Whale watching in hawaii is the perfect way to enjoy the incredible humpback whales as they make their yearly journey to the hawaiian islands. My husband and i are going to maui and the big island from march 15march 22nd. The first whales start arriving to the big island in november, and their numbers steadily build up as the season goes on until they peak in the months january, february, and march. You wont see as many on the big island, but if youre on the shore you should still be able to see some. Federal law requires divers to keep a distance of least 100 yards from the humpbacks that make the islands their home from late november to early may. It is home to hms excellent, the oldest shore training establishment within the royal navy, and the location of the navy command headquarters. Humpback whale facts and figures, migration pattern, and viewing tips. Dont miss this fun opportunity to count whales and record their behavior from the. Swimming pool, internet, air conditioning, hot tub, tv, satellite or cable, parking, no smoking bedrooms. The count is held the last saturday of january, february, and march during peak whale season of each year from 8. Between november and april is peak whale watching season around the big island.
Come aboard the hang loose, a modern luxury catamaran, and enjoy a whale watch cruise along the big islands kona coast. Hawaiian islands humpback whale national marine sanctuary. Its whalewatching season on the big island holualoa inn. If you are very passionate about whale watching, but arent interested in a boat tour, you could consider spending the day in waipio valley, hiking to pololu valley, or having a sunset picnic in holoholokai beach park. I was wondering if anyone had a preference on which island would be a better island to see the most whales. Also, is this week even a good week to see whales or is it just a waste of money. Ocean sports tours with two locations from abay and kawaihai harbor. A good example of that mix can be found in its resident whale population. Should you find yourself on the island of hawaii, making an effort to go whale watching is an unforgettable experience, but youll need to do a bit of planning to make it happen.
Big island travel is most enjoyable with plenty of thorough planning and time. Weve compiled the most fearsome, weirdest, and most ridiculous sea monsters from a new book on one of historys strangest maps, which is available september 15. Big island whale watching tour venture out with wahine charters and witness one of the largest animals on the planet on the best whale watching charter in hawaii. One of the great things about big island whale watching is the fact that often. Are you looking for the adventure of a lifetime on the big island of hawaii. Big island whale watching can be an oceanshattering experience, literally. Big island whale watching whale watching tours on the. It has to do with the depth, 600 feet is the magical number, but one big difference between the two locations is population of boats. Researchers think that the gestation period for a humpback is around 11 months, which means the calves were seeing this year were conceived last yearand on tuesday, we got to see both aspects of the life cycle, our tuesday wake up with the whales cruise began with mom and calf right outside of the bay.
So we all decided to go whale watching with island packers out of ventura harbor and see if we get lucky, and oh did we. The big island is a must do because of the active volcano there. What you choose to include in your big island travel will likely vary depending on the time of year and on which side of the island you will be staying. The best time for humpback whale watching in hawaii is between november and april, with the peak taking place between january and march. There are loads of whales and they know exactly where to find them. Plan your perfect vacation to the hawaiian islands. Captain zodiac ocean rafting kona whale watch tour from honokohau harbor set out on a search for humpback whales on a speedy 24ft zodiac raft, and get a front row seat to see these majestic mammals in the beautiful waters of kona. Sanctuary ocean count and great whale count volunteers gathered to observe humpback whales from kauai, oahu, hawaii, and maui. The most recent population estimate for the main hawaiian islands insular.
Whale watching on the big island mauna lani sea adventures. They stayed with us for about 15 minutes, and then we saw a competitive pod starting up. The sanctuary ocean count project offers the community a chance to monitor humpback whales from the shores of o. This is when thousands of pacific humpback whales make the journey from the waters off alaska to hawaiis warm waters to breed and give birth to their young. They are perfectly situated on the kohala coast in the humpback sanctuary. Our vessel, the wicked wahine, is a fast, comfortable ride that. Big thanks to island packers for a great experience and cant wait to. Humpback whales make their annual journey to hawaii between the months of november and april whale season, and the big island is our favorite of the. Click on the chart number to download a portable document format pdf of the chart. Hundreds of humback whales counted along hawaiian island. Hawaiis best whale watch cruises and sailing trips. A group of the worlds leading whale biologists embark on an expedition, sailing around canadas vancouver island, and. On the big island, whale watching opportunities abound with a full schedule of tours provided by seasoned, knowledgeable guides.
Here is a selection of big island whale watching tours or other cruises on which you are likely to see whales. Whale and dolphin watching from shore on big island hawaii. On this exciting big island whale watching tour, experience the thrill of traveling aboard a highspeed raft, and then seeing a whale swimming just in front of the boat. The whales leave hawaii again late april early may. Free gifts, no booking fees, and easy booking with travelshack. Mauna loa, which is the secondtallest mountain on the big island, helps block trade winds that can more easily affect whale watching on the other hawaiian islands, especially in the afternoon. Humpback whale season on the hawaiian islands is between november and early may. We had the incredible fortune of encountering a large pod of pilot whales near the coast of kona, hi. Join the crew of body glove charters for a kona whale watching tour on their beautiful, 65 foot catamaran. Whale island is a small island in portsmouth harbour, close by portsea island.
Waikoloa whale watching 8am whale watch hawaii ocean sports offers wake up with the whales a 90 minute morning whale watch on a sailing catamaran, casting off. This site needs to store information on your computer in the form of cookies to work. Welcome to the official website for dan mcsweeneys whale watch learning adventures. Weve seen whales from 5 different islands, and the end of january is a great. Boat tours are available departing from lahaina harbor many times throughout the day during whale season. Humpback whale behavior, how to listen to the humpback whale song.
Your vacation travel planning and activities guide for whale watching on the big island of hawaii. One of the kohala coasts premier beaches, anaehoomalu beach is a favorite haunt for frequent big island visitors. Well, look no further because adventure x boat tours specializes in giving guests safe, quality, and fun ocean adventures that are respectful and. This package offers a guaranteed humpback whale sighting. A group of the worlds leading whale biologists embark on an expedition, sailing around canadas vancouver island, and investigate the islands killer, gray, and humpback whales. Pseudorca, or false killer whales, are a large toothed whale that lives in the. Hawaii whale watching guide for the big island big.
The whales do seem to prefer west maui, perhaps because of the shallow, warmer water. Though the boat will obey the federal laws and not approach within 100 feet 30 meters, it isnt uncommon for the whale to decide to swim up under the boat. Aloha and thank you for visiting adventure x boat tours. For the big island you will have best chance of seeing whales in the north kona, and north and south kohala districts. See why body glove has the best on big island experienced guide, hear whales sing with hydrophone, spacious boat with bar, and sighting guarantee. Body glove offers a variety of cruises along the big island of hawaiis kona coast, including dolphin adventures, dinner cruises and whale watching tours. The number one spot to go whale watching is in kaanapali, maui and the number two spot is kohala coast, big island. More than 430 volunteers gathered data from the shores of the big island, oahu and kauai during the third and final event of the 2019 hawaiian islands humpback whale national marine. When you dive with whales in hawaii, remember that the whales are diving with you. Humpback whales visit hawaiian waters each year from november to may with the peak of the season being from january to march. The south kohala and north kohala districts of the big island see the most whale action, and there are more than a handful of excellent tours you can sign up for including, captain dan mcsweeneys whale watching adventures out of honokohau harbor. Sanctuary ocean count hawaiian islands humpback whale. Every year in the winter they travel from their summer feedings grounds off alaska to the warm hawaiian waters to mate and nurse their young.
Body glove is a household name for whale watching tours on the big island. We are close enough to be in the thick of it and far enough away to have all the privacy that you want. You might also spot some of the other whale species that make their home in these waters yearround sperm whales, pilot whales, pygmy killer whales and rare beaked whales as well as dolphin pods and curious sea turtles. Plan an excursion to go whale watching on the island of hawaii to spot humpback whales and other species. But that doesnt mean, you cant spot a whale in the summer. Though the humpback whales play to crowds in the winter, theyre out of here come spring, hungry and ready to head back to their summer feeding grounds in alaska. An idyllic tropical paradise on a small island, whale island is. Whale watching on the big island offers more than just humpback sightings, too.
By using the site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. The annual great whale count by pacific whale foundation brings volunteers together to count whales from shore as part of a longterm survey of humpback whales in hawaii, with 12 survey sites. Whale island pulo sa estados unidos, florida, pinellas county, whale island pulo sa estados unidos, south carolina, beaufort county, whale island pulo sa estados unidos, massachusetts, norfolk county, whale island pulo sa estados unidos, california, stanislaus county, whale island pulo sa estados unidos, alaska, sitka city and borough. Site is located at the end of hookena beach road off highway 11 mamalahoa highway. Whale watching at santa cruise island with island packers. This is still an area of volcanic activity and there are hot springs on the. Since long before whale watching gained the enormous popularity it boasts today, captain dan mcsweeneys passion and caring for whales defined the character of his whale watching business. Theres plenty of whale watching tours or even snorkel tours to choose from. Every winter, pods of graceful humpback whales migrate from alaska to the warmer waters of the hawaiian islands chain. The kids asked some great questions, and got to view some great action too. This narrated tour brings you to some of the best viewing grounds via 24. Just as our idyllic weather welcomes tourists from around the world, the warm and shallow waters surrounding the hawaiian islands.
Encounter playful and majestic humpback whales on this midmorning trip through the big islands national marine sanctuary, one of the best breeding grounds for humpback whales in hawaii. The best months to visit for peak hawaii whale watching. Hawaii info guides big island whale watching results for visitors to the hawaiian islands. One of the most popular and fun things to do on the big island in the winter months december through april is whale watching. The catamaran also is equipped with underwater hydrophones that let you hear the whales sing.
Plan a hawaii boat tour to truly get the most out of your whale watching adventure. The big island is known for its geographic and ecologic diversity. Hawaiis big island is home to migrating pods of humpback whales, which often breach as they build up energy for their northward migration. Whale watching on the big island your big island experience. Hi,i am thinking of visiting hawaii for the first time.
Whale watching on the big island 2020 big island of hawaii. The pdf files are very large and may require considerable. It is an epic day of discovery as you wander off thebeaten path and experience the islands most awe inspiring sites. I would absolutely recommend ocean sports for your whale watching adventure on the big island. Hawaii big island whale watching tours hawaii discount. Captain zodiac ocean rafting kona whale watch tour from. Every winter, our humpback whales in hawaii make the 3,000mile journey from alaska to hawaii to mate and give birth in our warm tranquil waters. Hawaiian islands humpback whale get involved sanctuary. Do as they do and call it abay that way youll truly be in the know. Due to the location and nature of the ongoing eruption that started on may 4, 2018, the epic island volcano journey has an alternative itinerary.
Dont miss your chance to see these awesome mammals as they play, learn, and compete in the hawaiian waters. The kohala coast of the big island is a marine mammal sanctuary and provides these animals a warm and safe environment to give birth and tend to their young. Explore whale watching hawaiian islands humpback whale. Most of big islands east side is unsuitable for whale watching, but occassionally whales can be seen from the highway near naalehu in the south, and off 4 mile beach near hilo in the northeast. Moutohora is a small uninhabited island located off the bay of plenty coast of new zealands north island, about 9 kilometres 5.
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