Whale & Wildlife Report | Jan 26 - Feb 1, 2025
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Humpback whales
Hydrophone vocals
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins
Pantropical spotted dolphins
Reef manta rays
Tiger sharks
Sandbar shark
Green sea turtles
Whale & Wildlife Report | Jan 26- Feb 1, 2025
An eventful week with whales and weather! A brief winter storm resulted in snow atop the volcanoes and humpbacks at the end of rainbows. Wildlife sightings inside and near the harbor continued with tiger sharks, honu, and even a sandbar shark finning at the surface! We had some awesome interactions on our whale watching trips and a couple memorable nights on our night manta snorkel tours.
PC: Olivia Miller
The waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands are the breeding grounds for thousands of humpback whales. Our trips had the pleasure of spending time with lots of mom and calf pairs this week including a tiny new baby. This newborn humpback had to be less than two weeks old! Other calves showed off with some cute breaches, pec slaps, and spy hops. These mom and calf pairs are often joined by a male escort whale, and we had great passes and surface action from these individuals. How exciting to welcome these new whales into the world!
PC: Olivia Miller
Our whale watching trips typically encounter a handful of humpback whales, and sometimes they’re simply on the move. When in travel mode, they may spend less time at the surface and be tricky to track. Our hydrophone is a great tool to listen underwater when we can’t see all the action below. We picked up some nice humpback vocalizations including the sound of a massive breach that we quickly noted nearby. It’s so much fun to get a glimpse into their underwater world!
PC: Olivia Miller
A big part of whale watching is whale waiting… but it’s always worth it. We’re constantly on the search, and we were treated to some sweet surface action this week. Our guests were wowed with big breaches, pec slapping, chin slaps, and some cartwheels! Whales are wild animals and this week a few also approached Artemis to check us out. With our boat shut down, we got some crazy passes as a couple whales circled around the boat. We won’t be forgetting that interaction any time soon!
PC: Olivia Miller
Outside Honokohau and along the Kona Coast we encountered pods of Hawaiian spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and Pantropical spotted dolphins. These majestic animals are always entertaining and we watched them ride our bow, jump in our wake, and spin in the air! With so many dolphins around the island, we’re thrilled that we can see them year-round on our whale watching trips!
PC: Olivia Miller
We headed south this week on our night manta snorkel trips and had an abundance of reef manta rays! With our bright light boards attracting tons of plankton, the mantas swooped right in. After spending so much time with these ocean giants, their size is still impressive. We got great barrel rolls and up close and personal looks at some of our favorite individuals. Manta rays have distinct markings that allow us to ID them during our snorkel, so you truly get to meet the mantas!
Interested in experiencing our 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.
