Whale watching on the big island 2020 big island of hawaii. Humpback whales visit hawaiian waters each year from november to may with the peak of the season being from january to march. Life is a breach then you dive official oahu humpback whale season, mid dec. There are a variety of ways in which you can catch a glimpse of hawaii s humpback whales. Put your whale watching experience in the hands of a researcher who has studied whales his whole life. For the first time since 1966 when whaling was deemed illegal in the north pacific, humpbacks will no longer be considered an endangered species trying to come back from the brink of extinction. The first whales start arriving to the big island in november, and their numbers steadily build up as the season goes on until they peak in the months january, february, and march.
Where to watch humpback whales from shore across hawaii. Where they call hawaii their winter home december to april of each year. When is the best time to see humpback whales in hawaii and. Hawaiian islands humpback whale explore whale watching. The most frequently seen of mauis yearround whale residents are shortfinned pilot whales, which average 12 to 16 feet long and weigh 1. In 2014, a sick sperm whale was sighted off of kihei, and it was presumed that the whale had ventured to shallower water as it fought to stay alive. Stay at a hotel along the areas of high humpback density.
The whales are drawn to the areas shallow waters, especially the auau channel between maui, molokai. Humpback whale watching tours look for humpback whales along the kona coast. At 25 to 40 tons, pacific humpback whales are the fifth largest whale species in the world. By the week after thanksgiving, its common to find whales off of maui or lanai as they breach and leap from the waterwith many of the whales that arrive in november. In your research, you may have seen different timeframes defining humpback whale season in hawaii. Humpbacks are in hawaiian waters during the winter months to birth their calves and to mate. There are a variety of ways in which you can catch a glimpse of hawaiis humpback whales. I checked for previous questions but couldnt find the answer. Shame about the whales, i have a molokini snorkel tour booked already though. That while their season in hawaii isnt normally set to get underway for about a month.
Jan 18, 2017 hawaii is a favorite wintering spot for na kohola humpback whales and has one of the largest seasonal populations of north pacific humpbacks in the world. Free hawaii stock video footage licensed under creative commons, open source, and more. You can use the species and date filters to see changes throughout the year. If you have planned a hawaii vacation during this time, you should have no problem spotting whales. Maui whale watch tours hawaii humpback whale watching. Humpback whale season on the hawaiian islands is between november and early may. Welcome to dan mcsweeneys whale watch learning adventures. Other good islands to go whale watching are maui and kauai. The waters surrounding maui are the stage for some of the best whale watching in the world. See humpback whales in the warm waters of hawaii on this 3hour whale watching tour from kailuakona. Just as our idyllic weather welcomes tourists from around the world, the warm and shallow waters surrounding the hawaiian islands are a favorite destination for kohola, or humpback whales. Whale watch in november lahaina message board tripadvisor.
There are so many whales in hawaii during peak whale season that locals refer to the ocean as whale soup. With a donation or an adoption of a whale you can help to make the world a place where whales and dolphins are free and safe. Dec 15, 2015 a whale watch on pride of maui begins at maalaea harbor and includes a barbecue lunch, mai tais, beer and two and a half hours at sea. It is generally believed that february is the absolute peek of the season. Six humpback whale carcasses have washed up onto hawaii shores since november. Mar 28, 2014 the season runs from december to april. Humpback whale season in hawaii generally runs from november through may, although whales may be encountered in limited numbers during other months. With deaths and infections still rising around the world, the push to reopen has set off warnings from health authorities that the crisis is far from over. As you cruise along the kona coast, look for the whales and other wildlife, and learn about them from the onboard staff. Get the latest coronavirus covid19 updates for the usa with current travel advice, statistics and online resources below are average maximum temperatures at popular destinations in hawaii in november. So if you have not made your travel arrangements yet, shoot for these months.
So unless youre already going in the next few weeks, now is a good time to plan for next season. Nov 16, 2019 is november a cheap or expensive month for a hawaii vacation. Maui county is world famous as the destination for the pacific northwest humpback whales. Since the weather is temperate in hawaii all year, a november trip is a good move. Hawaiian islands humpback whale news and events december.
In fact, its one of the cheapest times of the year as you can see from the following graph. Sep 26, 2017 when is the best time to see humpback whales in hawaii. Oct 26, 2017 humpback whales in hawaii 2017 edition. These gentle giants come to the warm hawaiian waters every year to breed and give birth to new calves. November, december and january are frequently listed as the start of the season with april and may usually designated as the end of the season. Jan 02, 2016 humpback whales slow to arrive in hawaii. What you need to know about the maui whale season the. The humpback whale season in maui lasts from november to may of every year.
Hawaii big island whale watching tours hawaii discount. Nothing beats the aweinspiring beauty of the waianae coast, except maybe the equally stunning and diverse wildlife. Free hawaii stock video footage 1,082 free downloads. Officially, whale season in hawaii runs from december 15may 15, although the first whale of the season is usually spotted sometime in early october. The best time to see whales on maui is november through may when thousands of north pacific humpback whales grace hawaiian waters during their annual winter migration. In 12 years of studies by cascadia research, a total of 32 sperm whales were sighted in hawaii31 of which were off of the big island. He personally conducts the only whale watching company on hawaii i island that actively supports and protects. Humpback whales come to hawaii between november and april whale season, and the big island is our favorite of the hawaiian islands to go see the whales. Humpback whale watching december to april see humpback whales in hawaii. Humpback whales in the company of whales in the wake of giants. The whaleplanner september a whale watching infographic. During hawaiis whale season you can go on a whale watching cruise along the big islands hilo, kona or kohala coast.
But which are the best islands to visit during this time. Whale watching hawaii oahu year round whale watch oahu. Mar 20, 2017 watching humpback whales breaching off the coast of kohala on the big island of hawaii. The holiday total is from 11 november to 26 november. Each winter december through may, thousands of kohola humpback whales travel to hawaii from colder waters to breed, calve and nurse their young. For valueminded travelers, a cosmos tour of hawaii lets you discover the mustsee sightspearl harbor, waimea canyon, and scenic national parkscombined with time to explore hawaii on your own. Oct 03, 2019 humpback whales have returned and free whale watching in hawaii is really possible. They are easily recognized by their rather large and bulbous heads and their strongly curved, broadbased dorsal fins. Next year 2017 may go down as one of the most critical years for humpback whale research in hawaii in the last fifty years. During the 100day nearly 3,800 nautical mile round trip survey, humpback whale. Thats double the number typically found in a season, which runs from november to may the previous record of five whale carcasses found in hawaii waters was in 20 biologists arent sure whats behind the increase in deaths. All of the guidebooks and even many of the whale watch websites themselves note that the whales are around in november, yet i havent found any whale watch outfits that conduct tours in november.
A humpback whale was spotted in western hawaii on thursday, aug. Relax on waikiki beach, snorkel off kauais coast, savor the kona coffee, and delight in a whalewatching excursion in maui. Whale watching on kauai from december to may, you are likely to catch a glimpse of a majestic kohola, or humpback whale, off kauais shorelines. My future wife and i will be in maui from 20 to 25 november on our honeymoon and i want to take her whale watching. Humpback whale calls heard in midocean basin maui now.
Best of whale watching, monterey california as of 7. This narrated tour brings you to some of the best viewing grounds via 24person catamaran. Whale watching ecoadventure from kailuakona 2020 big. Every year between december and march, these marine mammals migrate through the ocean to breed and give birth. The worlds most famous white humpback whale from australia might have visited maui this past year. Its important for boaters to be extra vigilant during whale season, for their own safety and the protection of these magnificent animals. Roughly 10,000 whales are thought to migrate to hawaii each year, and although the increase is promising, they are still an endangered species and are protected by federal law from harassment. Humpback whales begin arriving in hawaii in november and head back to alaska in late may. Hello, we will be in maui in mid november and want to go on a whale watch if possible. Their migration crosses 3,100 miles of ocean each season. Whale season in hawaii lasts from november to may, with the peak of the season between january and. However, peak hawaii whale watching season occurs during february and march. Home blog maui species of whales in hawaii december 15 april 15 is a special time of year. Hawaiis big island is home to migrating pods of humpback whales, which often breach as they build up energy for their northward migration.
If youre in hawaii from january thru march, make sure you put whale watching in hawaii on your todo list. Hawaiis whale population is reportedly increasing at a rate of about 7% a year which means every year our sightings and encounters increase. The whales leave hawai i again late april early may. Per our analysis of hawaii hotel rates, november is an excellent month to save money on accommodations. Boat tours and whale watching cruises have become increasingly popular. Jan 02, 2016 humpback whales slow to arrive in hawaii december usually marks the start of humpback whale season in hawaii, but experts say the animals have been slow to return this year. So, if you really, really want to see lots of humpback whales on your hawaii vacation, go during the peek of the season between january, february and march. Hello, what are the chances of seeing whales in november in oahu. Thats the official whale watching season here on the island of maui, when over 10,000 humpbacks annually migrate from the summer feeding grounds in alaska. Whale watching boat tours and diy guide big island. Types of whales in hawaii almost a dozen whale species. The results of the first leg of an autonomous humpback whale acoustic survey have been released. By the week after thanksgiving, its common to find whales off of maui or lanai as they breach and leap from the waterwith many of the whales that arrive in november being males preparing for.
Humpback whales visit our warm island waters november thru may for birthing and courtship, with the peak season being january thru march. You can listen to the whales under water, spot them from. Humpback whale watching season starts early in hawaii live. Instead of a random assortment of clips we wanted to tell a story about why humpbacks come to hawaii.
Scientists estimate that twothirds of the entire north pacific humpback whale population return to hawaii to breed, calve and nurse their young. The best islands to visit in hawaii in november usa today. One of the giants was reportedly seen breaching multiple times. A critical year for humpbacks in hawaii whale trust maui. Get in touch with your wild side and meet your finned counterparts on whale and dolphin encounters hawaiis year round whale watching of other marine mammals.
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