The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed reports of the sighting of a humpback whale in the New York harbor.
“The whale just blew about 1,000 feet off my bow!” Bjoern Kils, 41, gasped as he snapped photographs of the whale, in which he estimated to be about 40 feet long.
The Coast Guard says they will only get involved if the whale became entangled or was in danger.
“We’re aware, but it’s pretty normal that we get whales out there,” Petty Officer Anthony Pappaly told Reuters.
In the past few years, more than a dozen humpback whales have been detected in New York waters, some have come close to shore as 550 yards from the beach in Rockaway, Queens.
“It’s a bit of a silver lining with Covid that there’s not much boat traffic out here, and the whale has a very good chance of getting out into the ocean,” Kils said as he spoke by phone from his boat.
For hours the whale was appearing at the top of the water.
“As we were passing the Statue of Liberty, it flung its tail out of the water - twice!” Kils said.
Photo: Getty