People often pay to go on whale watching tours in hopes of mayyyyybe catching a single glimpse of a tail splashing the water, if they’re lucky. Sometimes, even that’s enough excitement. Just the smallest glimpse of one of the world’s largest species. There’s something powerful about feeling that small and insignificant.

On August 13, 2022 however, folks in New York City got the whale watching cruise of a lifetime as they were able to witness not one, not two, but NINE whales swimming in the harbor. A remarkable sight that has only become more common as whale populations in the harbor have grown dramatically since.

While onboard a tour with American Princess Cruises, Celia Ackerman, who works as a naturalist for the company, captured multiple breathtaking photos of the creatures with a view of New York’s skyline as the backdrop.

Here’s just one of the beauties:

Ackerman is also a research associate for Gotham Whale, a marine mammal research, education and advocacy organization. Gotham Whale tweeted the images not only to let others join in on nature’s spectacle, but also to raise awareness and avoid potential collisions.

“Amazing day to say the least,” Gotham Whale’s caption read.

Why New York’s waters are suddenly full........

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