Three Amazing Beluga Whales Spotted in Oyster Bay Harbor

Three young beluga whales were spotted in the waters off the Long Island's 'Gold Coast' area, in the Memorial Day weekend.

Three whales from the north were seen enjoying in waters of long Island Saturday during an aerial search by The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation. The three high-profile visitors were seen doing beluga things like swimming and expelling air. Beluga whales usually like the arctic weather, but people spotted them Friday morning in Manhasset Bay near Port Washington.

The whales, which were first spotted in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island on May 10, showed up Friday more than 100 miles west in Manhasset Bay, in the suburbs of New York City. The area is known for its million-dollar estates and was the setting for the fictional 1920s novel "The Great Gatsby."

Mallory Nathan, the town of North Hempstead's chief bay constable, said he started getting calls about the whales around 6:30 a.m. When he went to investigate, he found the whales in deeper waters far from shore, headed north toward Long Island Sound.

"They seemed to be swimming freely and appeared healthy," said Nathan, who said he was excited to encounter the mammals. Each of the whales appeared to be less than 8 feet long, so they are considered to be juveniles. "I hope they're not in distress."

Researchers say the marine mammal beluga whale is also referred to as white whale, melonhead, beluga or sea canary. They generally prefer waters of Arctic area - North America, Russia and Greenland.