Humpback whale spotted in NYC waters as experts issue warning to boaters

Whale, you don’t that every day!A humpback whale is enjoying a “pretty rare” multi-day vacation in New York Harbor waters in what might be a record-breaking visit from the massive mammals.Breathtaking video captured the whale spouting through its blowhole off the coast of Pier 45 Thursday — as Classic Harbor Line guests shrieked in disbelief.The humpback had been swimming off the shores of Staten Island’s St.George Ferry terminal the day before, making for a “pretty rare,” but not unprecedented journey for the mammal, according to Chris St.

Lawrence of Gotham Whale.“We see whales in New York City throughout the year,” St.Lawrence said, explaining that they are most often documented during the summer.When humpbacks visit the Big Apple, they tend to stick around the Lower Bay as opposed to swimming further north, he noted.According to St.

Lawrence, the whales have made it to the Upper Bay a handful of other times, with previous sightings recorded in 2016, 2020, and most recently in 2024. The 2016 sighting was the “most notable,” with documented sightings of the whale in the Hudson River for about a week. With a two-day streak already under its belt, this week’s whale might be out to break the decade-long record and Gotham Whale is ready to track its trip.While this week’s whale has yet to be identified, St.Lawrence suspects it could still be a juvenile.Young humpback whales are known to visit the harbor in the fall in pursuit of Atlantic menhaden, a coastal species of forage fish.

Reports show that the whale spotted this week could have been actively feeding and suggest there are “lots of fish” in the area where the whale was spotted Wednesday.The sightings follow a summer milestone when a humpback was spotted for the 500th time in the city since 2012.In recent weeks, dozens of humpback whales have been seen in New York and New Jersey waterways as they feed on fish traveling south along Long Island and the Jersey Shore, according to ...