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When someone asks me to name the wildlife in New York City, I immediately think of pigeons and rats. Maybe the occasional brazen squirrel that steals my picnic food. So when I saw a winter wildlife cruise on offer from Classic Harbor Line for $124, I paused. What wildlife?
Seduced by the promise of food and drinks onboard, I proceed from Chelsea Piers onto the Manhattan II for a 2.75-hour excursion. Already, I take comfort in the heated cabin made of wood. Having boarded many cruises around the city’s harbor, from plasticky ferries to tacky wanna-be nightclubs, I have to admit this 1920s-style yacht stands out from the flock. The glass ceiling, tastefully festive decor, and timber paneling exude cozy warmth. Even the cold exterior adds to the romantic seafaring vibe, making me wish I had a pipe to moodily stare at the horizon.
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But a complimentary round of alcohol has me feeling like a salty sailor in no time. While taking in the rare winter perspective of the skyline lined by floating chunks of ice, I hear what’s in store for us. It turns out Classic Harbor Line is tapping into a growing trend that few often think of: Animals are coming back to New York’s waters.
“A lot of people don't know there are seals in New York,” says Russell Jacobs, an urban naturalist who guides the tours. Though seals are just one of a few marine mammals returning to the harbor, the big-eyed creatures steal the cliff-shore spotlight in winter. Swimming to the harbor likely from Maine or Canada, they only visit the city from December through March.
Seals, dolphins, sharks and whales are all coming because “the water quality has been getting a lot better,” says Isabelle Stinnette, the senior scientist for restoration ecology at the Hudson River Foundation. She says there's less low-oxygen water in the harbor, which means more fish for the seals to eat. It's all thanks to a combo of environmental protection initiatives like the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Billion Oyster Project and restrictions on commercial fishing.
Though the Seals, Seabirds and Winter Wildlife tour can’t officially guarantee a sighting, Jacobs says that as of February 2025, “we've had a 100% success rate so far with seeing seals.”
Sure enough, as the Manhattan II rounds some islands south of the Verrazzano Bridge, numerous seals swim up to the ship to peer at us with their curious black eyes. The cruise offers binoculars to passengers, so I throw on my warm layers and head to the outside deck to watch the flipper-footed mammals watching us. Some jump up out of the water, showing off their spotted coats. And in front of the island, small baby seals wobble around on the boulders near shore.
Just behind the seals and pups are ruins and a haunting smoke stack. Jacobs explains this is where officials used to cremate the bodies of those who died from contagious diseases. During the yellow fever and cholera outbreaks in the 1800s, infected people were sent to Hoffman and Swinburne islands to quarantine. Centuries later, people used to try to steal urns from the abandoned islands.
Like strange messages in bottles, the tour is full of shuddering sewage facts and curious historical tidbits. The guide explains why the Hudson River flows in two different directions and how milk from cows would spill into the Buttermilk Channel. He also shows us a hidden aquarium most New Yorkers don’t know about and an island that hosts battles to the death between birds and rats—because you can never escape rats in NYC, even in its wateriest reaches.
Jacobs also points out parasitic birds, sandpipers migrating from the arctic and even peregrine falcons. While the streets of New York get sleepier in winter, plankton populations boom and the harbor gets busy during the coldest months. “There's always life out in the harbor,” says Jacobs.
The end of the cruise is topped off by sailing directly in front of the Statue of Liberty (much closer than the Staten Island ferry will get you) and Ellis Island, to ensure all the harbor hits. The sights and stories are accompanied by warm cinnamon rolls, bagels with whipped cream cheese, and greek yogurt with fresh berries, or sandwiches later in the day. Both morning and afternoon cruises are scheduled for low tide when animal sightings are best, and be warned the ships will depart without latecomers.
In addition to offering five eco-tours to educate about climate change and the environment, Classic Harbor Line also works with and donates to the Waterfront Alliance, Hetrick-Martin Institute and others. Their combined efforts could help continue shifting the tide for wildlife. “It is a tremendous change from the ‘70s, but we are not there yet,” says Mike Dulong, the legal program director at Riverkeeper. “Life is trying to come back. If we could offer an opportunity with clean waters, it would come back.”
Jacobs believes these tours help with that awareness and support. As he points out, “It's kind of a hopeful time for wildlife in the New York harbor.”