Best Whale Watching in Brooklyn – In the Gowanus Canal?

gowanus, originally uploaded by f.trainer.

We thought that the Coney Island Aquarium was the top place to whale watch in Brooklyn - but we were wrong!

Yesterday there was a special visitor to the infamous Gowanus Canal. A juvenile minke whale was spotted off Pier 21 by John Quadrozzi. These whales are common along the Northeast coast but not often seen this far inland and probably weighs over 30,000 pounds. This isn’t the first time an unexpected visitor appeared in the canal, a few years back a young harp seal was named Gowanda was trapped in the canal and was rehabilitated by the Riverhead Foundation and later set free, but this whale appears to be in no immediate danger, except for a blast of polluted water.

The Gowanus Creek Canal is a canal in Brooklyn that borders the neighborhoods of Red Hook and South Brooklyn. There are five east-west bridge crossings over the canal. Once a leading national transportation hub, the canal's fate has mirrored the decline of shipping via water. A legacy of serious environmental problems has troubled the area from the time the canal was first built out of the local tidal wetlands and fresh water streams. In recent years, there has been a call once again for environmental cleanup. In addition, development pressures have brought speculation that the wetlands of the Gowanus should serve waterfront economic development needs which may not be compatible with environmental restoration.

There are numerous blogs that discuss the development of the area but the one that really stands out is The Gowanus Lounge. The area is home to many industrial businesses, artists and a growing residential base.

One of the best places to sit and enjoy the summer heat is the nearby Gowanus Yacht Club. This outdoor beer garden on Smith Street serves hot-dogs, hamburgers and good beer at great summer prices.