Whale & Wildlife Report | November 1-9, 2024
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Short-finned pilot whales
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins
Pantropical spotted dolphins
Oceanic white-tip sharks
Whale & Wildlife Report | November 1-9, 2024
The humpback season is approaching, but we are still soaking up our offshore encounters with Kona’s year-round whales. This week we enjoyed lots of dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, and breaching oceanic-white tip sharks!
On our year-round trips, we often head offshore early in our adventure to begin our extensive search. Kona’s deeper waters provided us with some great short-finned pilot whale sightings this week! Our first group was fairly large, spread out, and on the move. They eventually slowed and we saw a couple nice spyhops. Further south we found another pod and their behavior was much more chill with individuals logging at the surface. They were barely moving, but we saw at least 40 spyhops from the pod if not more! It seemed like they were very curious and every member was participating! We spent a lot of time with the spyhop party and everyone got some amazing looks at this wild whale species.
PC: Olivia Miller
Our offshore searches are so exciting because we never know what we might find! Sharks in particular hold a special place in our hearts, especially oceanic white-tip sharks. We’re always on the lookout, and even just a glimpse of their dorsal fin at the surface is an impactful encounter. We couldn’t have imagined what happened this week… breaching oceanic white-tip sharks! We were treated to witnessing this behavior not just once, but twice! During the second sighting, it even spun in the air just like a Hawaiian spinner dolphin. It was such a cool sight and we rounded out the week with another oceanic white-tip shark near one of the FADs.
PC: Olivia Miller
We saw three different species of dolphins on our adventures! Our tours began with some Hawaiian spinner dolphins outside the harbor, and we spotted an adorable small calf in the mix. South in shallower waters we found an epic pod of bottlenose dolphins. We turned off our engines and were able to sit and watch them for quite some time. This species is usually on the move, so this was a special encounter. The group of 4 included a calf who was super curious and spyhopped! A bit deeper we found a large pod of Pantropical spotted dolphins that were riding our bow and surfing Artemis’s wake. It was a lively interaction!
PC: Olivia Miller
Our highlight of the week occurred outside the downtown Kona area where a pod of at least 100 Hawaiian spinner dolphins were waiting for us! Our naturalist pointed out two tiny calves who were jumping and spinning during the entirety of the encounter. A handful of the adults were getting in on the action as well, and it was awesome to see so much action during daytime hours!
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.
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