Whale & Wildlife Report | October 15-21, 2023
Highlights
False killer whales
Pilot whales
Oceanic whitetip sharks
Hawaiian spinner dolphins
Reef manta rays
Whale & Wildlife Report | October 15-21, 2023
The Kona coast is known for its calm waters, but this week we experienced some motion to the ocean. Despite some swell, we had a fantastic week of wildlife! Our lively night manta adventure encountered over 20 mantas at the northern site, and our guests found themselves surrounded by manta action. Kona’s manta rays never disappoint, and we’re always thrilled to see guests’ reactions to the local nightlife!
The pelagic zone provided amazing encounters on our dolphin and whale-watching trips this week. Out near F buoy, we spotted a few oceanic whitetip sharks and some large colorful jellyfish! A little way south we encountered one of our favorite species: false killer whales! We were greeted with 2 massive breaches as the whales launched out of the water. The group remained active and we cruised with them for over an hour. With some great looks, we were able to get an onsite ID as cluster 3! On a few other offshore adventures we encountered pilot whales, one group in 5,000 ft and another in 8,000 ft of water. Our guests got some great looks at the pilots and we noticed oceanic whitetip sharks trailing both groups (a frequent occurrence). We also enjoyed spinner dolphins inshore and turtles around the harbor this week. Thank you to everyone who joined us on our exciting adventures!
Speaking of exciting… we did hear word of a humpback sighting this week. The humpbacks are coming soon, and we can’t wait to spot our first of the season! You can book one of our humpback-focused whale-watching trips this winter on our website now!
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