Whale & Wildlife Report | December 17-24, 2022
Highlights
Humpback whales
Humpback mom and calf pairs
Hawaiian monk seal
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Sea turtles
Spotted eagle rays
Reef manta rays
Whale & Wildlife Report | December 17-24, 2022
The tropical storm has passed, swell conditions have lessened, and we’re sunny side up for the holiday season! Our whale-watching tours have been fantastic with lots of sightings up and down the coastline. We saw action up north this week from Kohanaiki to Garden Eel to Kiholo Bay. Groups of mature humpbacks were sighted as well as an adorable mom and calf pair outside Makako Bay. As one of our first mom & calf sightings of the season, our crew and guests were extremely excited! The calf was very playful and curious, and we got some great looks as the two cruised together. Our whale-watching trips are filling up fast, and we’ve had a blast spending the day on the water with everyone!
Kona’s marine life was in force this week with some great sightings in our own Honokohau Harbor! One of the many reasons we love departing from Honkokohau is the variety of wildlife we often encounter just minutes into our trips. The Harbor itself is renowned for sportfishing and holds the record for some of the biggest catches in the Hawaiian Islands. This activity also attracts tiger sharks, and if we’re lucky, we sometimes get a glimpse of them under the surface!
Although this week’s swell stirred up the ocean floor, we were pleasantly surprised with calm conditions and dense plankton at the northern manta site. Guests were excited as hungry mantas barrel rolled just beneath our light board. Our Manta guides recognized the local rays including Gita, Bertha, Delaney, Timbuktu, Queenie, and more. Some smaller males were spotted as well, ones we hope to continue seeing and potentially identify on more trips!
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