belmar marina whale watching tour Archives - Jersey Shore Whale Watch Tour 2020 Season

Amazing Sunday Funday Whale Watching Belmar

October 4, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

Another amazing whale watching trip we were just 2-3 miles off the coast of Belmar up to Asbury Park at one point we’re up near Long branch Humpback whales everywhere great day we all really enjoyed it and we got some beautiful photos of two whales swimming side-by-side. I love speaking to families on thier first whale watching trip enjoying the ocean.
As I was leaving the parking lot a car stopped, and thanked me for taking them whale watching.Folks you made my day!
I will have some more photos to add.
We will also be holding a whale watching photographing contest with many prizes and categories.

Beautiful October weather today. Https://www.jerseyshorewhalewatchingtour.com

Coming back to the marina after whale watching

whale watching trip 4 whales!

September 17, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

Wednesday was a great trip. We started with a Minke whale these whales are the smallest of the big whales and are very fast and difficult to photograph Here are a couple images of the Minke whale we saw off Asbury Park Wednesday

Below is a Minke whale off the coast of New Jersey

The minke whales are the second smallest baleen whale; only the pygmy right whale is smaller. Upon reaching sexual maturity (6–8 years of age), males measure an average of 6.9 m (23 ft) and females 8 m (26 ft) in length, respectively. Reported maximum lengths vary from 9.1 to 10.7 m (30 to 35 ft) for females and 8.8 to 9.8 m (29 to 32 ft) for males. Both sexes typically weigh 4–5 t (3.9–4.9 long tons; 4.4–5.5 short tons) at sexual maturity, and the maximum weight may be as much as 10 t (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons).

The minke whale is a black/gray/purple color.^{[clarification needed]} Common minke whales (Northern Hemisphere variety) are distinguished from other whales by a white band on each flipper. The body is usually black or dark-gray above and white underneath. Minke whales in New Jersey have between 240 and 360 baleen plates on each side of their mouths. Most of the length of the back, including dorsal fin and blowholes, appears at once when the whale surfaces to breathe.

Minke whales typically live for 30–50 years; in some cases they may live for up to 60 years.

bait fish long branch nj , whales love menhaden fish

breaching whale 2020 asbury park deal nj — I missed photographing this full out of the water breach, my camera was in stand by mode i wont make that mistake again, whale photography is always fun

Coming back to the marina after a very successful 3 hour whale watching trip

About Finback Whales

August 28, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

We did see a Finback whale this week off Asbury Park and Deal New Jersey.

CIRCE posted the image and a YouTube video to its Facebook page last week. The video footage shows two of three breaches–the first at 3 seconds and the second at 1:15–and reveal that the cetacean is almost leaping completely free of the water.

Fin whales are the world’s second largest whale species and can measure 80-plus feet, and weigh as much as 70 tons. Because of their immense size, they almost never breach, which makes the rare photo accompanying this story all the more striking.

The image was captured May 22 in the Strait of Gibraltar by a researcher for the Spanish cetacean conservation group, CIRCE (Conservación, Información y Estudio sobre cetáceos).

You never know that you might see on Jersey shore whale watch trips, join us maybe one day we will see it breach like this video,

A Finback Whale on our trip!

August 27, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

We were all excited to see a Finback whale on our trip. Danielle our naturalist had been talking for days about 2 Finback whales being off the coast of Sandy Hook. we found it Wednesday.The families on the boat went crazy see to humpback whales come close to the boat and then we saw the finback whale and we observed it just swimming along. The whale is so huge it did not fit in my cameras view here are some of the photos i took. Join us soon the trips get better as we head towards fall whale migration season.

The fin whale is the second largest animal to ever live, in the entire history of Earth. Reaching lengths of at least 85 feet (26 m) and weights of 80 tons, this species is second only to its close relative, the blue whale. Their incredible size is only possible because of their aquatic lifestyles and the buoyancy provided by seawater. On land, an animal as large as the fin whale would almost certainly be crushed under its own weight.

We have done over 80 trips this was our first Finback whale sighting! all the otther trips have been Humpback whales and some Minke whales

whale watching trip review August 19 2020

August 20, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

So Wednesday’s trip was interesting, the morning started with pouring rain possible tornado up near red Bank really dark skies for about an hour. The Jersey shore whale watch phone was ringing off the hook with people asking if their trip was on or off or we going what are we doing. Long story short the skies cleared we all met at the marina in the lightest of a drizzle we got onto the boat the skies continue to clear and we had the most perfect day on the ocean flat season one got sick just a great day too beautiful Wells off of Monmouth County and people were thrilled to be out and enjoy something they’ve never seen Wells frolicking in the ocean on a perfect August day come out and join us soon we have plenty of trips scheduled including this weekend we leave from Belmar we have some trips also from point Pleasant we run the best and safest we are watching trip in New Jersey we guarantee will see you a whale.

whale watching in new jersey best time of year

August 15, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

whale watching in new jersey best time of year
Peak times
The greatest whale activity at the Jersey Shore is between May and June and again in the fall. 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 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.

whale watching new jersey

August 11, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

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

August 11, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

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

Whale Watching FAQ

Here are some of your most asked questions

Can i bring children?

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

How Long is the Whale Watching Trip

The trip is around 3 hours this gives us enough time to find and get to the whales.Call us anytime 732.451.6003

How do I get my Tickets for whale watching

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

Covid 19 rules and social distancing

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.

I need to change my trip date how do i do it ?

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.

Where do we park at the Belmar Marina

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

Yes you can bring your own food and drink!

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!

Will We really see a whale ?

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.

We're serious about finding whales.

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.

How long does the whale stay under water?

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

Do the tix get mailed out fast

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!

Our resident naturalist Danilelle Brown point the way. She is working on her PHD at Rutgers in Marine Biology and loves whale research

just another day at the office for Danielle with a whale breach in the background August 2020

One of our whale watching boat captains and his beautiful daughter — One of our boat captains and his beautiful daughter

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

August 10, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

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.

Groupon whale watching deals do they work?

August 2, 2020 // by bill mckim// Leave a Comment

A few people have been asking me about groupon deals this year so I figure i would write down my thoughts.

Groupon leads to bad sight lines on a boat by having too many people on board, the boat needs a certain amount of money for each trip I would rather have us all pay a few more dollars person and have less people on the boat and better sight lines for seeing the whales .

Crowded boats sell deals and groupons I do not use groupon deals as i want us all to have a safe enjoyable trip and i believe we price it fairly and we deliver.

We have chartered over 75 trips we have seen a whale on all but three of those trips!

We guarantee you will see a whale with us if you dont your next trip is free. We fill our boat with happy customers who tell their friends about the special day and safe relaxed atmosphere we provide on the ocean during these uncertain Covid 19 times We are all living in. Any questions call us at 732.451.6003

I think groupon is great for buying an item but not so great if its just going to lead to a full boat, less is more these days book now.

We are the best whale watching tour in New Jersey by far. Best sight lines from the 2 level boat , best crew and by far we have the best naturalist, narrating the trip of any boat in New Jersey. Belmar Marina is our maine location. We also run a few trips from Point Pleasant Marina.

Bill McKim
Jersey Shore Whale Watch
732.451.6003

summer 2020 one none of us will ever forget.