Ocean Safari 75: A 10-Hour Offshore Whale and Pelagic Bird Expedition

Monday, August 17 | Departing from Belmar Marina, New Jersey

The first 30 tickets are $150 each , after they sell the price is $200 for the last 10 tickets , no more than 40 passengers total, the boats capacity is 150 passengers but we will limit this to 40 passengers

There is a moment on every offshore expedition when you realize you have truly left the ordinary world behind. The beaches slowly disappear, the New Jersey coastline fades into the distance, and your phone eventually displays two simple words: No Service. For many passengers, that is when the adventure really begins. Welcome to Ocean Safari 75, an extraordinary 10-hour whale watching, pelagic birding and marine wildlife expedition aboard the Jersey Girl. This is not a typical three-hour whale watch. We plan to travel approximately 75 miles offshore, and possibly even farther when weather, ocean conditions, fuel availability and promising wildlife activity make it practical. Our destination is not simply a point on a chart. Our captain and experienced naturalists will evaluate water conditions, bird activity, bait concentrations, recent sightings and everything the ocean reveals along the way. Every offshore expedition is different because nature writes the itinerary.

Your Adventure Begins Before Sunrise

You will board the Jersey Girl early in the morning, long before most people have begun their day. Find a comfortable place, settle in with your belongings, enjoy something to eat or drink and prepare for the journey east. During the first hour or two, some passengers will talk excitedly about what we may encounter, while others will stretch out, close their eyes and get a little more rest as the Jersey Girl carries us toward the open Atlantic. Then you wake up, step outside and discover that the shoreline has disappeared. Nothing surrounds you except the ocean and the horizon. The first light begins to spread across the sky as the sun rises directly over the Atlantic. Shades of orange, gold, pink and blue reflect across miles of open water. There are no buildings blocking the view, no traffic and no crowds. There is simply the sunrise, the sea and the feeling that the entire day is waiting to be discovered. It is one of those rare experiences that even the best photograph cannot completely capture.

Seventy-Five Miles Offshore Changes Everything

As we travel farther from shore, the ocean begins to change. The water deepens, coastal wildlife gives way to offshore species and the possibilities become far greater. These waters support a remarkable variety of marine life, including some animals that are rarely encountered during shorter inshore trips. We may see the towering blow of a fin whale in the distance, a minke whale surfacing among schools of baitfish or common dolphins racing toward the bow of the Jersey Girl. A sea turtle may appear beside the boat, bluefin tuna may explode through the surface, or a shark may become visible in the clear offshore water. Pelagic birds that spend most of their lives far from land may begin appearing around us, gliding effortlessly above the waves or delicately pattering across the ocean’s surface.

Wildlife Possibilities

Possible marine mammal sightings include fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and other offshore species. We may also encounter sea turtles, bluefin tuna, hammerhead sharks, blue sharks, schools of baitfish and many other forms of Atlantic marine life. Birding possibilities may include Wilson’s storm-petrels, Cory’s shearwaters, Great shearwaters, Sooty shearwaters, Scopoli’s shearwaters, jaegers, Northern gannets and other pelagic seabirds. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, and no two expeditions are alike. That uncertainty is part of what makes a true ocean safari so exciting. You are not visiting an aquarium or following a rehearsed route. You are exploring a wild and constantly changing ecosystem.

More Than a Whale Watch

Ocean Safari 75 is about much more than checking a whale off a list. It is about spending a full day immersed in one of the last truly wild environments on the East Coast. It is about watching the sun rise over an uninterrupted horizon, traveling farther offshore than most people will ever venture and experiencing animals that many passengers have previously seen only in nature documentaries. It is about scanning the horizon with our naturalists, watching the birds for clues, following promising signs of feeding activity and sharing the excitement when someone spots a blow, a fin, a turtle or a flock of seabirds in the distance. Some moments will be filled with action. Other moments will be peaceful, with nothing visible except deep blue water stretching in every direction. Both are part of the experience.

Built for Birders, Photographers and Ocean Adventurers

This expedition is designed for serious birders, marine wildlife enthusiasts, photographers and anyone who wants to experience the Atlantic beyond the usual coastal routes. Our naturalists will help identify the whales, dolphins, birds and other animals we encounter while explaining their behavior, migration and role within the offshore ecosystem. Photographers will have room to move around the Jersey Girl and follow the action from different viewing areas. We deliberately keep the passenger count well below the vessel’s maximum capacity so guests have more personal space, better viewing opportunities and the freedom to move around comfortably when wildlife is spotted on either side of the boat.

Disconnect Completely or Stay Connected

At approximately 10 miles offshore, most cell phones begin losing their connection to land. For many passengers, seeing No Service on the screen is a welcome part of the adventure. Emails stop arriving, notifications disappear and daily distractions are replaced by the ocean. For one day, you can put the phone away and allow the Atlantic to become your entire world. However, we understand that some guests must remain connected for work, family or personal reasons. The Jersey Girl is equipped with Starlink satellite internet, and access will be available for $50 for the day. That means passengers who genuinely need to stay connected may be able to check email, communicate with family or handle important business even while traveling far from the New Jersey coastline. You can leave the world behind or bring part of it with you. The choice is yours.

A Fast Boat Built to Explore

The Jersey Girl is powered by three new Scania engines, giving our captain the speed and flexibility to cover significant distances when conditions permit. That capability is important on an expedition where the most promising wildlife activity may be many miles away. It allows us to travel efficiently toward productive offshore areas and adjust our route when our crew receives reports or notices signs of marine life elsewhere. However, traveling fast and covering approximately 75 miles offshore requires a substantial amount of diesel fuel. These powerful engines allow us to reach areas that would not be practical for many boats, but they also consume considerably more fuel when operating at higher speeds.

Please Help Us Keep Exploring

Please share this expedition with your friends, family, fellow birders, photographers, whale watchers and anyone who dreams about exploring the open Atlantic. The more tickets we sell, the more often we are able to offer ambitious trips like Ocean Safari 75. Filling our intentionally limited passenger capacity also gives us greater financial flexibility to travel deeper into the ocean when conditions and wildlife activity justify the additional distance. Fuel is not inexpensive, particularly when operating a large, powerful vessel far offshore. Every reservation helps support the substantial fuel, crew and operational costs required to make this expedition possible. Sharing the page may bring aboard the additional passengers who allow us to extend our search, follow promising wildlife activity and create an even more memorable experience for everyone. One share could introduce this adventure to someone who has spent years hoping for exactly this kind of opportunity.

Come Discover What Lies Beyond the Horizon

Imagine standing aboard the Jersey Girl approximately 75 miles from New Jersey. The shoreline is nowhere in sight. Beneath you may be thousands of feet of Atlantic water, while above you pelagic birds travel across an endless sky. Somewhere in the distance, a whale may surface, a pod of dolphins may begin racing toward the boat or a flock of feeding birds may reveal an entire ecosystem gathering beneath the waves. You will not know exactly what the day will bring until you experience it. That is the beauty of a real ocean expedition.

Ocean Safari 75

10-Hour Offshore Whale and Pelagic Bird Expedition
Monday, August 17
Departing from Belmar Marina aboard the Jersey Girl
Planned range: approximately 75 miles offshore and possibly farther when conditions permit
Optional Starlink satellite internet access: $50 for the day

Space is intentionally limited to provide a comfortable experience with excellent viewing opportunities. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. If you have ever stood on the beach and wondered what lies far beyond the horizon, this is your opportunity to discover it.

Leave the shoreline behind. Watch the Atlantic sunrise. Explore farther. Experience the wild ocean aboard the Jersey Girl.