Whale report for August 12, 2021
Another successful trip in the books today. We left the scorching hot land for cool relief out on the ocean.
When it’s as hot as it was today, there truly is no better place to be! We headed north and did not have to travel very far until we found our whale- well, two whales, actually. One of the whales was a minke whale and the other was a humpback whale. We first spotted them right of the coast of Ocean Grove but these whales were pretty active and moved around quite a bit. But our skilled captain had no problem keeping up with them and making sure everyone on both sides of the boat got plenty of viewing time. We saw giant schools of Atlantic Menhadden, or bunker fish, that the whales like to feed on. We could see them frantically swimming and jumping at the surface trying to escape being the whale’s dinner. The four months that the whales spend at their feeding ground is the only time they will eat in a 12 month period, so it’s very important for them to eat as much as they can. Humpback whales do not eat during their migration to their feeding grounds or on their migration back to their breeding and calving grounds. They will rely on their blubber stores until they return to the feeding grounds the following year. Atlantic Menhadden is not just a favored food of the humpback whales, but it is also fished commercially. It really isn’t a good eating fish (unless you’re a whale) but it’s an oily fish high in omega 3 fatty acids making it perfect for use in fish oil capsules.
The Clean Water Act has resulted in much less pollution in our oceans which has resulted in an abundance of fish and other marine life. It is believed that the abundance of Atlantic Menhadden in this area is one of the reasons why we are seeing more and more humpback whales right here off the Jersey Shore. You no longer have to travel hours by car or by plane to see humpback whales, you can see them right here along our coast! If you haven’t been on one of our trips yet, don’t wait any longer. We are hitting peak season and our sightings just keep getting better and better. And with this intense summer heat, the ocean is really the place to be!
Everyone enjoyed the cool ocean air and even getting sprayed from a wave here and there. We also have an air conditioned cabin, rest rooms, and snack bar. There’s still a little time left before the kids are back in school so why not take them out on a whale watching cruise and give them something exciting to tell their friends and teachers about! Whale watching is a fun activity the whole family can enjoy and it will leave you with memories to last a lifetime. Don’t miss out- book your trip today!
Trish DeVoe, Naturalist, Jersey Shore Whale Watch