OCEAN CITY, Md. - Over the past few days, people have taken to social media to post about whale sightings in town. Multiple humpback whale sightings have been reported as these whales migrate toward the south.
Suzi Luersen has been traveling to Ocean City since 1977 and says she’s never heard of whales being this close to the shoreline.
“I think it's a little intimidating,” she says. “It's a big ocean, but to think that there's something that big out there that's close and interacting with us is crazy. It's a little scary.”
According to NOAA, migration season for whales begins in November. With the whales in the water, boaters must comply with rules to protect the species. Vessels 65 feet or larger must not travel more than 10 knots to reduce the likelihood of a boat colliding with a whale.
Sonny Gwin is a commercial fisherman and the president of the Watermen’s Association of Worcester County. He says although he barely sees them when out in the water, he’s glad the whales could make an appearance.
“They don't stick around,” he says. “They're swimming through. Unless you're out there 24/7, you're not going to see them. This year, they happen to be coming along the coast a little closer, which gives a chance for the public to see them.”
Bethany O’Rourke visits Ocean City from New York and says she’s seen dolphins in the waters, but not a whale.
“I believe I saw at least like the back of the whale, you know, coming out of the water. So just like the dolphin, but bigger. I thought I was seeing things.”
Renee Wiley says she was very shocked to see posts about it on social media.
“Well, I've seen pictures and video,” she says. “I checked it because at first I thought, ‘Oh, what is this AI? We don't have whales down here.’ This is really unique.’ But it looked like it was real and that's what's out there right now.”
Gwin says the whales should be making an appearance in the springtime, when the whales head back north.
