic small pods of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins, which we paused to enjoy, before traveling on. Eventually, blows in a variety of directions were observed and we found ourselves in the company of a finback whale, one of over a dozen in the area. Humpback whales broke the surface as they kicked- and open mouth- fed on the abundant bait in the water column. The enormity of the event was evidenced by pods of charging common dolphins swimming alongside the fin and humpback whales, and frequently approaching our vessel affording passengers excellent views. Here and there, a minke whale would appear in the mix of the other cetaceans. It was hard knowing where to look as the whales and dolphins (and all the excitement) surrounded the Viking Starship. It was a privilege to experience these animals on such an enormous scale. And birders onboard delighted in the array of pelagic species along with four south polar skuas also documented. Let us take you out on our next adventure – you do not want to miss this!

• 1 gray seal
• 12-14 finback whales
• 5-6 humpback whales
• 2-3 minke whales
• 120-160 short-beaked common dolphin
• 20-26 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin
• 30-40 Cory’s shearwaters*
• 80-140 Great shearwaters*
• 20-40 Sooty shearwaters*
• 20-40 Wilson’s storm petrels*
• 4 South Polar skuas

*bird counts are conservative estimates based on confirmed sightings by naturalist only

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available

Wednesday, July 08, 2026

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of!

Just when we thought we couldn’t top our last few trips, yesterday’s whale watch showed us otherwise! We headed out on what could only be described as a perfect summer day; high 70s, light breeze, unlimited visibility, and not a cloud in the sky. Not long after passing the lighthouse, we encountered our first of a few small pods of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins. As we headed south to where we found the whales on Sunday, we were pleased to find two active pods of short-beaked common dolphins and the blow of a finback whale much closer than where we had traveled previously. While we waited for the whale to reappear, the two dolphin pods came together around our vessel and were tail-slapping and side-breaching, both forms of cetacean communication. That was when one of the CRESLI volunteers spotted a large shark in the mix: a hammerhead! With dolphins all around, we pursued multiple blows belonging to at least 6-8 finback whales in our immediate area. Bait was heavy at depth and the whales were likely feeding in between surface intervals. A very small humpback, presumed to be a calf, was also spotted and we searched in vain to find its mom or any additional humpbacks. Until, that is, our captain spotted blows ahead belonging to at least 5-6 humpbacks, kick-feeding and dragging at the surface to strain the prey out of the collected water with their baleen. Upon reaching the whales, we sat in idle to observe them, when suddenly a mom and calf pair appeared directly at our bow. This was no doubt an intentional approach and was followed by a gorgeous display of the mom’s tail as she high-fluke dove next to the vessel with her small calf by her side. The dive revealed what our naturalist had expected all along; the mom was MTK0053 (Ganesh) who was first documented off Montauk in 2018, and was seen again in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Having whales spend time here while pregnant and while nursing after making a long-distance migration from the breeding grounds in the Caribbean is extraordinary and speaks to the resources that this region (eastern New York Bight) provides. The action continued as humpbacks kick-fed on sand eels all around the vessel, accompanied by finback and minke whales, and additional pods of short-beaked common dolphin. Even after we left and were close to dock, two adult gray seals popped up and stayed adjacent to our vessel. And I haven’t even mentioned all of the exciting species documented by a team of birders aboard the vessel (see eBird for full report). What a day!

• 2 gray seals
• 2 minke whales
• 10-12 finback whales
• 7-9 humpback whales
• 160-220 short-beaked common dolphin
• 30-40 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin
• Cory’s, great, and sooty shearwaters
• 1, possibly 2, south polar skua
• Parasitic jaegers, Sabine’s gull, and Arctic tern documented by birders onboard

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available

Here's a slideshow

Friday, July 10, 2026

Another spectacular trip! 4 species of cetaceans, 2 species of dolphins and 2 species of whales, and loads of pelagic birds!

Our trips have been phenomenal! A day with great visibility, relatively calm seas and cetaceans nearshore and offshore. AS expected, we encountered an aggregation of several groups of Tamanend's bottle nose dolphins, probably around 50 of them less than a mile from the lighthouse. Off we went! We had reports of whales and dolphins to our SE and we found them!! Often times we were surrounded by fin whales at first, then, we began to see humpbacks breaching in the distance. We spent time trying to get good ID photos of the finbacks (never an easy task). We encountered several mom/calf finback pairs and at one point when we were out of gear, a very large finback calf, left mom's side and decided to swim directly under our starboard bow. Of course mom joined the joined the calf and the photos are spectacular!  Finback whale ae able to reach speeds of 25 knot (more than twice our speed) and although we were often surrounded by 12-14 of them in all directions, we were only able to get good close views of about 8 different finback whales. We then found humpbacks! The next 5 nautical miles brought us views of at least 8 humpbacks including Ganesh and her 2026 calf, along with a humpback named Coral in an association with one named Chinook. We also found a humpback named Rhinestone, and we found Loon with a possible calf. 
We are still going through nearly 700 photos and will be out again on Sunday7/13/26. The total numbers of trips and photos are taking a toll and we may have longer lags between posting photos than in the past. Please bear with us.

• 50 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins
• 200 Short-beaked common dolphins
• 7-12 humpback whales
• 14-16 finback whales 
• 30 Wilson's storm petrels*
• 135 Great shearwaters*
• 43 Sooty shearwaters*
• 16 Cory's shearwaters*

    *bird count estimates are conservative and based on those identified at time of encounter; there were many more in the area

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available

Here a sideshow

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Another epic 5 cetacean species day!

Conditions were perfect- calm seas, unlimited visibility, and a boatload of whale and pelagic bird enthusiasts. As expected, we encountered a pod of 15-20 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins in 76.5' of water. We continued offshore and encountered 200 Short-beaked common dolphins in multiple groups of 10. Several groups came over to swim in our bow wake and their vocalizations were loud enough to be heard on the upper deck (a first time for me).Shortly thereafter, we see blows in the distance and head further offshore. We find ourselves among finback whales, minke whales,and humpback whales. We didn't find the large numbers that we'd being seeing, but that was made up for by the incredible special encounters such as mom and calf finback whales, a possible mom/calf minke whale association (our 1st ever) and 2 associated humpbacks that eventually decided to swim right up to the Viking Starship and watch us! The "mugging humpbacks" were a few feet from the boast hanging out at the surface for almost 45 minute, sometimes on THE starboard side, other times they'd swim under us and pop up on the port side, then forward, then aft. Our engines were obviously out of gear and we were mesmerized for 30 minutes until we had to head back to the dock from our nearly 15 past Montauk Light. All photo taken with Nikon Z8 and Nikkor Z180-600MM lens. All WhaleSAFE, MMPA, and ESA protocols were followed. Our thanks to the Viking Fleet crew and the CRESLI crew.

• 20 Tamanend'ds bottlenose dolphins
• 200 Short beaked common dolphins
• 2 Minke whales (possible mom/calf)
• 8-10 Finback whales
• 2 humpback  whales (mugged us for 45 minuted)
• 50 Wilson's storm petrels*
• 80 Great Shearwaters*
• 50 Sooty Shearwaters*
• 45 Cory's Shearwaters *
• 1 Ocean sunfish

  *bird count estimates are conservative and based on those identified at time of encounter; there were many more in the area

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available soon

Here's a slideshow

Monday, July 13, 2026

Another incredible, unbelievable day at sea!

Conditions yesterday could barely have been better; low 70s, a light breeze, and sunny skies. Visibility was at least 10-12 miles and hopes were high. The activity has been quite a bit offshore, so we settled in for a transit that ultimately took us 20 miles off Montauk. Sporadic pelagic bird sightings and a large ocean sunfish (Mola mola) kept us entertained along the way. Then, we saw the blows; at first a few belonging to finback and humpback whales that were moving quickly beneath the water and not affording any good views…yet. We continued on to where multiple blows spanned the horizon. There, we found 6-8 humpback whales including at least one calf. Some of the humpbacks approached closely toward our vessel to the delight of passengers onboard. Around us, 4-6 finback whales surfaced, and then a large pod of short-beaked common dolphin charged in for close-up, extraordinary views and encounters. The fin whales were feeding in a mix of dolphins and an occasional minke whale, while the humpbacks continued to appear adjacent to our vessel. Leaping sharks occasionally were seen in the distance and small schools of skipjack tuna leapt near our bow. Then, as the action started to spread out and we continued south, we came into an area with at least 8-12 more finback whales. These are an endangered species, with over three-quarters of a million individuals wiped out during commercial whaling. To see one finback whale is always great, but to find this many, and in such close proximity, was astounding. As we sat and watched safely out of gear, the whales appeared next to the vessel and even seemed to spend time purposely with us. More minkes and humpbacks could be seen around us. It was a sensational day, and as we headed home, we quickly realized it was not over, as a loggerhead sea turtle and sporadic pods of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins were observed along the way. We do not know how long these incredible days will last. Book your trip with us today!

• 1 Mola mola
• 1 loggerhead turtle
• 12-18 finback whales
• 6-9 humpback turtles
• 2-4 minke whales
• 180-260 short-beaked common dolphins
• 40-60 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins
• Hundreds of Cory’s, Scopoli’s, and/or great shearwaters
• Several sooty shearwaters
• 60-80 Wilson’s storm petrels
• 1 parasitic jaeger

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available soon

Here's a slideshow

Wednesday, July 15, 2025

Another great day with 3 species of cetaceans!
We left the dock at 2PM, with a mild haze in the air, but good visibility and headed out to where we'd been seeing whales and had reports of their presence. Of course, on our way out we found a small pod of Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins in water that was 102' deep . With lots of prey in the surface layer, we expected more dolphins and within 40 minutes, we had 60-100  dolphins around us in every direction. We began to see blows off in the distance. The 20' tall inverted cone-shaped blows of finback whales and the 15' billowy blows of humpback whales were ahead. As we headed towards the blows, an aggregation of ~100 Short-beaked common dolphins swam to us and briefly rode our bow wake(a common behavior that let's them spend less energy by being pulled along in our draft. We eventually reached the humpback whales. This was an associated trio including Wizard (a female we've seen often since 2012) and Rapier (another female that we last saw off Montauk in 2024). The third humpback was a calf. We've learned that both females had calves this year and are awaiting further ID as to who's calf this might be. Humpbacks here are members of the West Indies population, one of the 9 out of 15 populations globally removed from the IUCN Endangered Species list in 2016. We'd eventually run out of time and had to return to the dock while moving into the thick orange haze of Canadian wildfire smoke. All photo taken with Nikon Z8 and Nikkor Z180-600MM lens. All WhaleSAFE, MMPA, and ESA protocols were followed. Our thanks to the Viking Fleet crew and the CRESLI crew.

• 60-100 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins
• ~100 Short-beaked common dolphins
• 3 humpback whales
• 23 Wilson's Storm-Petrels
• 48 Cory's Shearwaters*
• 113 Great Shearwaters*
• 3 Sooty Shearwaters*
• 1 Manx Shearwater*

*List compiled and shared on eBird by Ken and Suzy Feustel 

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available soon

Here's a slideshow

Wednesday, July 17, 2026
An Amazing Day with the Whales and dolphins (5 species again!)

We left Montauk today under blue sky and calm seas.  Little did we know that an incredible day with the whales lay ahead.  We were only a few minutes out from Montauk harbor when we spotted our first cetacean species, a small group of Tamanend’s Bottlenose Dolphins traveling past.

After only a few miles south we saw our first spouts and approached several humpbacks and fin whales.  They were moving slowly and possibly feeding.  After some time and good looks with these whales, we moved on to several blows spotted further out and came upon a larger group, perhaps 10 Humpback whales surface feeding.  We were treated to a variety of surface feeding behaviors: kick-feeding as they slapped the water with their flukes to disorient their prey, followed by bubble clouds and then open mouth feeding. 
A couple of minke whales also came to join in and then 3 large pods of common dolphins made approaches.  They were often “porpoising”, leaping clear of the water, and a few came and loitered right under our bow for a while, to the delight of passengers.

Seeing many spouts further south we traveled there and were surrounded by many humpbacks and common dolphins with a lot of fin slapping and surface feeding.  This group of over15 whales were doing many bouts of cooperative group feeding, where 3 or 4 adult whales would work underwater to make beautifully circular bubble rings, that acted as nets to corral fish.  They would then erupt in the ring, with mouths agape, almost touching.  There were so many whales that they often made close approaches as they “dragged” on the surface mere feet away, to the gasps of passengers.  We also saw at least 2 cow/calf pairs of humpback whales.
Twice, hundreds of squids came to the surface around the boat where they were both predator and prey.  We watched them catching small schooling fish and at least one squid was caught by a Great Shearwater. 
When the time arrived to end the trip we turned back to Montauk, just as 4 fin whales came to join the feeding party.

• 8-12Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins
• 80-140 short-beaked common dolphins
• 7-12 finback whales
• 25-30 humpback whales
• 5-9 minke whales 
• Wilson’s storm petrels (too many to get good counts)
• Sooty shearwaters (too many to get good counts)
• Great shearwaters (too many to get good counts)
• Cory’s shearwaters (too many to get good counts)

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available soon

Here's a slideshow

Sunday, July 19, 2026

EPIC whale watching with CRESLI and the Viking Fleet!

This season continues to bring passengers to an absolute ‘whale wonderland’, with multiple cetacean species, large numbers of whales, and incredible encounters. Yesterday was no exception as we sailed through crisp, clear skies, a wonderful reprieve from the wildfire smoke that had previously plagued the region. Continuous pods of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin were spotted shortly after passing the Montauk Point lighthouse as we made our way south and east to where we ultimately found dozens of whales and hundreds of short-beaked common dolphin. At first, we encountered 8-10 humpback whales, made up of at least two mom/calf pairs, moving and diving around the vessel. Multiple fin whales were also seen spouting and surfacing within a quarter mile and then the dolphins came. Moving towards us and swimming alongside the boat, these short-beaked common dolphin were made up of adults, juveniles, and at least one mom/calf pair affording passengers incredible views. More whales were seen in the distance, and once it was safe to investigate (we had many whales surrounding us), we discovered at least 6-8 more humpbacks, including a third mom/calf pair. These whales were kick-feeding followed by bubble net feeding, before surfacing with open mouths and straining the prey (abundant sand eels) through their baleen. The action was all around us and the calves, dolphins, and even a few minke whales were seen swimming through the bubble net and amongst the humpbacks. Pelagic birds (multiple shearwater species and Wilson’s storm petrels), which were seen throughout the trip, appeared here in large number as well. A gray seal even popped up in the harbor as we prepared to dock the vessel. What a day!

Conditions can change in an instant, but we have had several extraordinary trips so far this season. Join us for our next adventure!

• 120-180 Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphin
• 16-20 humpback whales
• 12-18 finback whales
• 5-8 minke whales
• 160-220 short-beaked common dolphin
• 1 gray seal
• Scores of Cory’s and great shearwaters and Wilson’s storm petrels, and a dozen sooty shearwater

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available soon

Monday, July 20, 2026

We are running out of superlatives! Another day with 5 species of cetaceans

We want to apologize for the delay in getting this report out. We are still reviewing over 1100 photos (having deleted 700) and the predicted storms forced us to turn off or main computer. What can I say -  we had epic, stupendous, and for some, life-altering, tear-inducing interactions with finback whales, humpback whales, minke whales, short-beaked common dolphins and Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins. As we expected, we found Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins in the near shore region in water no deeper than 60' depth.  The waters were calm and sea temperatures were in the upper 60's to 70 F others were further offshore in deeper waters. An hour later we find our 1st of many finback whales. Then came the humpbacks, minkes, and short-beaked common dolphins. We had whales spread out in every direction. Although we couldn't possibly reach all of them, we spent as much time as possible with whomever was near to us. Some humpbacks were easily identified, while many were not, and we have several cow/calf pairs.  These all feeding whenever possible, or filtering and moving the food down their throats.
As in the past few trips we had bubble ring feeding humpback. One trio blew right next to our starboard bow. The objective of bubble ring feeding (in this a cooperative effort between 3 humpbacks) is to use the bubble to concentrate the prey in a tight circle and then rise up from below with open mouths. Wonderful day!!
All photos taken with Nikon Z8 and Nikkor Z180-600MM lens. All WhaleSAFE, MMPA, and ESA protocols were followed. Our thanks to the Viking Fleet crew and the CRESLI crew.

• 60 Tamanend's bottlenose dolphins
• 500-600 Short-beaked common dolphins
• 25-29 Minke whales
• 10 finback whales (1 cow/calf pair)
• 15-20 humpback whales (3 cow/calf pairs)
• hundreds of shearwaters (mix of Cory's Great, and Sooty)
• 100+ Wilson's storm petrels (mostly concentrated in one area amongst a large concentration of cetaceans of all 5 species)

Photos to view and/or purchase to help support our work - prints, digital copies, and framed artwork available soon (more photos to be added soon)

Here's a slideshow