Whale & Wildlife Report | November 24-30, 2024
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Humpback whales
Short-finned pilot whales
Bottlenose dolphins
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Reef manta rays
Oceanic white-tip sharks
Whitetip reef shark
Tiger shark
Monk seal
Green sea turtles
Whale & Wildlife Report | November 24-30, 2024
It’s beginning to look a lot like humpback season! We officially begin our humpback-focused tours on December 14th, but a few of our dolphin/whale watching tours encountered humpback whales this week! We spotted a solo subadult humpback who was traveling quickly and gave us a nice look at their flukes when taking a deeper dive. Even more thrilling, we saw our first mom and calf pair of the season! Our team estimated this calf to be only a few days old, and we watched adoringly as mom supported it at the surface. We ended up seeing this duo on three different occasions, and it seemed like every day the calf was getting stronger! We witnessed attempted tail slaps and throws, and on our final trip it managed a half breach. What a heartwarming sight!
PC: Olivia Miller
We had so many fantastic pilot whale encounters this week. Near the airport we found a pod of at least 60 whales with lots of curious juveniles. This group also had a handful of oceanic white-tip sharks in tow who came and checked us out! One individual from another pod treated us to a breach which was wild to see, but the coolest interaction was from some larger bulls who were rolling at the surface and vocalizing underwater. We could hear them through the hull of Artemis! We had more interactions with other pods and a couple more oceanics, and we may have set our record for the most pilot whales spotted in one day… 150+! Will we ever top this? Stay tuned to our weekly whale reports to find out.
PC: Olivia Miller
Artemis, our 46 ft catamaran, is the perfect boat for a private group snorkel or whale watching adventure! During a snorkel trip we spotted two cool creatures, a whitetip reef shark and a monk seal! Monk seals are rare for us to encounter while snorkeling, so everyone was thrilled! One of our guests was particularly passionate about sharks, so we were stoked to also see a tiger shark feeding on the surface. Every friend and family adventure on Artemis is a memorable one!
PC: Olivia Miller
This week we had lots of interactions with Hawaiian spinner dolphins outside the harbor, and two larger active pods along the coastline. It’s always a treat to see this charming species. We were excited to see quite a few bottlenose dolphins on our tours, and we identified the same sassy calf that we saw last week! They tail-slapped and were just as energetic as our prior encounters. We enjoyed watching other individuals ride our bow and wake, and a few wowed us with massive leaps at least 15 ft in the air!
The Kona Coast is truly a marine life enthusiast’s paradise!
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.
