They're back!!! (Whales, that is)

[vacationtime1]

http://news.yahoo.com/feds-first-humpback-whales-season-spotted-hawaii-132858657.html

 

[DaveNV]

Seen a week ago - so that means the first week in October? Seems awfully early!

Dave

 

[BJRSanDiego]

Seen a week ago - so that means the first week in October? Seems awfully early!

Dave

I think that I would say "Seems delightfully early".

 

[DaveNV]

I think that I would say "Seems delightfully early".

Well, sure. But only if you'll be there to see them. I won't be there till a year from now. I wonder if they'll come early next year?

Dave

 

[LisaRex]

Seen a week ago - so that means the first week in October? Seems awfully early!

Dave

"Humpbacks normally arrive in the tropics in November and stay through May. There has been a general trend toward earlier arrivals in the past two decades, with the average in the past 10 years happening on Oct. 1, officials said. About 10,000 humpbacks winter in Hawaii each year."

This is great news. We'll be on Maui in early December. First time we'll see the whales in season.

 

[slip]

We're going to do our first whale watch tour in February on Kauai. Can't wait.

 

[taterhed]

"Humpbacks normally arrive in the tropics in November and stay through May. There has been a general trend toward earlier arrivals in the past two decades, with the average in the past 10 years happening on Oct. 1, officials said. About 10,000 humpbacks winter in Hawaii each year."

This is great news. We'll be on Maui in early December. First time we'll see the whales in season.

We're going to do our first whale watch tour in February on Kauai. Can't wait.

It's so funny: sitting on the beach/patio/bar trying to eat dinner or hold a conversation--punctuated by constant shrieks and ooohs and aahs of people watching the whales breach and blow. Very hard to have a conversation; I got a sore neck snapping around to try and see every whale jump!

Just turn your chair towards the ocean and eat/drink sideways. Makes it easier. Amazing experience. Have fun.

 

[Kauai Kid]

First timers

We're going to do our first whale watch tour in February on Kauai. Can't wait.

If you can try and get on the smaller boats to see the whales. You will appreciate how big they are that way. My biggest appreciation came with the Kihei canoe club trip on an outrigger. Mama whale and calf checked us out as much as we checked them out. Then mama dove under the canoe with baby riding the slip stream on top of mama.

There is a Federal whale rescue site in Kihei for whale entangled in long line fishing nets. They slow the whales down by attaching 55 gallon floats to the lines, then get close enough to cut the whales free from the long lines.

Watched a kids nature show on Saturday with Right Whales getting entangled and they had to tranqualize the whale to free it from the lines. The floats don't work with the Right Whales for some reason. They shot the whale with a tranqualizer gun that had a 9" long needle to get through the blubber.

Be sure and think of that when you get your flu shot this year. :hysterical:

Sterling

 

[jlr10]

Seen a week ago - so that means the first week in October? Seems awfully early!

Dave

Can you blaim them? Our visits to Hawaii keep getting closer and closer too![/I]

 

[slip]

Can you blaim them? Our visits to Hawaii keep getting closer and closer too![/I]

I was thinking the same thing.

DW is checking out which tour we're going to take. She's taking an open
Cockpit airplane thrill ride on this trip too we'll be by ourselves this trip so we
Have plenty of time.

 

[Denise L]

We have a Trilogy whale watch trip booked on Maui for February :whoopie:! I hear it is "whale soup" at that time of year. Hoping to see a few for my birthday ...last April we saw just 3-4 whales in one group during our two-hour trip. It was the tail end of the season so no soup!

 

[Southerngirl528]

Denise L, Trilogy does a great job and you are correct, February IS whale soup! And Taterhed is surely right, the whales are definitely star players in our EOY trips to Maui! Being on the water is definitely recommended, but as others have said, you can see them from just about anywhere that has a good view of the water. Be SURE to take your binoculars!! And lots of memory cards for your camera! Are you boarding Trilogy's "cat" from Ka'anapali Beach? If so, be sure to wear old shoes and shorts or capris you can roll up because you will be wading out to the cat.

The mama whales particularly love the Au'au Channel that is between West & South Maui with Lana'i to the west, Moloka'i to the north and Kaho'olawe to the south. And where the mamas are, the babies are! And where those mama's are, the boys are too!! Have fun!!!

 

[Luanne]

Pacific Whale Watch does a great whale watch tour as well. We like the sunrise one out of Maalea Harbor. We liked it so much we did it twice on our last trip to Maui.

 

[Denise L]

Denise L, Trilogy does a great job and you are correct, February IS whale soup! And Taterhed is surely right, the whales are definitely star players in our EOY trips to Maui! Being on the water is definitely recommended, but as others have said, you can see them from just about anywhere that has a good view of the water. Be SURE to take your binoculars!! And lots of memory cards for your camera! Are you boarding Trilogy's "cat" from Ka'anapali Beach? If so, be sure to wear old shoes and shorts or capris you can roll up because you will be wading out to the cat.

The mama whales particularly love the Au'au Channel that is between West & South Maui with Lana'i to the west, Moloka'i to the north and Kaho'olawe to the south. And where the mamas are, the babies are! And where those mama's are, the boys are too!! Have fun!!!

We are boarding from Ka'anapali Beach , probably near the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel? I hope we have reasonable weather! I know it can be rainy in February. I haven't been there in February since 1989 and it torrentially rained for 8 out of 10 days!

 

[Southerngirl528]

We have spent almost the entire month of February on Maui this year and 2 years ago. We have gotten some rain here and there, but for the most part the weather was quite yummy! Have FUN! Love me some great whale watching!!!

 

[MON2REY]

Two years ago we took the Teralani Whale Watch Cruise from Kaanapali Beach. We had two whales stay with the boat for over an hour. They breached and swam under and around the boat. Best we've taken.

 

[meatsss]

We've used Maui Adventure Cruises the last ten years. Rigid hull Zodiacs get you close to the water and are more nimble than the bigger boats. Got some decent GoPro footage with a strong selfie stick lowered into the water. I think they have good rates, and repeat customers get to ride at the child rate. 9 weeks to go!

 

[happymum]

Have enjoyed seeing distant whales from the beach in Kihei today, but can't wait to get closer on a tour. Did a Zodiac trip with Hawaii Ocean Rafting in January and will definitely repeat.

 

[taffy19]

We have a Trilogy whale watch trip booked on Maui for February :whoopie:! I hear it is "whale soup" at that time of year. Hoping to see a few for my birthday ...last April we saw just 3-4 whales in one group during our two-hour trip. It was the tail end of the season so no soup!

The whales have been arriving earlier the last few years so they seem to be leaving earlier too as soon as the calves are ready to make the long trip.

We saw them the first two weeks in March but hardly any in the second week of April. They normally used to be there until about the end of the month.

Happymum, I am glad that you spotted some already and will take a Zodiac trip again so you can see them close-up again.

 

[LisaRex]

Just got back from Maui. Saw 2 whales from a long distance and that's it. I thought for sure I'd see some on our trek over to Lanai, but no go. Acc to the captain, the whales have delayed making their annual trek because of El Nino. The water is much warmer in the Pacific, including Alaska, and their food supply is still plentiful there.

Dedicated whale watching vessels are hoping that they'll arrive soon or they'll have to start offering refunds.

 

[sgtdesi]

We went out with Pacific Whale on their catamaran last week and saw some whales. Yesterday went out with Capt. Steve's and saw about 10 whales. It was awesome! I have noticed an increase the last couple of days in whale sightings from the Lanai, so they are definitely back. Been here two weeks, and go home tomorrow!

 

[NTP66]

We have a Trilogy whale watch trip booked on Maui for February :whoopie:! I hear it is "whale soup" at that time of year. Hoping to see a few for my birthday ...last April we saw just 3-4 whales in one group during our two-hour trip. It was the tail end of the season so no soup!

My wife and I took the very same tour that you will last February during peak whale season (2nd week) - it was a whale soup factory. This one whale in particular breached 3 times in a matter of a few minutes about 30' from the catamaran.

 

[Luanne]

My wife and I took the very same tour that you will last February during peak whale season (2nd week) - it was a whale soup factory. This one whale in particular breached 3 times in a matter of a few minutes about 30' from the catamaran.

And in March of this year we saw a mama whale breach, and then her baby right behind her. Looked like mom was teaching the baby. They repeated this several times. Amazing.

 

[happymum]

NTP66, thanks for sharing that amazing photo! What a great experience.

 

[Timeshare Von]

What a wonderful experience! And yes, thanks for sharing the photo!

We're going to be on Kauai in late January and I'm hopeful we'll be able to go out and see whales.