Whale & Wildlife Report | December 1-7, 2024
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Pygmy sperm whales
Blainville’s beaked whales
Short-finned pilot whales
Humpback whales
Pantropical spotted dolphins
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins
Oceanic white-tip sharks
Reef manta rays
Green sea turtles
Whale & Wildlife Report | December 1-7, 2024
Not only did we spend time with some of our favorite year-round species, we had two rare pelagic whales this week!
Captain Andrew spotted what we initially thought were bottlenose dolphins, but what turned out to be pygmy sperm whales! They are one of the rarest whales for us to see, and it was the best look that we’ve ever gotten. The group was at the surface for about a minute before sinking away, but the excitement didn’t stop there. We also found a pod of Blainville’s beaked whales! The group was lounging and one individual swam past us giving everyone some great looks. It’s so special that we get to spend time with these unique whales!
PC: Olivia Miller
Our tours encountered short-finned pilot whale pods up and down the Kona Coast. We witnessed an array of behaviors from logging to spy hopping, and our crew pointed out some large bulls in the mix. We also heard some of their vocalizations this week which is always cool for our guests to experience! Following behind of course were a few oceanic white-tip sharks. One particular group of three oceanics came to check us out, and our shark enthusiasts onboard were thrilled!
PC: Olivia Miller
With our humpback-focused tours approaching, we got a taste of what’s to come with a few sightings this week. Both of our vessels, Artemis and Callisto, are equipped with hydrophones and we were able to pick up some beautiful underwater vocalizations! Sometimes we will hear the humpbacks before we even see them, and we were treated to a couple surface sightings and our first songs of the season. We can’t wait for our official humpback tours to begin this Saturday, December 14th!
PC: Olivia Miller
We had some great encounters with dolphins this week. Pantropical spotted dolphins are so much fun to watch and our interactions are often high-energy! Their agility is impressive and we had some social pods who enjoyed porpoising through the waves and riding our bow and wake. Near the Blue Mariculture fish pens we found a mix of hunting and elusive bottlenose dolphins, and further south we found a lively pod with three sweet mom and calf pairs. We also sighted Hawaiian spinner dolphins and watched two tiny calves spinning to dislodge remoras.
PC: Olivia Miller
We love seeing Kona’s year-round marine life on our adventures. This may be the last week of our offshore tours, but we’re sure that we’ll still have encounters with Kona’s pelagic whales and dolphins during the humpback season!
PC: Olivia Miller
Interested in experiencing these tours?
Hawaiian Adventure’s tours provide the best opportunity to explore Kona’s coast and the wildlife beneath the waves. Our top-notch vessels, experienced crew, and oceanic expertise will make your Big Island adventure unforgettable.
If you’ve been on other tours, you’ll appreciate the Hawaiian Adventures difference.
