Whale & Wildlife Report | June 9-19, 2023
Highlights
Short-finned pilot whales
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Reef fish
Kealakekua Bay
Whale & Wildlife Report | June 9-19, 2023
It feels like summer on the Big Island! A little vog from Kilauea set the scene this week making for some beautiful bright sunsets and sunrises on the water. With the current eruption, warm weather, and year-round whale watching, it’s an exciting time to be on the Big Island!
The past two weeks have been fantastic for whale and wildlife sightings! We’ve seen quite a few active groups of pilot whales moving up and down the coastline. As one of the year-round whales we may encounter, pilot whales are one of our most often sighted species during our trips! During one of our deep water searches, we came across a pod of nearly 50 pilots, and after observing for a while, jumped in the water for an offshore snorkel with them. We had some amazing passes and great looks at this massive pod of pilots (happily checking off one of our guest’s bucket list experiences)!
We always encourage an early departure on our private charters as the morning hours are some of the best for viewing Hawaiian Spinner dolphins! Pods of Spinners (sometimes over 100) will make their way inshore after their evening offshore hunt. We’ll often see lots of activity (jumping, spinning, and porpoising) in the early morning and late evening hours! Departing from Honokohau Harbor, we frequently spot pods just outside the harbor mouth and along the nearby coastlines.
While we do love exploring the offshore, Kona’s inshore reefs and coastlines are equally exciting! When searching inshore we often find surface-feeding mantas, vibrant fish, turtles, dolphins, and more! There are lots of snorkel sites to choose from, and our snorkel private charters allow us to choose the best site of the day! During one of our recent snorkel trips to Kealakekua Bay, we enjoyed the serenity of the reef as the only boat (besides a few kayakers) in the bay. With the summer approaching, snorkel season is upon us and we couldn’t be more excited for our upcoming adventures!
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