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]
Whales, Cownose Rays and Dolphins in the Western Bight
July 17, 2017
Saturday July 15 th 2017. Went out on the AP with GW. I haven’t been on the water since last Sunday’s GW-AP whale watch and whales have not been around for a few weeks. The Dolphins have been around and they have picked up the slack in the whales' absence here in the Bight. Over all, the summer has been great so far for sightings of both whales and...
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Bottlenose Dolphins with small calves in the Pods off of Coney and Breezy.
July 09, 2017
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Sunday July 9th 2017. Days like today on the water are few and far between, a 2ft ocean swell, light variable winds, Water temp at 73, Air temp 75. The wind did pick up at the end but an overall beautiful day for a Whale and Dolphin adventure.
We headed out of Breezy and went south. Very early into the trip I spotted way off in the distance what I...
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Friday July 7th 2017 Lots of rain and Dolphins
July 08, 2017
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Its Friday July 7th 2017, I am driving through deep puddles, some resembling ponds or lakes with cars actually stuck in them. I think “is this boat going out in this weather?” As I get to the parking lot and drive through the deepest puddle yet I see the AP. There are a good amount of people on the boat and all is ready to go. So the answer to that...
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SHARK!
July 06, 2017
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The Ocean is a big place with many big things in it. You never know what's swimming with you until you see it or it sees you. Chances are "IT" knows you are there before you know "IT'S" there.
On the AP with GW on July 2nd out looking for dolphins and whales. The beaches were packed and the surf was up. Perfect conditions for paddle boarding, surf...
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Sunday July 02 2017. Dolphins, Atantic Sturgeon and Giant Fluke.
July 04, 2017
After a week and a half of heavy storms, windy conditions and large choppy seas…we sail, Ocean bound! P raise be to Nero's Neptune the American Princess sails ocean bound at 1pm and the seas are just perfect! Light winds, a small swell and very clear Caribbean green waters.
Just a perfect day, we charge out of Breezy and head east! Running along t...
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Saturday July 01. Dolphins in Raritan Bay.
July 02, 2017
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We went out of Breezy and headed south. The ocean was wind swept and shelter from the swells was in Raritan bay off of Sandy. That’s where whales were seen last and the dolphin pod from the day before were there. The temp was chilly, like 60 degrees on the boat with the wind over the water. As soon as we got close to Sandy Hook the wind was off the...
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Friday June 30th. Dolphins, Big ones and small ones.
July 01, 2017
Friday, June 30 th. It's been a Dolphin kind of week out here in the NY Bight and it was cuteness overload on the American Princess with Gotham Whale.
We had a great day with a small pod of very friendly Dolphins! At times they were very close to the boat (their choice) and in the pod were many baby dolphins, or calves.
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The Great Container Ship Race!
June 29, 2017
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Wednesday June 28th we witnessed the great container ship race between the YM Unicorn and the Zim San Francisco in Ambrose Channel on the approach to NY Harbor. It was a close one but in the end the favorite "Zim San Francisco" pulled it out.
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June 23rd, 2017. PIX11 Whale Watch
June 24, 2017
Friday June 23th 2017. Wave Heights – 1-4ft, Water Temp - 68, Wind – South - SE, Speed – light to 35mph in passing front, Air Temp 69, Cloud Cover – heavy with peaks of sun towards the end.
Whales – NONE. Dolphins - NONE
PIX11 News came out on the American Princess to see how a whale watch goes down in the waters of NYC. Ayana was the reporter...
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RIP Humpback Whale #NYC0044
June 23, 2017
This is sad news.
It is 100% confirmed that a Juvenile Humpback Whale known as #NYC0044 (#44) in the NYC Humpback Whale Catalog has died. #44 was found dead off of Chatham Mass.
http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20170621/2-humpback-whales-die-off-chatham
This is copied from the “Cape Cod Times” due to the link may not work sometime in the future.
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Tuesday April 04, 2017 Beached Dead Humpback Whale on a Rockaway Beach
June 18, 2017
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Tuesday April 4th the Rockaway Peninsula had a Juvenile Male Humpback Whale carcass wash up on Beach 117th. The cause of death was a ship strike. As sad as this event was it provided me an opportunity to document a Humpback Whale up-close and personal.
First thing I did was look at the tubercles or hair follicles on this whale. HAIR ON A WHALE…Y...
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Saturday June 17th, 2017. 30 Dolphins in heavy fog and rain on the AP with GW
June 18, 2017
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Saturday June 17 th 2017. Wave Heights – 2-5ft, Water Temp - 65, Wind – South - SE, Speed – light, Air Temp 70, Cloud Cover – Rain and Fog at the end
Whales seen – None. Dolphins 30+ (Dolphins numbers are always an estimate)
We left out of Breezy in the rain and light fog. I like conditions like this and photographically have always had a great...
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Thursday, June 15th 2017. TWO Humpbacks and 50-100 Dolphins on the AP with GW. NYC0042
June 17, 2017
Thursday June 15 th 2017. Wave Heights – 2-3ft, Water Temp - 65, Wind – South - SE, Speed – 10+, Air Temp 70, Cloud Cover – Very light.
Whales seen – TWO Humpback Whales, 50-100 Dolphins (Dolphins numbers are always an estimate)
A media crew from “CBS This Morning” was out on the American Princess Cruises “Whale and Dolphin Adventure” with Gotham...
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Half-Step at the 2017 Woodstock Revival
June 13, 2017
Not much more I can say but I love this band (EVERONE KNOWS THIS). I think they are up there with the best of the Dead tribute bands and they are 100% on the top of the list for Long Island bands. Great show as always, the energy flowing from the stage to the crowd and back was powerful! An amp failure cause a mid set break but the band and crowd d...
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Saturday, June 10th 2017. 2 Humpback Whales off Deal NJ on the AP with GW. NYC0057
June 11, 2017
Saturday June 4th 2017 th. Wave Heights – 2-3ft, Water Temp - 63, Wind – South, Speed – 10-20+, Air Temp 80 felt like 60 with wind. Cloud Cover - light.
Whales seen – TWO Humpback Whales
It was a productive whale watch on the American Princess with Gotham Whale. The AP has been packed lately and was sold out but everyone had a seat and when we sa...
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© Artie Raslich Photography