07/22/2020
A banner pilot’s route flying along the Jersey Shore turned into a spectacular scene Today when he spotted a humpback whale and pod of dolphins swimming just off the beach in Cape May County on Tuesday.
Jeromie Hunter, a pilot with Paramount Air Services, captured a photo of the mammals around noon Tuesday about 50 yards off Stone Harbor’s 96th Street beach while towing a banner for a local candy shop, said Barbara Tomalino, owner of the aerial advertising firm.
It’s not uncommon for humpback whales to swim close to the beach as they look for lunch, said Mackenzie Peacock of the Brigantine's Marine Mammal Stranding Center.
Humpback whales primarily feast on Atlantic menhaden, also called bunker, a type of forage fish that has become more plentiful in New Jersey’s waters in recent years. As adults, they can measure up to 52 feet long and weigh 33 tons.
“They will follow fish close to shore to feed,” Peacock said.
Across the state this summer, New Jerseyans have been capturing the sea creatures on camera close to the shoreline
https://www.nj.com/cape-may-county/2020/07/humpback-whale-swims-with-dolphins-just-off-jersey-shore-beach-in-amazing-photo-captured-by-banner-plane-pilot.html
