Whale Spotted off Long Beach
Whale Of A Sight
Bill Bleyer
November 28, 2003
A rare sighting of a humpback whale off Long Beach was reported yesterday.
Rob DiGiovanni, director of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, who flew over the whale, said it was 30 feet to 40 feet long and was several hundred yards from the beach, swimming west.
'It didn't look like it was in distress,' he said.
'It was just swimming close to shore. I think it was probably feeding. We will monitor the situation closely to see what it does.'
DiGiovanni said 'it's rare, but we do see them a couple times a year' off western Nassau and eastern Queens.
He added that the number of sightings along the entire South Shore is up this year, so his group is trying to find funds to do more aerial observation.
To help the group's research, DiGiovanni asked anyone who spots a whale to call the rescue hotline - 631-369-9829 - even if the animal is not in danger.
Bill Bleyer
November 28, 2003
A rare sighting of a humpback whale off Long Beach was reported yesterday.
Rob DiGiovanni, director of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, who flew over the whale, said it was 30 feet to 40 feet long and was several hundred yards from the beach, swimming west.
'It didn't look like it was in distress,' he said.
'It was just swimming close to shore. I think it was probably feeding. We will monitor the situation closely to see what it does.'
DiGiovanni said 'it's rare, but we do see them a couple times a year' off western Nassau and eastern Queens.
He added that the number of sightings along the entire South Shore is up this year, so his group is trying to find funds to do more aerial observation.
To help the group's research, DiGiovanni asked anyone who spots a whale to call the rescue hotline - 631-369-9829 - even if the animal is not in danger.
