Whale & Wildlife Report | April 28 - May 4, 2024
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Cuvier’s beaked whales
Short-finned pilot whales
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Oceanic whitetip sharks
Bottlenose dolphins
Sea turtles
Humpback mom and calf
Whale & Wildlife Report | April 28 - May 4, 2024
More exciting sightings this week on our dolphin and whale watching tours! Our adventures are a great way to enjoy Kona’s wildlife while also taking in the sights of the Big Island. Our trips explore Kona’s offshore and scenic inshore areas, and guests admired everything from the blue waters to the coastal lava tubes and caves!
PC: Andrew Aggergaard
Our tours began with some green sea turtles sunning on the rocks and Hawaiian spinner dolphins right outside the harbor. A few of the pods near Honokohau were sleepy while others gave us some acrobatic spins! We got great looks at larger pods of Hawaiian spinner dolphins outside town, and interactive bottlenose dolphins at the Kanpachi fish pens. Dolphin encounters are always a favorite for our guests!
PC: Olivia Miller
We were treated to another pelagic whale species this week, Cuvier’s beaked whales! We were exploring waters about 10,000 ft deep when our team spotted three cruising Cuvier’s beaked whales. Their unique spotting and coloration are distinctive, helping us to easily identify this species. These whales are typically illusive, but they were in a curious mood during our encounter. The group decided to come check us out, and guests got some great views. We enjoyed a few passes and two little breaches from one whale! Another wild whale encounter for the books.
PC: Andrew Aggergaard
Short-finned pilot whales were plentiful in the area this week! On one of our tours, we pointed immediately offshore and were quickly rewarded with a small group of pilot whales; a group of 6 individuals with a lot of big bulls. South of town, we had a few encounters with multiple other pods. There was a mix of behavior from whales on the move to logging at the surface. Offshore we found a massive group with a few very curious individuals that spy-hopped. Another group turned out to be our crew’s favorite pod, and featured some tiny new baby pilot whales in the mix! We spotted a couple of oceanic whitetip sharks trailing the groups, a welcome sight for our shark enthusiasts onboard!
PC: Andrew Aggergaard
The icing on the cake to a wonderful week: a humpback mom and calf! After spending time with a pod of pilot whales, we found a humpback mom and calf heading swiftly offshore. These post-season humpback encounters are an unexpected treat for whale watching in April!
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