On Saturday, March 16th, a few members of the North Brooklyn Boat Club paddled out on a snowy and foggy afternoon to look for the dolphin recently sighted in the East River. They didn’t have to paddle far, as the mammal was just off our North Brooklyn shores. The boat club has seen some amazing wildlife on birdwatching trips and with the filter feeder working group in partnership with Newtown Creek Alliance, but this is an exciting first. The photos and footage here was captured from a canoe near the shores of Greenpoint.

As the harbor becomes cleaner and marine mammal sightings become more prevalent, it is even more important to abide by NOAA’s viewing guidelines for marine mammals. These guidelines are in place to protect these species and to help boaters avoid accidentally violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act & Endangered Species Act, which is punishable by fines of up to $50,000. In general, you should never attempt to feed marine mammals and remain a respectful distance (50 yards is the minimum recommended distance for dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea turtles).