# Humpback Whales Yet??



## Kauai Kid (Oct 31, 2007)

When we were on Kauai in early Oct the first whale of the season was spotted breaching near Lanai.

Have any other whales been seen since that time?

Sterling


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## gstepic (Oct 31, 2007)

*Hmmm, did not think it was the seaon*

We will be in Kauai the 10th through 12 of November so maybe I will keep my eyes peeled, especially when we take our Napoli sunset cruise. Of course there may be some spots better than others and I have not been paying attention when reading the Revealed books when it comes to whale watching. Maybe I should!

Gary


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## MON2REY (Oct 31, 2007)

http://www.mauiweekly.com/localnews/story5455.aspx 

Check out this article.


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## Kauai Kid (Oct 31, 2007)

gstepic said:


> We will be in Kauai the 10th through 12 of November so maybe I will keep my eyes peeled, especially when we take our Napoli sunset cruise. Of course there may be some spots better than others and I have not been paying attention when reading the Revealed books when it comes to whale watching. Maybe I should!
> 
> Gary



December through March is prime whale time.  I've never heard of one showing up in October until this year.

By the way it is the Na Pali Coast.  In Hawaiian Na means north and Pali means cliff.

I'd cry if I only had 3 days on Kauai---you'll be back, just mark my words.

Sterling


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## gstepic (Nov 1, 2007)

*I think you may be right*

I really love photography and I from what I have been reading I think it may end up being my favorite. This trip we want to get a taste of the islands we have not been to - The Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. We have been to Hawaii only once before at Oahu and I fell in love with Hawaii on that trip. We hope to go back on a regular basis and spend a week at a time or more on just one island. 

Gary


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## shmoore (Nov 1, 2007)

We are hooked on Hawaii. Now we spend as much time there as possible. We were on Kauai and Maui for four weeks in January. The whale watching was WONDERFUL. They were so close to us that I thought I could smell whale breath! That excursion was the highlight of our trip to Maui.

Due to a stroke of magic we are headed to Kona tomorrow for four weeks on the Big Island. I hope we can see whales again. Our realistic goal is to spend a month in Hawaii every other year. Thanks timeshares, without you this would never have been possible.


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## gstepic (Nov 1, 2007)

*Say hello if you see me*

If you see someone wandering around wearing some sort of Uiversity of New Mexico Lobo shirt that will be me! We leave Saturday morning for the Big Island and I am just so darn excited! We will be staying at the Royal Sea Cliff resort. We are planning to meet another Tugger we got to know on this forum while on the Big Island (teepaka or something like that - Tony, help me out if you see this as I cannot remember your handle). 

Gary


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## marsha77 (Nov 1, 2007)

Have a great trip Gary & shmoore - as for me it's 50 days before I'm there 

& when you return please post!  

Marsha


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## Kauai Kid (Nov 1, 2007)

gstepic said:


> I really love photography and I from what I have been reading I think it may end up being my favorite. This trip we want to get a taste of the islands we have not been to - The Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. We have been to Hawaii only once before at Oahu and I fell in love with Hawaii on that trip. We hope to go back on a regular basis and spend a week at a time or more on just one island.
> 
> Gary



Gary:  Be sure and check out Troglodytes photos in this Hawaii section.  Looks like National Geographic.  Amazing to me how I can have a top of the line Nikon 35 mm SLR and nothing beats the naked eye for the stunning beauty of Kauai.  You won't believe your own eyes when you see the Na Pali Coast. Hope you see a humpback whale breaching.  Size of a semi, 40 feet long, 80,000 # leaping clear out of the water.

Sterling


Sterling


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## gstepic (Nov 1, 2007)

*Loaded for bear*

Sterling,

I have checked out Steve's shots and really enjoyed looking at them. I also am enjoying the extra gealogical commentary he gives, it all adds to the experience.

I am really loaded for bear when it comes to photos. I am taking my Canon 1D Mark III and 5D, which are two of Canons best digital cameras along with a 24-105, 17-40, and 100-400 lens. I will also bring a small tripod with me. I mentioned this on a photography forum I participate in and I get all kinds of "travel light and leave leave most of that gear at home" comments. But I shoot a lot of sports and some weddings so landscape photography is a real treat to me and I am looking forward to using my gear with a type of photography I love but don't seem to have the time to do.

Gary


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## Kauai Kid (Nov 1, 2007)

Gary you may want to consider having your film printed on island because they never get the colors right on the mainland.

Sterling


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## Palguy (Nov 2, 2007)

gstepic said:


> Sterling,
> 
> I have checked out Steve's shots and really enjoyed looking at them. I also am enjoying the extra gealogical commentary he gives, it all adds to the experience.
> 
> ...



The only thing I would suggest you would include in your arsenal would be a solid monopod (I use a Manfrotto 676B with a Manfrotto 3229 head with the same equiment you have). It comes in handy when taking pictures from a boat. The best tour boat I have found for taking pictures is "Ultimate Whalewatch" out of Lahaina Harbor. They try very hard to position the boat for best lighting. I met Mike Sweet http://gallerysweet.com/ , a professional photographer whose many photos can be found at the "Pacific Whale Foundation" store on Front St., on this tour last year and he was taking 3 and 4 trips a day on this boat. Good luck, hope you get some nice shots.

You can also check out some of my feeble attempts at photography last January at http://www.flickr.com/photos/palguy/ .


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## gstepic (Nov 2, 2007)

*I may use monopod instead of tripod*

I have a Manfrotto monopod I use for sports, it is the model where there are three small legs that tuck into the pod on the bottom. The tripid I would take would be ok for the 5D but too light for the Mark III. I am going to have to be practical since my wife will be with me (practical means not taking much time to get the shots!) and the monopod would be much quicker to set up and use. 

Not much time to think about this though as I am going through my to do list today for all those last minutes things that need to get done! It seemed like this trip would never get here and now it is less than 24 hours away!

You had some nice shots and this evening I will spend more time looking at them. My cameras are digital (Sterling - this is what is nice about digital, I can do any corrections with my computer) so I will be able to work on the photos and maybe post them while on our trip. 

Gary


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