Whale-Watching in Hawaii

Whale-watching is perhaps the Hawaiian Islands' best-kept secret and greatest natural pleasure.

Most whale-watching tours operate from late November into December and until the end of April on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and The Big Island, so make you travel plans now for unforgettable, up-close views of healthy, protected humpback whales. Their very existence has mesmerized and awed onlookers for eons; this is a part of nature you just don't see every day.

The best vantage points from which to view whales from land is basically anywhere you find a wide ocean view. But the best way to see humpback whales is right out there with them, in their domain, and you can book a whale-watching cruise precisely for that purpose.

Many experienced charter companies and their captains know exactly where to go, what to look for, and they'll also tell you all about the ancient lore of Hawaii's whales, plus their most recent past and how they are faring today.

Whales communicate underwater through mysterious "songs," forming a perplexing series of sounds. Though researchers are still trying to determine the reason for these sounds and their meanings, one theory holds that the songs are a kind of "challenge" issued by the males to other males. Most whale-watching charters have hydrophones on board, which will enable you to hear these haunting sounds.

Always scan the horizon for a cloud of spewing water that rises from 10 to 20 feet above the ocean's surface. Be patient, and watch for a good half-hour or so; whales need to breathe every 7 to 20 minutes, and their spray is simply water vapor that they exhale from their blow hole. So once you locate that tell-tale spray of water, focus your binoculars on the spot for the next one.

Whales are playful mammals and may also engage in little games with you; they will often "peek at you," poking their heads just above the water's surface to "scope out the scene." That kind of behavior is called a "spy hop," which is their way of showing off (if they feel so inclined). Usually, they'll then leap completely out of the water. If a whale is only in the mood to exchange nods, he'll slap his tail or wave his side fins at you, which is the humpback whale's particular way of saying "Hi!"

Whales are very, very intelligent, but apparently mankind isn't as far ahead of them as we'd like to think, because we haven't quite caught up with their behavioral "codes" or patterns. However, researchers do know that whales certainly see and understand us, and can even fairly accurately detect our moods.

But there's no real caution for alarm whatsoever while whale-watching. Unlike sharks, if whales do sense your fear, they will leave you alone to deal with it! They are, without a doubt, among the largest, kindest mammals on earth, and they cruise the pleasant, warm waters of Hawaii quite frequently.

On Oahu, cruise trips will take you directly to the whales' "play haven." Both morning and afternoon cruises are available with guaranteed sightings. If for some reason whales decide to be coy that day, most captains will issue "Whale Checks" for each passenger for another, free whale-watching cruise.

On the beautiful island of Maui, from November to early May, approximately 1.500 humpback whales migrate south, thousands of miles from their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic to Hawaii, where they mate and bear the calves they conceived the previous winter. Scientists estimate that this swimming trip takes them from 80 to 100 days. Because whales don't swim in "schools," plenty of migrating whales will arrive gradually from November until May.

A mature humpback whale weighs approximately 80,000 pounds. Their calves weigh around 3,000 pounds at birth and feed off their mother's high-fat milk for six to eight months, consuming 100 to 130 gallons per day.

Experts also report that whales seem to favor the waters off Maui more than the other islands because they like the calmer bays and wide bank areas found there. But all of Hawaii's islands are tiny compared to even one of the continental United States, allowing whales to commune and spread out as they like in all of Hawaii's waters.

In 1992, Congress designated The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, which includes the waters around Maui, Molokai and Lanai, as well as a small section of Kauai around the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and other, extended areas in waters throughout the state. The sanctuary serves as a protective, regulatory agency for further research on these benevolent whales and their habitats.

Off the coast of the small plantation town of Kilauea, Kauai, groups of porpoises, sea turtles and humpback whales are often spotted during the winter months (again, from November to early May) within 100 yards offshore. Maipoinaoeiau Beach Park is another popular spot to whale-watch during the winter months.

Though whale-watching opportunities from land or boat are extensive, the Marine Mammal Protection Act requires that divers or boaters stay 100 yards away from the humpback whales. It's also illegal to disrupt or alter their normal behavior in any way.

So just keep these things in mind, and be kind! The protection and preservation of humpback whales is tantamount to the pleasure, enjoyment, and awe they give to us in return.