In fact, puukohola literally means hill of the whale in hawaiian. Every winter, our humpback whales in hawaii make the 3000 mile journey from alaska to hawaii to mate and give birth in our warm tranquil waters. Whale watching on the big island of hawaii big island. Welcome to dan mcsweeneys whale watch learning adventures. Kailuakona, hawaii ap an annual humpback whale count in hawaii will take place despite the federal government shutdown. After years working on the water, the founding research team noticed that whale shark sightings considered extremely rare may be occurring more often than previously thought. Whale watching kona, big island hawaii the humpback whales come from alaska to hawaii during the winter months to calve and mate. Division of aquatic resources regulated fishing areas on. December to april is an exciting time for the big island of hawaii because it marks whale watching season.
Feb 21, 2016 humpback whales mother, baby, and escort seen on the captain zodiac whale watching tour march 2015. Not only will you be in the whale s environment, but because humpback whales are curious about their surrounding, they will sometimes approach your boat. What is the best hawaiian island for whale watching. Twohour whale watching cruise for one adult or one child at e sea diver up to 46% off. A pod of four killer whales, orca whales, was found by cascadia research collective on friday 111 off the coast of kona hawaii. By the peak of the season from januarymarch, thousands of humpbacks have gathered in hawaii from hilo to hanalei, with the largest concentration of whales residing between maui, molokai, and lanai. Hawaii whale watching tours are ideal for seeing these spectacular animals in their natural habitat. The hilo side see far less boaters with only a few commercial operation so enjoy a one on one whale encounter without another boat in sight unlike the kona whale watching partys. Find the best hawaii whale watching cruises at discounted rates by selecting your island above. Operating off the kona side of the big island in the deepwater channel between hawaii and maui, torpedo tours has booked an impressive list of whale sightings on its dives. You might consider doing your whale watching on maui. They moved for a closer look and thought they were false killer whales at first, but to their surprise, they finally saw the orcas breach. Hawaiian islands humpback whale get involved sanctuary.
Be registered yearly with dlnr to take marine life for that purpose. The hawaiian islands large whale entanglement response network is a. Whale watching swim with dolphins kona hawaii kona. Oct 03, 2019 humpback whales have returned and free whale watching in hawaii is really possible. Download a one page information sheet on disentanglement response efforts.
We had the incredible fortune of encountering a large pod of pilot whales near the coast of kona, hi. Join an epic expedition in search of hawaiis biggest and best marine life. We are proud to announce we were voted one of hawaii s best 10 facilities to rent for a retreatevent for 20192020. During hawaiis whale season you can go on a whale watching cruise along the big islands hilo, kona or kohala coast. Dolphin swim, manta snorkel, or coastal cruise from kona ocean experience up to 5% off. Here in the hawaiian islands, however, the white clumps of water that signify winter are found in splashes and spouts, when between 10,000 and 15,000 humpback whales arrive in hawaii for the holidays. Whale watching doesnt require any skills or training just watch for the spouting and big splashes and youll see them. Incredible sailing experiences and ample deck space 58 feet long by 28 feet wide make the sea smoke a favorite choice for excursions of all types. Put your whale watching experience in the hands of a researcher who has studied whales his whole life. Although humpback whales can be seen from all of the hawaiian islands, the shallow auau channel between maui, molokai and lanai is one of the best whale watching destinations in the world. Hawaii whale watching guide for the big island big island guide.
And while the whales do take an extended reprieve near the islands, they are not there year round, and there may be better areas than others to catch a glimpse at their massive beauty. This is only the groups third encounter with the killer whales even though they have been monitoring the hawaiian waters for 14 years. Where they call hawaii their winter home december to april of each year. Hawaii is known as a top destination for whale watching, especially for an estimated twothirds of the north american population of humpback whales that vacation in hawaii. Nov 17, 2016 whale watching is a great big island activity. 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. Dec 15, 2015 a whale watch on pride of maui begins at maalaea harbor and includes a barbecue lunch, mai tais, beer and two and a half hours at sea. National geographic and discovery channel utilize capt. The pdf files are very large and may require considerable. Click on the chart number to download a portable document format pdf of the chart. In hawaii, maui is a top whale watching spot for boatbased viewing. Big island whale watching is unavailable for cruise ship passengers who are in port for the day as these tours depart from the waikoloa area which is a significant drive from the dock. And while neighboring maui sees about 10,000 different humpback whales migrate south from alaska, the big islands deep coastal trench attracts as many as. Experience kona whale watching kona district, hawaii.
The best luxury whale watching experience in kailua kona. Welcome to the official website for dan mcsweeneys whale watch learning adventures. What i would recommend is take a whale watching boat up north, and then do something else up there like explore waimea and honokaa and the waipio overlook or hawi and pololu and then have a nice dinner somewhere there or at the four seasons awesome sunsets and drive back at. One of the giants was reportedly seen breaching multiple times.
Hawaii uncharted research collective whale shark initiative. Open ocean safari freediving and snorkeling kona with whales and dolphins. Officially, whale season in hawaii runs from december 15may 15, although the first whale of the season. 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. Wahine charters would like to invite you to come out with us and witness one of the largest animals on the planet on the best whale watching charter in hawaii. This is when thousands of pacific humpback whales make the journey from the waters off alaska to hawaii s warm waters to breed and give birth to their young. The majestic pacific humpback whales make their pilgrimage from nearly 3,000 miles away to bask in the warm calm waters around the hawaiian islands. See the whales in small groups aboard our uncrowded vessel, the hoku elima. During hawaii s whale season you can go on a whale watching cruise along the big islands hilo, kona or kohala coast. Hawaiis humpback whales to be counted despite fed shutdown. Dan has been studying whales off the kona coast for nearly forty years and personally conducts his educational kona whale watching tours. Humpbacks are in hawaiian waters during the winter months to birth their calves and to mate. If you are here in the winter, there are many whale watch cruises available during humpback season, offering a wide range of boats, activities, education and amenities.
Hilo whale watching is best from december april humpback whales are become a daily favorite, with sightings on every whale watch tour or you come again free. In 12 years of studies by cascadia research, a total of 32 sperm whales were sighted in hawaii31 of which were off of the big island. Hawaii uncharted research collective is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that began in kona in 2017. Humpback whale watching tours look for humpback whales along the kona coast.
Captain dan mcsweeney, a whale researcher, and conservationist provides one of the. If you book a whale watching tour from maui, experience the thrill of spotting a spout about 300 yards off the bow, and then motoring close for a. These cruises are offered on the four main hawaiian islands of oahu, maui, kauai and the big island. Enjoy kona whale watching on your next trip kona coast vacations.
The open ocean safari delivers opportunities to see whales, dolphins, whale sharks, big pelagic fish, sharks, mantas, and more. Choose from catamarans, zodiacs, jetboats and even kayak and outrigger canoe tours that depart from centralized locations including lahaina and kaanapali on maui, waikiki on oahu, and kailua kona on the big island. Open ocean safari freediving and snorkeling kona with. Although most hawaii guidebooks state that whale watching season runs from november to april, the peak time for whales in kona is from midjanuary through early march. You can listen to the whales under water, spot them from. Kona whale watching is great all year long because the water is usually calm, and the ocean gets very deep right offshore, so access to the whales may take only minutes. Whalespirit sanctuary where love and transformation happen. That while their season in hawaii isnt normally set to get underway for about a month. Hawaii big island whale watching tours hawaii discount. Kona hawaii humpback whale sighting filmed with hawaii marlin fishing and daron castoro. In 2014, a sick sperm whale was sighted off of kihei, and it was presumed that the whale had ventured to shallower water as it fought to stay alive.
Plan a hawaii boat tour to truly get the most out of your whale watching adventure. There are at about 10,000 to 15,000 humpback whales in the world, and over 1,000 of them visit the tropical waters of hawaii every year at the end of november. Humpback whale watching december to april see humpback whales in hawaii. A copy of the white list and other restrictions may be obtained at the kona dar office or by downloading the administrative rule. There are many variations on the whale watching cruise in hawaii. Plus youre missing out by not spending more time on the kohala coast. You may also spot kohola from the southern shores of oahu, especially at makapuu lighthouse and along the seaside overlooks near leahi diamond head. On the east side, hilo bay is another place popular for whale sightings. Dans services and knowledge for their documentary productions on whales, so spending the day on the water with him is truly a. Humpback whales come to hawaii between november and april whale season, and the big island is our favorite of the hawaiian islands to go see the whales. We set out looking for residential pods of spinner dolphins that swim along the kona coast in family groups of 50 100 animals. Hawaiian islands humpback whale explore whale watching.
Body glove afternoon kona whale watching tour from kona pier sail beautiful kona coast in search of humpback whales. Other good islands to go whale watching are maui and kauai. Luxury whale watching in kona hawaii alii ocean tours. Whale watching cruises are some of the most popular things to do in hawaiis whale season, which runs from december through april. See the mighty humpbacks on this kona whale watching tour. Whale watching is a seasonal and very popular activity during the winter time in hawaii. The humpback whales leave the icy waters of alaska and migrate 6000 miles to hawaii every year to give birth and care for their calves. An incredible natural phenomenon is at play during the winter months in hawaii. He personally conducts the only whale watching company on hawaii i island that actively supports and protects.
Captain dan mcsweeney, a whale researcher, and conservationist provides one of the best whale watching experiences in kona on his whale watch learning adventure. Whale watching tour best dolphin snorkel tours hawaii best. Types of whales in hawaii almost a dozen whale species. During these winter months thousands of pacific humpback whales migrate from their summer feedings grounds in the waters off alaska to the warm hawaiian waters to mate and nurse their. Go here from your mobile device and click your account to create a user login.
The sea smoke has won several awards, including accolades for voyages across the pacific ocean. Wild spinner dolphins swimming in kealakekua bay and two step. Fishermen spot rare pod of orcas off kona coast honolulu, hawaii. A hawaii whale watching cruise allows you to see humpback whales up close. Kona whale watching tour comfy, wheelchairfriendly boat. Jan 02, 2016 humpback whales slow to arrive in hawaii. Body glove afternoon kona whale watching tour from kona pier. We will cruise along the coast looking for these amazing creatures that are known to slap the water with their fins and tails as well as breach. Occasionally, small groups of bottlenose dolphins say hel. Site is located between kona coast state park cinder cone and hualalai resort. Jan 18, 2017 kona hawaii humpback whale sighting filmed with hawaii marlin fishing and daron castoro. See and experience this phenomenon, a rare opportunity to listen to their songs and learn all about the annual hawaii whale season.
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