Whale & Wildlife Report | June 2-8, 2024
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Short-finned pilot whales
Rough-toothed dolphins
Pantropical spotted dolphins
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins
Reef manta rays
Sea turtles
Kilauea eruption
Whale & Wildlife Report | June 2-8, 2024
You can feel the energy on the island with school almost out, summer in the air, and the current Kilueau eruption! Summer in Kailua-kona is a fantastic time for in-water and on-water adventures. At Hawaiian Adventures, our night manta snorkel tours and dolphin/whale watching adventures are the perfect way to beat the heat and experience some amazing wildlife!
PC: Olivia Miller
The summer months often provide the best night manta conditions all year! This week, our guests watched the sun sink over the horizon as we made our way to the northern manta site at Garden Eel Cove. We love the northern manta site for many reasons, and the ocean conditions inside the bay were good despite a bit of wind. We experienced some strong current but had a ton of manta rays! We counted atleast 20 reef manta rays and were treated to lots of barrel rolling and close passes. Our guests were mind blown by the activity and our manta guides were equally as giddy. During one of our trips, we even had some bottlenose dolphins crash the party and swim around the manta site! We can’t wait for more manta magic on our upcoming tours!
PC: Andrew Aggergaard
We encountered a few energetic pods of short-finned pilot whales this week. We found pods inshore and further offshore, and spotted 5 different pods in one day! The groups were pretty spread out, so we had 360 degree views of whale activity. A few groups were porpoising more quickly through the water, and we saw some breaching in the distance. A closer group of juveniles played alongside the boat, twirling and swimming upside down which was fun to see. We got some great looks and also noticed an adorable little calf that still had fetal folds and a floppy dorsal fin (so a very new addition to the population)!
PC: Olivia Miller
Amidst one of the pilot whale pods, we also spotted 15 rough-toothed dolphins. They seemed to be hanging nearby and possibly even interacting with the pilot whales which was interesting to witness. Whether this interaction was playful or bothersome, it’s difficult to say! Two rogue Pantropical spotted dolphins popped up on a different trip, which was odd considering there are usually 100+ of them traveling together in a pod. The two were very social however and cruised with us for quite some time. We also found a large pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins outside of the downtown Ali’i Drive area, and a few smaller groups outside Honokohau Harbor. We love spending time with the whales and dolphins of the Kona Coast!
Interested in experiencing these tours?
Join us, experts with over 25 years of experience running professional wildlife 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.
