Whale & Wildlife Report | Jan 19-25, 2024
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Humpback whales
False killer whales
Short-finned pilot whales
Bottlenose dolphins
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Reef manta rays
Tiger sharks
Scalloped hammerhead shark
Smooth hammerhead shark
Monk seals
Green sea turtles
Whale & Wildlife Report | Jan 19-25, 2024
We had so many awesome encounters this week on our whale watching trips! The humpback season is a great time to use our hydrophone, and one of our tours had the best hydrophone vocals our team has ever heard! The humpback songs were so loud and lots of whales were singing beneath the surface. It was incredible. Our amazement continued with surface action as well! We saw whales breaching, cartwheeling, throwing their tails, and slapping their pec fins. One big tail slap followed by a couple breaches even drew in a tiger shark who was interested in all the splashing! There’s nothing like getting to view these whales on the water.
PC: Juliann Wiersum
During the breeding season, we have the unique opportunity to view male competition pods! We witnessed multiple showdowns this week with some groups including around three humpbacks and the largest with eight! When spotting these pods we look for multiple blows together or a good amount of surface action. We watched these powerful whales charge through the water, slap their tails and pec fins, and be all up in each other's business. One group in particular was battling it out for the majority of our trip! We watched whales surfacing on top of each other and chasing between shallow and deeper waters. Just wow!
PC: Olivia Miller
Our whale watching trips encountered heartwarming mom and calf pairs down south and one pair a bit further offshore. A couple also had a male escort traveling with them. The calves were absolutely adorable and we were treated to little breaches and tail slaps. Around Keauhou, we spotted the smallest calf that we’ve seen all season (potentially just a day or two old)! It was swimming very close to mom who didn’t take any deep dives. They both circled around the area and we got some sweet looks.
PC: Olivia Miller
We spent time with two species of pelagic whales this week! Our tours encountered false killer whales three times which was so special. We saw a mix of behavior from milling and hunting to traveling. The team and our guests were thrilled to see these unique whales in addition to humpbacks. Offshore there were also pods of short-finned pilot whales. The groups had a couple really curious juveniles, and there were lots of awesome spy hops!
PC: Olivia Miller
Close to Honokohau we saw other cool species. Outside the harbor, Hawaiian spinner dolphins were cruising around and bottlenose dolphins were hunting around the fish pens. During a couple of our humpback encounters, there were also dolphins in the mix! Along the coast we saw a tiger shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, and smooth hammerhead shark. It’s always great to see a handful of the sharks that are found in Kona’s waters. Back in the harbor we had a brief encounter with a Hawaiian monk seal and some green sea turtles sunning on the rocks. A fin-tastic week!
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.
