Humpbacks in NYC?!

I’ve been lucky enough to see humpback whales in many places around the world, but never in my own backyard. That changed a few weeks ago.

Humpback whale lunge feeding

Over the past several years, humpback sightings in the NJ/NYC area have surged, thanks to cleaner waters and the return of prey fish like Atlantic menhaden. That means that every summer, you can board a boat right here and head into the New York Bight for a chance to see these giants.

On a recent American Princess Cruises trip, we spent a perfect day on the water and were rewarded with 4-5 individual humpbacks (including some lunge feeding, behavior that I’ve never gotten to see before!) and an astonishing pod of 300+ bottlenose dolphins. Seeing a humpback surface with the backdrop of the city in the distance felt surreal… like two worlds colliding.

These moments are possible because of landmark protections like the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, which helped humpback populations rebound. But those protections are under threat, and so are the fish that sustain them. Atlantic menhaden, key prey for many species, are facing population pressures that are already rippling through the ecosystem. And with every passing season, boat traffic and development press harder against their survival.

Humpback whale and cargo ship

Encounters like this feel magical, but also urgent. They’re a reminder of the resilience of these animals, but also how fragile that resilience really is.

Humpback whale lunge feeding