This is my personal blog, I write about what I see and experience while I am out whale watching. I am far from a writer but know my way around the ocean and a camera. My focus is documenting Humpback Whales here in the waters of NYC, LI and North NJ also known as the Western New York Bight.

I work for Gotham Whale as their official photographer and Photo Curator of the NYC Humpback Whale Catalog (NYCHWC). As Photo Curator, I focus on markings on the fluke or other areas. I match up the flukes and markings to the whales we have in the NYCHWC. When a humpback whale photo has no match to the NYCHWC, a number is assigned (example NYC00011) and that whale is now in the catalog. If it's a match, we have a returning Humpback Whale to the Western Bight. I also am responsible for GW’s facebook page and share social media responsibilities on Twitter and Instagram.

I go out on a few boats to get these photos. One boat, I own, is named the “SHIP OF FOOLS” (SOF) and I run out of Bay Park, East Rockaway N.Y. The other boat is the famous American Princess (AP) with Gotham Whale (GW) out of Riis Landing in Queens N.Y. The AP is NYC's only whale watching boat and I can't stress this enough...you must get on the AP for a NYC whale watch, it is incredible!

Follow me on facebook, Instagram, Twitter and you can email me at [email protected] 

A Long Island "End to End" whale watch with CRESLI and Gotham Whale

September 04, 2024
I I did a Long Island “End-to-End” Whale Watching trip here on Long Island. Wednesday Sept 4th, I went to Montauk to do a CRESLI Whale Watch. The next day Thursday Sept 5th I went to Brooklyn on the American Princess with Gotham Whale. YES…an End-to-End Whale Watch, it is a thing! YES, Brooklyn is on LI, just as much as Montauk is on LI. Wednesday...
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4 whales and 500+ Dolphins, baby Cownose Rays, a small sea turtle

August 24, 2024
Somedays it all comes together, the weather conditions, the sea conditions, the Whales and dolphins give a show, a good show. This is what happened on Saturday, August 24 th on the American Princess Cruises Whale and Dolphin watch out of Sheepshead Bay, Peir 3, Eammon’s Ave, Brooklyn NY (across the street from Applebee's). The AP pushed off with G...
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4 whales, many rays, a shark, and some turtles on the AP.

August 03, 2024
I went out on the American Princess Cruises with Gotham Whale on Saturday Aug 3, Noon push off. Capt. Frank at the helm. The AP crew - Capt. Jack, Mitch, Christine Naturalist Celia and a special guest appearance by PJ Sieswerda, President of Gotham Whale. Conditions - SW winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft and building. Wave D...
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Seven whales Lunge feeding and a breach on the AP

August 01, 2024
WOW What a day out on the American Princess Cruises whale watch out of Sheepshead Bay with Gotham Whale. Capt. Tom found us Seven whales on this day. Pictures tell it all.
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2024-07-20 Non-Stop Humpback Whale Action

July 20, 2024
WOW, what a week for whale watching in the NY Bight! From Cape May to Montauk and everywhere in-between was on fire with whale watching action! Saturday July 20th, I went out on the American Princess Cruises with Gotham Whale. Sea and air conditions: SW winds 10-15+ kts. Seas 2 to 3 ft choppy, water temp 70 degrees, mostly cloudy and 82 degrees....
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4 Humpbacks (tandem Lunge feeding), 150+ Dolphins, school of Drum Fish, 100’s of Cownose Rays.

July 19, 2024
A great adventure today on the American Princess Cruises with Gotham Whale – and what a day to be out on the water. Sea and air conditions: SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave detail: S 3 ft at 7 second, water temp 70 degrees, Sunny, low humidity and 82 degrees Capt. Frank DeSantis at the helm, the AP Crew was Capt. Jack and Chris. Celia as...
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2 Humpbacks, 3 Threshers, a few Cownose Rays on the AP

July 17, 2024
Went out on the American Princess Cruises with Gotham Whale on Wednesday July 17 th. Conditions partly sunny, 85 degrees, S winds 10 kt+, becoming SW late. Seas 4 to 5 ft, occasionally to 6 ft at 8 seconds. Tip – when going on a boat and you “might” get seasick, please for your sake, plan ahead. Get Bonine or other seasickness treatments in your s...
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2 humpbacks off Atlantic Beach - Striped bass lunge feed

October 21, 2023
Went out on the American Princess for a whale watch with Gotham Whale. Conditions were not the best but was way better than what the marine weather forecast was calling for. Actual conditions - West wind at 15kn to 25kn. Seas 2ft-4ft 60ish degrees and no rain. The AP ran east out of Breezy; it was quiet at first. Someone screamed “3pm, two whales...
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RIP NYC0323

August 26, 2023
We have lost another one of our catalogued whales. The whale that washed up on Beach 9th, Far Rockaway NY was #NYC0323 in the New York City Humpback Whale Catalog. NYC0323 was a young female humpback whale that Gotham Whale first catalogued in July 2023. She was documented 11 times since then, and every single one of our whale watching contributor...
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Phil Lesh and Friends GSBMF.

July 22, 2023
Phil Lesh rocked the Great South Bay Music Festival.
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Montauk CRESLI Whale Watch - 14+ whales, 300 Dolphins a few Grey Seals.

July 19, 2023
Gotham Whale had a great trip out of Montauk on the Viking Fleet with CRESLI with Artie Kopelman. CRESLI (Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island) Will be a guest on the AP soon, stay tuned. Conditions were very good. 80 degrees, partly cloudy with 2-4ft waves with 10knt winds. Halfway through the trip the winds dropped down, so did...
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3 humpbacks and 40 Dolphin on the AP.

July 02, 2023
Never trust Meteorologists! The weather reports were for heavy rain and T-storms this Sunday, a total washout!! The actual weather this day was, warm with sunshine, a slight fog and smoke, no rain or thunder and lightning. Again - Never trust Meteorologists! Great day out on the American Princess this past Sunday, July 02. Sea conditions; ESE wind...
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Three active Humpbacks and 100 Dolphins

May 26, 2023  •  Leave a Comment
“WOW…This trip was EPIC”. Not my words, but from the passengers on this Whale and Dolphin watch on the American Princess with Gotham Whale. As a matter of fact, Captain Frank and the crew of the AP said the same exact words and they see this stuff every day! And I will say this trip was EPIC on so many levels. Conditions were good. The waves were...
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