Breaching Whales and Big Surprises on Today’s Whale Watching Trip from Belmar, NJ July 11th 2025
Although it was hot and humid on land, it was absolutely beautiful out on the ocean today aboard Jersey Girl with Jersey Shore Whale Watch. We cruised east out of the Belmar Inlet and traveled about 7 to 8 miles offshore, where the breeze and cooler air made for a perfect whale watching day in New Jersey.
A young passenger jokingly said we were heading for Europe or maybe an abandoned island—honestly, the Europe idea didn’t sound too far off as we scanned the horizon. We turned north and started to see an increase in bird activity, always a good sign when searching for marine mammals. But at first, there were no visible signs of whales.
Then, just as I turned around to look for a seat near the bow, a massive splash caught my eye—like a speedboat hitting a wave. Only there was no boat. A humpback whale had breached right off our port side! And it wasn’t just once—it happened again!
As we slowly approached, the whales dove deep and surfaced farther off. Our naturalist quickly identified them as NYC0084 “Candlestick” and NYC0146 “Gharial”, two well-known adult humpback whales. These mature whales can hold their breath much longer than the younger ones we often see, which explained their long dive times and impressive reappearances.
One whale even breached right in front of the boat, an unforgettable sight for everyone onboard! We also spotted glowing green pectoral fins just under the surface—an incredible view that highlights the magical experience of seeing whales in the wild.
The ride back to the dock flew by, with excited passengers still talking about the surprise breaching behavior and how lucky we were to see two humpback whales in New Jersey waters.
Book your whale watching trip today at www.jerseyshorewhalewatch.com and come see why we’re the top-rated whale watching tour in New Jersey!
July 2, 2025 – A Big Surprise on the Jersey Shore: Finback Whale Sighting!