Whale & Wildlife Report | March 9-15, 2025
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Humpback Whales
Fin Whale
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphins
Reef Manta Rays
Green Sea Turtles
Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks
Laysan Albatross
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Whale & Wildlife Report | March 9-15, 2025
It’s the second to last week of our official humpback season! If you haven’t been on the water yet or are craving more sightings, now is the time to join us! The Hawaiian Islands are the winter breeding grounds for thousands of humpback whales. We have the unique opportunity to welcome the newest generation of humpback whales to the world! This week we had sweet mom and calf pairs with one particularly huge calf. It’s likely that they will depart on their migration soon. Our trips enjoyed some playful babies and saw breaching, tail slapping, and a few just rolling around the surface. How cute!
PC: Olivia Miller
Sometimes we wish we were whales so we could listen to the humpback songs on repeat! There was a symphony of sound this week with whales spending more time beneath the surface vocalizing. During longer downtimes, our crew pulls out the hydrophone so we can listen-in. During other encounters, the action was plentiful and we saw tail slapping, pec slapping, and breaches. A couple whales also gave us some nice passes and close views. Whales are wild animals and we never know what kind of activity we will encounter on our adventures!
PC: Olivia Miller
Fin whales again!! This is the second time we’ve seen this species this month. Sightings this close together are so rare! Our team spotted a blow ahead and knew that it wasn’t a humpback whale. Suddenly, the whale surfaced next to us and we were mind blown to see it was a fin whale! This individual had lots of interesting markings and we tracked with them for a while getting great surface intervals. We can see unique whales in Kona and this sighting has us excited for our year-round whale watching season!
PC: Olivia Miller
It’s always interesting when worlds collide and we see whales interacting with dolphins! While watching a pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins near Kua Bay, our team noticed a humpback swimming upside down and doing all kinds of funny behavior with the dolphins. Other pods of spinners were cruising close to the coastline and our guests enjoyed lots of bow riding and spinning. It’s cool to see these acrobatic dolphins show us how they got their name!
PC: Olivia Miller
Not far from the marina, we had a host of cool marine life sightings. We saw multiple hammerhead sharks and one was particularly massive! They were finning at the surface and everyone got some great looks. Near the fish pens, we saw hunting bottlenose dolphins and a Hawaiian monk seal! Our eyes are always on the sky as well, and a Laysan albatross gave us a fly-by during a whale watch. What a great week!
PC: Olivia Miller
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.
