Sealife near your ship?

[InNeedOfSaltWater]

What kind and how often have you seen sealife near the ship at sea?

Dolphins?

Whales?

Sharks?

Sea turtles? 

 

Where's the best place on the boat to see any? 

 

Is the best time at the end of the cruise when they dump the pureed fish food four miles from shore?

 

Mainly inquiring about Charleston SC to Bahamas.. but I would love to hear about everyones experience.

[navybankerteacher]

Often when passing the Bahamas towards the Caribbean we've seen porpoises paralleling the ship just off the bow - they seem to want to move along with the ship. Often flying fish break the surface in the bow waves - probably scared of the ship - and glide many yards.  Our best whale experience was when anchored off Maui -- we did not sign up for a whale watching excursion -- and while sitting on our balcony after coming back on board we saw three or four whales , one a very small calf, breaching repeatedly just 50 yards off -- our table mates, who had spent over $100 each, for the whale excursion and had not seen any, were rather frustrated.

 

Sea life is out there - you just have to be on deck to catch them when they choose to show themselves --they do not seem particularly interested in seeing you.

[ldubs]

Have see dolphins and lots of whales.  On our first NE "fall color" cruise, there was a whale and her calf both slapping their tails as the ship went by (they call it lobtailing).  Never seen anything like it before or since.  It was an incredible sight.   

[InNeedOfSaltWater]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

Often when passing the Bahamas towards the Caribbean we've seen porpoises paralleling the ship just off the bow - they seem to want to move along with the ship. Often flying fish break the surface in the bow waves - probably scared of the ship - and glide many yards.  Our best whale experience was when anchored off Maui -- we did not sign up for a whale watching excursion -- and while sitting on our balcony after coming back on board we saw three or four whales , one a very small calf, breaching repeatedly just 50 yards off -- our table mates, who had spent over $100 each, for the whale excursion and had not seen any, were rather frustrated.

 

Sea life is out there - you just have to be on deck to catch them when they choose to show themselves --they do not seem particularly interested in seeing you.

 

From watching one too many nature docs, dolphins love to ride the waves created by the bow. It's purely for entertainment just like with orcas.. I just didn't know if a cruise shop created that kind pressure wave. 

 

I know know where my boyfriend can find me. Lol

[sparks1093]

From a cruise ship we've seen mostly flying fish. We've had 1 dolphin sighting (mid-ship). I may have seen a whale but it was too far away and I didn't have binoculars with me. Obviously the closer you are to the water the better your chances are. While in the Navy I saw a whale in the Bay of Naples, dolphins leading the ship out to sea departing Norfolk, VA and a school of golden rays somewhere in the Caribbean (we were doing a towing exercise so we were going very slow and the school flew by underneath us). These sightings were a rarity for me because I was a radioman and spent 95% of my time at sea below decks when we were at sea.

[lisiamc]

I’ve never seen a shark from a ship, but I’ve seen many whales, almost all at a long distance, but a few close up when we were anchored in Hawaii, loads of dolphins riding the bow wave, a manta ray, a school of barracuda, hundreds of flying fish, and one sea turtle, when we were docked. And lots of seals, if they count.

[chengkp75]

7 hours ago, InNeedOfSaltWater said:

Is the best time at the end of the cruise when they dump the pureed fish food four miles from shore?

It's actually 12 miles from shore, and its done nearly every night, late at night.  The ship will generate around 2-3 tons of food waste a day.

 

It's a ship, not a boat.

 

Sharks are only near the surface in the shallows, so you won't see them.  Sea turtles are almost completely underwater, so you won't see them either.  For whales, you have to be in the right location at the right time of the year.  On the East Coast, the whales migrate north in spring to feed off Maine and the Canadian Maritimes, and south to the southern Caribbean to breed in the fall.  Porpoises will play in the bow wave, and you can even see them in some harbors.

Edited July 29, 2022 by chengkp75

[kelkel2]

We have never seen sealife… we’ve always cruised with a balcony. I think it’s more about luck than where you are. And obviously geographically I think some areas are more likely to have a lot of sealife to see. But I would really love to. Our next cruise is on the Carnival Mardi Gras, but we’re on deck 14 and I would think at that high up we won’t see much. 

[Capt_BJ]

dolphin riding the bow wave

 

manta along side (estimate 8 foot across)

 

in Port Canaveral not unusual to see manatee, sea turtle and dolphin near the piers and dolphin riding the bow when heading in/out ....

Edited July 29, 2022 by Capt_BJ

[WatchHill]

I've seen dophins on multiple Caribbean cruises. I've even seen a few in Boston's inner harbor and leaving Bermuda. I saw one whale on an Alaskan cruise and a few off Vancouver. On a Hawaiian Island to Tahiti cruise, we traveled at peak migration time and saw multiple hump backs. Yesterday, I drove over to Plymouth MA where humpbacks have been feeding close to shore - amazing! The only time we've observed sea turtles was during a snorkel adventure in Molokini and St Thomas. 

 

Darcy

[cruiseryyc]

Saw a pool of about 20 dolphins that swam along beside us for awhile and then in our wake, it was magical.  The Captain had announced that we could see them on the port side, naturally most people went to the starboard side and then complained they couldn't see them!

 

Also saw an Orca off the coast of Victoria BC early in the morning.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, WatchHill said:

I've seen dophins on multiple Caribbean cruises. I've even seen a few in Boston's inner harbor and leaving Bermuda. I saw one whale on an Alaskan cruise and a few off Vancouver. On a Hawaiian Island to Tahiti cruise, we traveled at peak migration time and saw multiple hump backs. Yesterday, I drove over to Plymouth MA where humpbacks have been feeding close to shore - amazing! The only time we've observed sea turtles was during a snorkel adventure in Molokini and St Thomas. 

 

Darcy

 

On an Alaska cruise several years ago, the naturalist on board announced we had encountered over 300 whales.  I suspect they were using binocs and knew what to look for.   Of course, we only saw a few.  Seeing whales close to shore would be very cool.   

[Suzanne123]

Taken from our 8th floor balcony last week between Juneau and Skagway.  Just dumb luck. DD had her camera out looking for spouts.

[Suzanne123]

Will try to add more pictures when I can reduce size.

 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2022 by Suzanne123
Pictures too large to post

[Suzanne123]

Whale next to ship just leaving Icy Strait Point, and ( cheating a little ) Sea Lion Vancouver Aquarium.

 

[Cruzaholic41]

All of the above but probably the coolest thing I ever saw was a whale shark while anchored off Grand Cayman. 

[XBGuy]

Not a shark. but yes to whales  (Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico cruises), dolphins (Caribbean and Pacific cruises) and, possibly, one turtle (off of Peru).

 

Beyond your list I can add:

 

• Flying fish--Caribbean and Pacific cruises,
• Jellyfish--we saw a bunch in the harbor for a port stop in San Diego.
• Jumping Stingrays.  I'm not sure they are really stingrays, but it is not unusual to see them from the ship when anchored at Cabo San Lucas.  One time I saw all this froth about 100 yards off the ship.  It was dozens of these guys jumping out of the water.  More often than not it is just a single one.
• Otters--Alaska.
• Seals/Sea Lions--mostly in harbors.  Often sleeping on buoys.
• Birds -- Many varieties depending on where you are sailing.

 

Probably, more that I just can't remember, right now.

 

My wife is all over the wildlife.  She, particularly, enjoys watching for whales.  In 2018 we cruised from Los Angeles to Alaska in April and she was disappointed that she did not see very many whales on that trip.  Most of the migrating whales had not, yet, reached Alaska from their southern breeding grounds.  In April 2019 we were on the same itinerary.  So, she braced herself for, again, not seeing very many whales.  Our departure time from Los Angeles was 4:00 pm.  From the berth we proceed though a channel which opens into an area the is still within the bounds of the harbor breakwater.  Our regular routine on sailaway is to sit on our balcony with some noshes and a bottle of Sparkling wine,  As we were sitting there with the breakwater still about 10 minutes away, a Humpback Whale popped up about 50 yards from our balcony.  Mrs, XBGuy's quest for whales was a success about 20 minutes into the cruise before we even left the harbor.

 

Wildlife at sea does not appear on any schedule.  There are two ways to see it:

 

• Stare at the ocean.  This is Mrs. XBGuy's preferred method.  It takes a lot of patience, but it does work.
• When you are in one of the public areas, and you hear a buzz from a group of people, there is a good chance that they have spotted something.  So, go over and take a look.

 

 

[InNeedOfSaltWater]

51 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

All of the above but probably the coolest thing I ever saw was a whale shark while anchored off Grand Cayman. 

Yea that would be super cool to see!

[Capt_BJ]

travel hint .... long line at the pool bar and you have thirst ...

 

gaze off to horizon, point and say "whales" ... as everyone proceeds in direction you pointed you are now only one in line at the bar & proceed to order your libation.

 

Part two .... listen to the dinner conversations all around you later that evening:

 

"did you see the whales this afternoon?"

 

"Yes, magnificent there were 4 I believe ..."

 

"I saw 6 plus a baby"

 

important not to laugh out loud . . .

 

 

*****************

near Port Au Prince Haiti

 

 

Edited July 29, 2022 by Capt_BJ

[wcook]

I’ve seen lobster. Swimming in a pool of butter. 

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, Capt_BJ said:

gaze off to horizon, point and say "whales" ... as everyone proceeds in direction you pointed you are now only one in line at the bar & proceed to order your libation.

 

A slight modification to your comment about "whales" and the bar, and this is true.  I experienced it.  During an Alaskan cruise in the Ocean Bar, a bartender loudly proclaimed:  "The more you drink, the more whales you see."  

[rkacruiser]

At dock in a South American port, a school of good sized Jellyfish was in the water between my ship and the pier.  Interesting to watch, but, I did a double take when I saw them.  Didn't believe my eyes at first.

 

I have been fortunate seeing Flying Fish, a few whales (or whale tails and spouts), Dolphins/Porpoises, but, the most unexpected wildlife sighting was when the Zaandam was sailing in Antarctic waters.  I just happened to be on an open deck and looking out to sea and over the rail.  A penguin was swimming along the side of the ship.  It would have made a good photo, but, my camera was resting in my cabin.  

[InNeedOfSaltWater]

2 hours ago, wcook said:

I’ve seen lobster. Swimming in a pool of butter. 

 

Damn no shrimp or crablegs?

[lenquixote66]

22 hours ago, InNeedOfSaltWater said:

What kind and how often have you seen sealife near the ship at sea?

Dolphins?

Whales?

Sharks?

Sea turtles? 

 

Where's the best place on the boat to see any? 

 

Is the best time at the end of the cruise when they dump the pureed fish food four miles from shore?

 

Mainly inquiring about Charleston SC to Bahamas.. but I would love to hear about everyones experience.

Otters near the Manhattan cruise port

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

Otters near the Manhattan cruise port

Well, if we are talking about sea otters - the best place to see them is on Captiva Island - from the pier at the Green Flash before going in for the best dinner on the barrier islands.