Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Ocean beaches, Shinnecock to Montauk
Summer pods work the ocean beaches from Shinnecock to Montauk, often visible from the sand as a line of fins moving parallel to shore. The most likely large marine mammal an East End beachgoer will actually see.
Best months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Best time of day
- Morning and evening calm
- How to see
- Scan the near-shore ocean on calm mornings; whale-watch trips out of Montauk see them regularly.
- Operator
- CRESLI (whale watch sightings)
- Cost
- Free from the beach
- Age
- All ages
- Accessibility
- Any ocean beach
- Responsible viewing
- Marine Mammal Protection Act — 50 yards minimum by vessel, never feed or swim with them.
- Weather / sea state
- Calm seas make fins visible.