Whale & Wildlife Report | November 17-23, 2024
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Short-finned pilot whales
Sperm whales
Humpback whale
Bottlenose dolphins
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Rough-toothed dolphins
Tiger sharks
Oceanic white-tip sharks
Reef manta rays
Whale & Wildlife Report | November 17-23, 2024
Inshore, we were thrilled to find another early season humpback whale this week! We encountered the individual outside the Magics Beach area, and they had decently long downtimes. Although they never showed us their tail, we stayed for a couple surface intervals and everyone onboard was delighted to see this iconic species!
PC: Olivia Miller
With our unique ability to explore Kona’s offshore waters, we’ve spent a lot of time with pelagic whales. Offshore, a pod of short-finned pilot whales was spread out and moving in all different directions. We saw varied behavior from deep dives to more social activity. Two oceanic white-tip sharks also came to check us out during the encounter and eventually we got a few good passes and even some spyhops from the juveniles!
Our team was also overjoyed to also encounter sperm whales this week while on our private charter vessel Callisto. Sperm whales are one of the more rarely seen whales on the Kona Coast, so this was a unique sighting! The group of around 30 whales was traveling, and we were able to admire their flukes when they took deeper dives.
PC: Olivia Miller
Inshore and offshore, we enjoyed encounters with interactive bottlenose dolphins. We witnessed an adorable tiny dolphin who was leaping repeatedly out of the water with its pod. Further south we had another lively group who rode our wake and bow, and we lowered our bow ramp so guests could get some looks at the action below! Offshore however was our most exciting bottlenose interaction with over 20 individuals surrounding us. They were spy hopping, tail slapping, and exhibiting every type of behavior you could imagine. It was so cool!
PC: Olivia Miller
We also found a huge pod of rough-toothed dolphins. We typically see just a few together, but our team estimated about 40 in the pod! They were bow riding and being very social which was somewhat atypical to see. It was a special encounter, and we were stoked on the rarity of our sighting. Outside Honokohau we found another beloved species, Hawaiian spinner dolphins. We often begin and end our adventures with these acrobatic dolphins!
PC: Andrew Aggergaard
When the sun went down, we headed to the northern manta site for our night manta snorkel. We were treated to ideal ocean conditions and a good amount of reef manta rays swooping below. Our guides maneuvered to a great spot and were able to get some plankton build up under our light boards. We had some closer passes from a few mantas and classic barrel rolling. This experience is a must for anyone visiting the island this winter!
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.
