Trip Report — Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Three Humpback Whales, an Injured Whale, and a Frightening Close Call off the Jersey Shore
Tuesday was an emotional roller coaster along the beautiful coastline of Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Earlier in the morning, we spotted five humpback whales directly off Ocean Avenue in Belmar, New Jersey, right in front of my home. Seeing that many whales so close to the shoreline was an incredible way to begin the day and another sign that whale activity along the Jersey Shore is exceptionally strong right now.
On our 12:30 p.m. Jersey Shore Whale Watch trip, we traveled north past the beaches and coastal communities of Belmar, Lake Como, Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Bradley Beach, Avon-by-the-Sea, Ocean Grove, Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Loch Arbour, Deal, Long Branch, and surrounding areas.
Along the way, passengers enjoyed views of the Asbury Park Boardwalk, the historic and beautiful homes of Ocean Grove, and the impressive oceanfront properties along Allenhurst and Deal, New Jersey.
We then encountered three humpback whales off the Asbury Park Boardwalk.
The first whale had a serious vessel-strike injury that appeared to be in the process of healing. Thankfully, the whale was diving, swimming, and behaving normally, which gives us hope that it will recover.
Unfortunately, we see whales with injuries more often than most people realize, but this one was particularly severe and difficult to witness.
A short distance away, we found two additional humpback whales. While one of them was actively flipper-slapping, another boat drove directly toward it and passed within just a few feet.
This was not a situation where the vessel operator failed to notice the whale. They clearly saw it and continued approaching despite our warnings.
Whales need room to surface, breathe, dive, feed, and unexpectedly change direction. Getting too close puts the whale, the vessel, and everyone aboard at risk.
Please help protect the humpback whales visiting the New Jersey coast. Slow down, remain alert, and always give whales plenty of space.
August is not always considered the peak of New Jersey’s whale-watching season, but August 2026 is proving to be very different. With five whales seen off Belmar in the morning and three more observed during our afternoon trip near Asbury Park, this appears to be one of the best periods of the year for whale watching along the Jersey Shore.
There has never been a better time to experience a Jersey Shore whale-watching tour from Belmar, New Jersey, and see the coastline from Ocean Grove, Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Deal, and Long Branch from the water.
See a spout? Watch out. Give whales space.
As the vessel Lady E continued toward the humpback whale at speed, we sounded our horn five times and attempted to warn the operator over VHF radio. The vessel did not respond or acknowledge either warning.
This is not a typical recreational boat horn. The horn aboard the Jersey Girl is comparable in volume to a train horn and is specifically intended to get the attention of nearby vessels. We use it when navigating the blind curve in the Shark River so that approaching boaters can hear us even over loud music, engines, or other onboard noise.
In other words, this is a horn designed to be noticed. Five blasts would have been extremely difficult to miss.
After the close approach, we used the radio to tell the operator that what had just occurred was unsafe and unacceptable. The United States Coast Guard heard that radio exchange and then attempted to contact the vessel. The operator did not acknowledge the Coast Guard’s call either.
To be clear, the Coast Guard did not witness the encounter firsthand. They became involved after hearing our radio communication about what had just happened.
We cannot know the operator’s motive, but we do know what we observed: a clearly visible humpback whale, five blasts from an exceptionally loud vessel horn, unanswered radio warnings, and a boat continuing dangerously close to the animal.
from our Captain Charlie
“In my opinion, this was an extremely unsafe approach. We observed the vessel pass within a few feet of a humpback whale. We sounded our horn five times, attempted to reach the vessel on VHF radio, and received no acknowledgment.”
Gotham Whale
Belmar Beach NJ
Jersey Shore Whale Watch
U.S. Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet
Whale SENSE
#JerseyShoreWhaleWatch #BelmarNJ #AsburyParkNJ #OceanGroveNJ #AllenhurstNJ #DealNJ #LongBranchNJ #MonmouthCountyNJ #NJWhales #HumpbackWhales #WhaleWatchingNJ #SeeASpoutWatchOut #ProtectOurWhales #JerseyShore #AsburyParkBoardwalk
