🐳 Whale Watching Season (Kihei, Waimea, Kaanapali: live in, pool, ferry)

[LHUD808]

Aloha, first poster here!! I am hoping to go whale watching and hopefully see some whales this year. Would February or March be too late? I was on Maui in November and didn’t see any so I made tentative plans to visit again in early February or early March. Someone on Reddit posted that sightings are down 90% this year. Not sure if it’s true or if the poster is trying deter tourism. I

[whtviper1]

Peak is January to March

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Stating facts is not trying to discourage tourism. Our main economic driver is tourism. Why would we want to deter tourism?

The facts are that whale sightings were low last year. Like whtviper1 said, the peak viewing is January through March. My husband and I participate in the official whale count conducted by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They conduct official counts all over the islands on the last Saturday of January, February, and March. Our first official count will be January 26. Records of past year's counts are easily accessible on-line.

Make sure that if you go out with a tour, they are ecologically sensitive. We see too many people trying to get too close to the whales, which does the whales no good. I could recommend a company here on the BI, but don't know who to recommend on Maui.

[LHUD808]

Thanks to you both. I wasn’t sure if it was a fact about the whale count. Also not everyone here in Hawaii welcomes tourism. People I’ve visited have shared that you can often see whales from land on Maui. I wasn’t necessarily going to do a tour but if I do will definitely seek one that is ecologically sensitive as suggested.

[Jungjohann]

I just about ran into one the other morning. Surfaced right in front of my boat. No warning, no hint, no, 'Hey, I'm coming up for air'. Nothing. And if it weren't for the fact that my boat is 21 feet long, 17 inches wide, and weighs in at 25 pounds, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Inconsiderate cetacean, like they own the ocean or something.

But yes, they're out there, them and the dreaded killer opihi. Sneaky little suckers.

[hotzcatz]

Sometimes whales get curious about kayaks, much to the detriment of the kayak's stability if they get too close.

I've not seen any this year, but I've not been looking, either. They are visible from many locations around the islands from shore so it's not necessary to take a boat to go out and look for them.

We used to do the whale count, too, but haven't for the past few years since we've moved further up the coast away from where we were counting whales.

Maybe on your vacation you could be part of the official whale count. It's all volunteers and they'd probably welcome the help.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Sometimes whales get curious about kayaks, much to the detriment of the kayak's stability if they get too close.

I've not seen any this year, but I've not been looking, either. They are visible from many locations around the islands from shore so it's not necessary to take a boat to go out and look for them.

We used to do the whale count, too, but haven't for the past few years since we've moved further up the coast away from where we were counting whales.

Maybe on your vacation you could be part of the official whale count. It's all volunteers and they'd probably welcome the help.

Here's where to sign up: https://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov...volunteer.html

Hotzcatz, we do the count at Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site by Kawaihae. Since we live in Na`alehu and need to be at the site by 7:30 am, we spend the night in Waimea. It's worth it to us, since it's a great site for seeing lots of whales from the shore.

[graceC]

I've gone on whale watching tour in Maui in December and didn't see any. From what I understand, you need to go during the peak migration season. For Maui the migration season is winter, so go mid winter. Mid-Jan to early-Feb would probably be your best bet to ensure whale sighting.

If you're ever in Boston in peak summer (mid July to early Aug), take a whale watching tour from Boston Harbor. They go to Stellwagen Bank, which is a marine sanctuary about 1 hour from the harbor by ferry and it's whale central in summer. I must have seen at least 30 whales during my trip, from humpback whales, to pilot whales, and some other types I didn't recognize. It was one of the most majestic sightings I've had in my life.

[Rain Monkey]

I will admit that my eyesight is suspect, but in years past, I have seen on occasion what appeared to be beluga from the northern latitudes that had beached themselves on the shores of Kihei and Kaanapali. Small keiki would cover them with sand or yank at them in a frantic attempt to coach them into the water. Usually they only suffered sunburned skin as a consequence of the beaching. If I correctly recall, these sightings generally occurred year-round.

[Jungjohann]

Originally Posted by Rain Monkey

I will admit that my eyesight is suspect, but in years past, I have seen on occasion what appeared to be beluga from the northern latitudes that had beached themselves on the shores of Kihei and Kaanapali. Small keiki would cover them with sand or yank at them in a frantic attempt to coach them into the water. Usually they only suffered sunburned skin as a consequence of the beaching. If I correctly recall, these sightings generally occurred year-round.

My eyesight is 100%, and I've never seen, or heard of, a beluga whale beached anywhere on Maui, let alone Kihei. I did help the Lifeguards at Kama'ole 2 pull a small pilot whale back into the deep end of the pool years ago, but no beluga.

Not even the caviar