As a lifelong resident I'll vouch for the sentiment on the welcome sign above, one of the few colorful ones our borough president designed to welcome visitors to Brooklyn, New York.
The word must have gotten out how friendly Brooklyn is, as on Thursday, April 9, 2009 as a humpback whale decided to pay a visit to Brooklyn for a day!
As you can see from the models of the typical fish and sea life found in the vicinity of the entrance channel to New York Harbor, as displayed on the Shore Promenade fence near the Verranzano Bridge, a whale of any sorts is not a usual inhabitant of the waters.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, however, several species of large whales are found off the mid-Atlantic coast and close to shore this time of year, including humpbacks, fin whales, right whales and minke whales.
This corridor of water is a very busy shipping zone, as you can see if you click on to enlarge the photo above and notice the line of ships entering New York Harbor, so the NYPD and Coast Guard established a security safety zone around the whale to protect it from danger, and also to ensure that the vessels traveling in and out of New York Harbor were safe.”
This whale wasn't having any trouble swimming, diving or breathing, but it did appear to be a little underweight according to news reports, so it may have been looking for food sources.
You can watch the news report about the whale on this Youtube video --please turn off my blog's music first, by going to the purple "Playlist" box on my right sidebar and clicking on the double bars in it's header.
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29 comments:
Oh that's cool! Hope he finds something good to eat in his journey back to the open sea. What a nice little diversion for NYC yesterday!
I saw that on the news and I thought that was so terrific, especially for the folks who got to see it firsthand.
By the way, I forgot about the cherry trees in the Brklyn Botanic Garden, which you mentioned. I was last there 31 years ago! I'll have to make a return visit this year when the trees are in full floom.
Hey Pat, I'll bet he heard you are an excellent cook and was headed to your house for Easter...LOL! Please tell me you're not serving mackerel for dinner? I'm still laughing out loud!!!
I hope you're having a great Good Friday!
xoxo Cori
I've always wanted to see a whale!
We hope to take an Alaskan cruise and view them. I hope your family has a blessed and Happy Easter weekend!
You've made it all look so appealing, Pat...even the whales are coming to check out Brooklyn for themselves! How fun is that? We have seen whales in Alaska...and Hawaii...but would not expect to see them in New York.
We had a sea lion come to visit us on our farm some years back. He obviously got lost and somehow left the big rivers and made his way up the wee streams to our place. We were quite surprised to see a 350 pound sea lion sitting next to the barn...under the rain water from the eaves. We're hoping he found his way back to safer waters as well.
Isn't that grand? We are visiting San Diego at the present time--they also had a visiting whale. This guy stayed several days--long enough to be named "Diego." Thankfully, he also figured out how to get back to the open sea. Such marvelous creatures--so sad they are going hungry.
Pat, truly everything happens there! NY! NY! It's a wonderful town! And Brooklyn too! Love the "How Sweet It Is" sign!
It must have been great to get to see a whale from right there where you live. I can assure you that I will never be able to say the same!
Happy Easter to you and to Leo on his first Easter!
Wow,how exciting. I've never seen a whale in person....Barb
A great sighting out there in Brooklyn....but have you seen the Van Kempens?? Now that is really news worthy...I'm assuming you watch The Real Housewives of N.Y. like all the rest of us....Those two are real kooks...I'm looking forward to seeing the Jersey Housewives next month....I saw a preview and it looks like the real life Soprano's.....Have a wonderful Easter...I'm sure you'll be spending the day cooking and how cool that you collected those plastic charms....I never did get even one but when the husband read my blog he immedialty went onto E-Bay and was looking at the silver charm bracelets for me....I always know how to get him all choked up by my bad childhood memories!! Sue.
Oh girl that would be awesome to witness! I'd probably faint...but it would be awesome! lol lol That little Leo is such a dollbaby...growing like a weed...and I loved the post on the glorious cherry blossoms...to see that in person would humble anyone! Hope you have a great weekend my friend...Happy Easter!
Hi Pat,
This is the first I've heard of this! How exciting to see it for yourself. It reminds me of when I taught and did a unit on whales...there was a story I read the children about a whale getting trapped somewhere...can't remember is it was San Fransisco but think it may have been. We also had a short 'Reading Rainbow' video we watched.
Thanks for sharing, and hope you have a wonderful Easter!
Thanks for sharing this post- it was so great to read, especially since I live in the city but often feel so far from Brooklyn! And have a very Happy Easter with your family as well.
Amy P
Hi Pat isnt it so exciting when the whales decide to take a de-tour, we had a mother and baby right here in Benicia one time and we got such a close up view it was wonderful, my friend told me that she went whale watching and paid a fortune and never even saw any and there we were out on the water one day and we get them to come to us, luckily they enjoyed there adventure as much as the people of Benicia and they were on their way. happy weekend, Kathy.
I heard about this and wish I had been there to see it, as whale watching is at the top of my list of things to do before I die! Who knew I wouldn't have to go to Maine or the deep sea et al? lol That said, thank god we finally got two great pitching performances in a row! I was already starting to worry! You must be so excited for the 'overpriced' game in June!!
Wow, Pat! How exciting for those who got to see this first-hand! I hadn't seen anything about this, so thanks for posting. Hope your Easter Holiday is a blessed one. Enjoy your family! Hugs, Sue
That is AMAZING!!! Very exciting...what a special experience to see, to witness...nature is a grand thing! Happy Easter Weekend to you & all of yours, Pat! :o) ((HUGS))
Love your latest picture of little Leo! How exciting to have a whale visit Brooklyn. Brooklyn is really a happening place, I would like to visit--Thanks to you.
Isn't is fun to have a unique aquatic visitor? The Jersey shore had quite a few dolphins visit last summer and it was a topic to the media for months. Everyone loves Brooklyn, so why wouldn't the whale enjoy it too? We'll be traveling through that area today on our way to Long Island...I'll keep a look out and bring my camera...how exciting would that be...getting to see the whale.
♥, Susan
What a special visitor to Brooklyn. Whales are always amazing creatures to see, always inspiring awe at what can be found in nature. It's so wonderful that one visited your beautiful area.
A whale visiting Brooklyn. Isn't that awesome? ;-)
Remember the 2002 Oscar nominated movie Whale Rider? It's one of my favorites and I recommend it.
Anywho, I read that the author of the book on which the movie is based, got the idea from watching the news of a whale that came to visit New York -- Manhattan's West Side a few years ago. Cool. ;-)
Paz
Too think that something so huge is swimming in our oceans and the water is deep enough there to accommodate him. I thought Lake Superior was something! Leo is so cute - I adore that sweet little face (he reminds me of Jacob). Hope you are having a Happy Easter. ~ Robyn
That is great Pat - We have had a stray whale hanging out for a few weeks here in San Diego Bay...never thought they would be cruising around the waters of NYC!
Happy Easter to you and yours!
I hope he is out to sea now and everyone is talking about the visit. Have a nice weekend.
I heard about this! How perfectly delightful. I do love whales, don't you. We followed them once on a whale watch in Maine off the coast of Bar Harbor. Such a thrill to ride alongside one up close.
Edward and I send you our sincere wish for a Happy Easter!! Lots of joy and lots of chocolate!
Well it seems that everyone & every whale wants to see NYC and what a better week to visit then Passover and Easter. He/she was probably looking for some Italian Pastry:) Thanks for posting. I miss NY and hope to be up there soon. .Happy Easter
Joyce
Oh, how wonderful! I would love to see a whale down here! :-) I see dolphins on a pretty regular basis, and I've also seen manatees, but OH, how I'd like to see Shamu in the wild! ;-)
XO,
Sheila :-)
If he's looking a bit underweight, he's come to the right place! :-)
I hope the little guy is OK...that water's certainly no place to be.
Wow! how special is that..what a beautiful creature..and great pics! Gx
Oh lucky whale! making me miss NYC!
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