whale watching in new jersey best time of year
whale watching in new jersey best time of year
Peak times
The greatest whale activity at the Jersey Shore is between May and November. This time of year also coincides with the migrations of prey fish, as the water starts to warm in the spring.
I think the best time with the most whales and great weather conditions is September and October in Monmouth County NJ for whale watching.
Whales are usually spotted in New Jersey in the fall as they migrate from Canada to warmer waters near Florida and the Caribbean, and in the spring (April can be amazing)when they head back. The whale and dolphin watching season in New Jersey runs from March to December, and the peak time to go on a sea excursion is from June to begin of November, after that its too cold for most passengers, but the whales are still out there.We saw 4 whales in February 2023 in one day from the beach.
Belmar whale watching review August 14th 2020
whale watching tours nj
whale watching tours nj
Our big multi level boats are dock just 2 mins from the ocean, no one can get you to where the whales are faster than us.
Whale Watching in NJ Where You Can See Whales and Dolphins Up Close! S
pend your next expedition in the waters of the Atlantic watching sea life in its natural beauty call today 732.451.6003
We go whale watching 5 times a week from Belmar and Point Pleasant marinas each trip is about 3 hours and we guarantee you will see a whale.
Take the kids to see some whales! These NJ trips (in spring summer and fall) will give you a day on the water the kids won’t forget.
FAQ Whale Watching
Here are some of your most asked questions
Yes of course you can, children under 3 are free, 12 and under are child prices, and everyone else is full price. Here is the link to buy tickets https://billmckim.com/collections/jersey-shore-whale-watching
The trip is around 3 hours this gives us enough time to find and get to the whales.Call us anytime 732.451.6003
We email you a reservation and that is all you need to get on the boat so, yes you can book same day , but many trips sell out in these crazy Covid 19 times. uy tickets here https://billmckim.com/collections/jersey-shore-whale-watching
Our boat is huge one of the biggest boats at the Jersey Shore, we have plenty of room to socially distance and keep every one happy on our two decks with plenty of comfortable outdoor bench seating. We also have two full size mens and ladies room and an indoor air conditioned cabin.
To change your trip date just email us a reply to your confirmation email telling us what you want to do and I am sure we can help you, We understand plans change and we want you to feel confident when you book with us We will make sure you have a great trip even if you need to postpone for any reason.
There is plenty of free and aid parking sometimes on a beautiful summer day the marina can be crowded so try parking at the Belmar Arts Center and just walk the 5 mins to the boat,. You can always pull right up to our dock and we will help you find a parking spot. The docks for the charter boats are north of the Marina Grill building near the big bridge. Call us at 732.451.6003 if you are lost or need help. The GPS address for whale watching in Belmar is 905 Route 35 Belmar Marina
Bring anything you like, chips pretzels cheese platters, wine, beer soda, water dont forget sunblock and your camera or cellphone.Dress in layers and any size cooler is fine its a big boat!
Whale Guarantee
Every Tour
If you do not see a whale with us you can come again for FREE, for life, on any tour until you do. This is not a gimmick — it is a passion to show our guests whales. Notice there is no fine print and this is not a stand-by pass. Just give us a call, and your next tour is on us. It’s that simple.
Did you know that humpbacks, and minke whales can travel more than 100 miles in a 24 hour period? To increase our chances of seeing whales each day, Jersey Shore Whale Watch uses a variety of tools. Over the past 3 years, our spotting network has evolved into the most sophisticated sightings network on the entire Jersey Shore. We work with other whale watch vessels, land-based spotters, researchers, dive boats, early morning fishermen, water taxis, tug boats, and ferry boats to help locate whales in the area. If the whales are here, we know it. We understand our guests’ passion to see whales in the wild — that’s why we’ve developed our guarantee.
Please remember that we cannot control what the whales do or where the whales go each day. What we can give you is the highest possible chance of seeing whales due to our quick vessel speed and convenient departure locations. No company sees whales more than Jersey SHore Whale Watch — the proof is in our whale reports.
Our resident naturalist Danielle Brown will tell you that humpback whales can go as long as 45 mins without returning to the surface to breath! We are in their feed area so being they are constantly feeding while here in New Jersey they usually breath every 5 to 110 minuets making them easier to see and enjoy
All you need to board the boat is your last name bring your reservation number if you can but We can always look it up at boarding, the process is pretty simple!
Trip report and whale lice Humpback today
whale watching report 8/12/2020
Well today was interesting all of a sudden it started pouring rain in Monmouth county for 1 hour but we were able to have a nice day whale watching after the rain.We did not get rain on, some people rescheduled to future dates but for many this was there day and they wanted to go so when the captain said it was safe We only left the dock 20 mins late!
We had some children all related on the boat and we let them throw fish bait to the seagulls, they loved it !
Wednesday a large summer rain shower with pouring rain hit the marina right about the time I was getting there to start boarding the boat so we had about an hours worth of rain 74 goals from customers calling repeated times asking what are we doing are we going to go and we kept those like we think it’s going to pass just stay in the cars we’re going to go whale watching so it was an interesting fun time getting ready I know we lost a lot of people who decided not to wait it out but the people who really wanted to go and have the patience to just wait till the storm pass we had a beautiful day on the ocean not one drop of rain once we left the dock. The ocean was flat calm one of the Thomas days I’ve heard all summer there was a little bit of fog that made some of the directions hard to see if there’s a whale or a spell because that’s what we’re looking for is a spot of water coming out when the whale comes up to breathe.
All of a sudden like out of a movie the whale appears directly in front of the boat just 100 yards away myself and Danielle our naturalist. We were amazed, here we were looking in every direction and all of a sudden there is a whale is off the coast of Sea bright Sandy Hook area.
We also saw a small school of dolphins which people on the boat really enjoyed seeing they were close they got some great photos and there was lots of bait fish all around we expectedTo see more than one well but we were happy to everybody got to see one. The way it wasn’t the most active we’ve seen this season but what are you gonna do it was still beautiful people love seeing it and they are now part of the 1% of the people in the world Who have seen a whirl living essential habitat off the Jersey shore. Come join us soon it’s safe family fun bring your mask you’ll enjoy it I promise you you will forget about covert 19 at least for a few hours if you forget to have your mask on when you can about the boat we will remind you about cover 19 and ask you to put it back on you don’t need to where you met while you’re seated in the comfortable seats which are outdoors on the side of the boat bench seating just taking of use the fresh air seeing the ocean in the beautiful homes along the Jersey shore it’s an amazing trip we have a great crew you really enjoy.
A whale louse is a commensal crustacean of the family Cyamidae. Despite the name, they are not true lice (which are insects), but rather are related to the skeleton shrimp, most species of which are found in shallower waters. Whale lice are external parasites, found in skin lesions, genital folds, nostrils and eyes of marine mammals of the order Cetacea. These include not only whales but also dolphins and porpoises
Most species of whale lice are associated with a single species of whale. They remain with their host throughout their development and do not experience a free-swimming phase.[1] Although the relationship between a specific species of whale louse and a specific species of whale is more pronounced with baleen whales than with toothed whales, almost every species of whale has a louse species that is unique to it. With the sperm whale, the parasitic relationship is sex-specific. The whale louse Cyamus catodontis lives exclusively on the skin of the male, while Neocyamus physeteris is found only on females and calves.[2]
Whale lice attach themselves to the host body in places that protect them from water currents, so they can be found in natural body openings and in wounds; with baleen whales they are found primarily on the head and in the ventral pleats. Around 7,500 whale lice live on a single whale.[3]
With some species of whale lice, whale barnacle infestations play an important role. On the right whale, the parasites live mainly on callosities (raised callus-like patches of skin on the whales’ heads). The clusters of white lice contrast with the dark skin of the whale, and help researchers identify individual whales because of the lice clusters’ unique shapes.
The lice predominantly eat algae that settle on the host’s body. They usually feed off the flaking skin of the host and frequent wounds or open areas. They cause minor skin damage, but this does not lead to significant illness.
The development of the whale louse is closely connected with the life pattern of whales. The distribution of various lice species reflects migratory patterns.
whale watching new jersey
We go whale watching in New Jersey from April till November, the best months for whale watching on the Jersey Shore.Whales follow the bunker fish and they are now plentiful in our area, join us bring your camera or cellphone, you will get great photos.
Spectacular Marine Wildlife On View For The Lucky Few
Imagine being just feet away from one of the world’s largest mammals in its natural habitat! Onboard our Whale Watching Cruise, you may see humpback whales, bottle-nose dolphins, pelagic birds, sea turtles, and many other species.We have the best Naturalist in the state on board our trips to inform you of the history of whaling in New York and New Jersey. Jersey Shore Whale watch is the leader in whale watching at the Jersey Shore.
best whale watching east coast
A lot of people ask the question who has the best, best whale watching east coast. I wiould say we are right near the top with over 80 trips and we usually see one or more whales in fact our record is over 80 trips and only 4 misses in 3 years so we ahace a pretty good idea. The whales are sometimes hard to spot in choppy seas or on a foggy day. We also rely on uour vast array of boat friends who might spot a whale and then tell us where they are. Fishermna seem happy to help whale watching boats as we are not competion for each other. Boats captains always return the favor to each other of all kinds of marine sights and fishing tips!
Join us whale watching we go just a couple miles off shore to where we expect to see the whales. Our trips are 3 hours long and are designed to give us enough time to spot the whales
FAQ Whale Watching
Here are some of your most asked questions
Yes of course you can, children under 3 are free, 12 and under are child prices, and everyone else is full price. Here is the link to buy tickets https://billmckim.com/collections/jersey-shore-whale-watching
The trip is around 3 hours this gives us enough time to find and get to the whales.Call us anytime 732.451.6003
We email you a reservation and that is all you need to get on the boat so, yes you can book same day , but many trips sell out in these crazy Covid 19 times. uy tickets here https://billmckim.com/collections/jersey-shore-whale-watching
Our boat is huge one of the biggest boats at the Jersey Shore, we have plenty of room to socially distance and keep every one happy on our two decks with plenty of comfortable outdoor bench seating. We also have two full size mens and ladies room and an indoor air conditioned cabin.
To change your trip date just email us a reply to your confirmation email telling us what you want to do and I am sure we can help you, We understand plans change and we want you to feel confident when you book with us We will make sure you have a great trip even if you need to postpone for any reason.
There is plenty of free and aid parking sometimes on a beautiful summer day the marina can be crowded so try parking at the Belmar Arts Center and just walk the 5 mins to the boat,. You can always pull right up to our dock and we will help you find a parking spot. The docks for the charter boats are north of the Marina Grill building near the big bridge. Call us at 732.451.6003 if you are lost or need help. The GPS address for whale watching in Belmar is 905 Route 35 Belmar Marina
Bring anything you like, chips pretzels cheese platters, wine, beer soda, water dont forget sunblock and your camera or cellphone.Dress in layers and any size cooler is fine its a big boat!
Whale Guarantee
Every Tour
If you do not see a whale with us you can come again for FREE, for life, on any tour until you do. This is not a gimmick — it is a passion to show our guests whales. Notice there is no fine print and this is not a stand-by pass. Just give us a call, and your next tour is on us. It’s that simple.
Did you know that humpbacks, and minke whales can travel more than 100 miles in a 24 hour period? To increase our chances of seeing whales each day, Jersey Shore Whale Watch uses a variety of tools. Over the past 3 years, our spotting network has evolved into the most sophisticated sightings network on the entire Jersey Shore. We work with other whale watch vessels, land-based spotters, researchers, dive boats, early morning fishermen, water taxis, tug boats, and ferry boats to help locate whales in the area. If the whales are here, we know it. We understand our guests’ passion to see whales in the wild — that’s why we’ve developed our guarantee.
Please remember that we cannot control what the whales do or where the whales go each day. What we can give you is the highest possible chance of seeing whales due to our quick vessel speed and convenient departure locations. No company sees whales more than Jersey SHore Whale Watch — the proof is in our whale reports.
Our resident naturalist Danielle Brown will tell you that humpback whales can go as long as 45 mins without returning to the surface to breath! We are in their feed area so being they are constantly feeding while here in New Jersey they usually breath every 5 to 110 minuets making them easier to see and enjoy
All you need to board the boat is your last name bring your reservation number if you can but We can always look it up at boarding, the process is pretty simple!
SO get your family or group together and join us we even have many people that come alone on our trips! Bring your sunscreen and camera dress in layers, the ocean is cooler than inland! Any questions call us at 732.451.6003 so yes you can see whales in New Jersey and New York, join us best whale watching east coast Jersey Shore Whale watch
Whale Watching Trip Report Belmar and Asbury Park NJ Sunday June 14th
whale watching near me
This is a question many people ask? is there whale watching near me. The answer is yes We go whale watching 4 times a week in Monmouth County and can also book a private whale watching tour for you and your group during these uncertain time. We offer many trips whale watching trips in Ocean and Monmouth county.
whale watching near me
Bring the entire family on this exciting Belmar, NJ whale watching trip that you won’t soon forget! See why this is a great time to view whales off the coast of New Jersey!
call today and book your trip 732.451.6003 or online at
Coney Island, Amagansett, The Hamptons, Fire Island, Jones Beach, Rockaways, Sandy Hook, Long Beach Island, Lavallette and Point Pleasant Beach are not the only places to see whales, of course.
Despite what ANY whale watch company may claim, you can never really guarantee how many whales will be seen, or even if any whales will be seen, when you go whale watching. We can guarantee a free return ticket (aka “rain check”) if you don’t see a whale, but you can’t guarantee the whales themselves.
So here is a guarantee we will take you out again if you do not see a whale on your first trip, your 2nd trip is free!
That being said, the extremely high productivity of the Jersey Shore coastline area means that whales are usually here, often in good numbers, sometimes and that’s why we have seen whales (at least 1) on over 99% of our trips since 2018. In fact w sometimes we go years without “skunking” (a “skunk” is whale watch industry slang for a trip in which no whales were seen). Most of the time we “skunk” it is due to fog rather than lack of whales (it’s hard to find whales when you can’t see!)
So while it is impossible to say for certain how many individual whales you will see when you go whale watching the most likely answer to this question is: probably between 1 and 5. Pretty vague, huh? Well, that’s because these animals are WILD. They are not captive creatures in the confines of a zoo or aquarium, and they certainly don’t perform tricks for our amusement.
These whales are wild animals that come here to feed in the biologically rich waters the New York Bight. Their abundance is determined by the amount of food available to them. At times (many times, actually) there are so many whales in the area that we can’t possibly visit with them all in the limited time we have on the water. But at other times it takes cooperation between all whale watch boats and fishing boats in the area to find just one or two whales. We never know what we will see when we leave the dock but that’s part of the fun of whale watching! It is unscripted and unpredictable.
Okay, so if we can’t predict exactly how many whales we will see, how about the best time to go look? When is that?
Well, once again it is impossible to say what time of day, or even what time of the year is best to go whale watching because the answer to that question also changes based on the amount of food (ie small schooling fish) available to the whales.
But before we get too hung-up on the total number of whales we might see, consider these questions: If whales had not been hunted to the brink of extinction would they be the iconic symbol of endangered wildlife that they are today?
Would it still be so exciting to see a whale if seeing one was commonplace?
Our crew works very hard to locate the whales, our naturalist gives an amazing guided tour and yes bring whatever you want to eat or drink
Jersey Shore whale watch has done over 80 trips whale watching call us 732.451.6003
I suspect not. Remember that these whales are endangered! Their numbers are only a small fraction of what existed in the pre-whaling era. One of the most exciting things about seeing a wild whale is simply encountering an animal which still teeters on the brink of extinction. It is estimated that less than 1% of people living on planet Earth will see a whale in their lifetime. Therefore, any time you see a whale, even one whale, you are truly privileged. To see many whales at one time, as we often do, is a sight VERY few people will ever get a chance to see.
Our Whale Watching trips guarantee you see a whale!
We have the most experienced whale watching staff, they don’t just explain whales and talk about the great history of our lovely area, they are also very knowledgeable about your safety, our vessel is rated the #1 safest whale watching vessel Jersey Shore , make this the highlight of your summer, take a beautiful ride around the Jersey Shore coastline take a tour with us.
You’ll see Birds, Dophins and Whales….Oh My!
Jersey Shore is one of the most spectacular whale watching places in the world. Many different species of whales can be seen here including the Minke, Humpbacks, and the occasional North American Right Whale . Feeding on bunker, Krill and Squid along the coast between April and November, you can catch a glimpse of majestic mammals breaching the surface of the water and playing along our shores.
In addition to our Spectacular Whales, be prepared to adventure alongside Bald Eagles, Diving Gannets, Gigantic Leatherback Turtles, Sea Loving Guillemots, Sensational Sunfish and much more!
If you dont see a whale you are welcome to come back for a free return trip! We have done over 80 trips and have only missed seeing a whale on 4 trips!
Whale Watching Belmar Tickets
We go whale watching from the Belmar Marina , 4 times a week, We have the largest safest boat at the marina to get you to where the whales are feeding just off shore. Here are some photos from our trips. We include a free photo gallery link with every trip that our professional photographer takes, Bring your camera or cell phone whale watching is great photography. We sail every Wednesday Friday Saturday and Sunday from Belmar and We now offer trips from Point Pleasant on Wednesdays and Saturdays
To purchase tickets online for whale watching in Belmar with Bill McKim Jersey shore whale watch click here or call 732.451.6003
