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Humpback Whales Breach In Sound; Norwalk Aquarium Calls Sightings Rare

STAMFORD, Conn. — While out boating on Long Island Sound last weekend, Daniel Lent of Easton encountered a rare scene for the relatively shallow water: two humpback whales.

A humpback whale breaches in Long Island Sound off the coast of Stamford on Sept. 12. Photo courtesy of Dan Lent and the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

A humpback whale breaches in Long Island Sound off the coast of Stamford on Sept. 12. Photo courtesy of Dan Lent and the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

Photo Credit: Dan Lent
A humpback whale breaches in Long Island Sound off the coast of Stamford on Sept. 12. Photo courtesy of Dan Lent and the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

A humpback whale breaches in Long Island Sound off the coast of Stamford on Sept. 12. Photo courtesy of Dan Lent and the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

Photo Credit: Dan Lent

Lent also captured this photo of one as it breached at about 5 p.m. last Saturday, sharing it via the website at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. 

Dave Sigworth at the aquarium says the staff there cannot remember sightings of a humpback whale before this year. A whale has also been spotted in the past two weeks off the coasts of Port Washington and Rye, N.Y.

Lent said the whales were about the same length as his 27-foot boat.

“I know for certain that there was more than one whale because the breaching one started to scare me and breached behind the boat while the other whale was in front,” he told the aquarium in an email.

The whales are probably young and about half of their adult size, the aquarium said.

If you do spot a whale, remember that they are federally protected, Sigworth said. Follow from a distance of at least 300 yards. Send an email with photos and details of the encounter to Joe Schnierlein at the aquarium at jschnierlein@maritimeaquarium.org.

Sigworth reminds marine fans of one place of where you are certain to see a whale: The IMAX® movie “Humpback Whales” is now playing on the Maritime Aquarium’s screen through Nov. 24 at 1 and 3 p.m. daily.

Read the full blog post here at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk website.

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