Whale Watching Spectacular
It is late in the year and soon all eyes in Hawaii will be on the lookout for the telltale signs that the humpback whales have returned. December marks that beginning of whale season and the humpbacks will be there by the thousands. Each December they migrate 3,000 miles from their summer home in Alaska to court, mate, and give birth in the region's warm waters.
The calves are born in Hawaii because their thin layer of blubber would not allow them to survive the frigid Alaskan waters. These three ton babies waste no time putting on fat as they consume over 80 gallons of their mother's milk and grow by as much as 100 pounds each day.
Maui, once known as the whaling capital of the world, is one of the best whale watching spots in the islands because these amazing creatures stay close to shore in the shallow, calm waters bordered by the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kaho'olawe. The Pacific Whale Foundation and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary are headquartered on Maui and are committed to scientific research, public education programs, and lobbying to save the whales.
By April these fascinating mammals will begin heading back to the waters around Alaska to feed during the summer months. There is a gestation period of 10 to 12 months so the calves that are conceived this season will be born next winter when the whales return to Maui and, once again, put on their amazing show.
Imagine yourself relaxing on your beachfront lanai and watching the whales swim by from this perfect vantage spot. They are easy to see as they give themselves away with their distinctive blows; those huge plumes of water they exhale. They frolic and play, while males compete and show off to win the females over. You can see them roll, slap their tails, and occasionally breech fully out of the water. It is truly a spectacular show!
I highly encourage visitors to take a guided and educational catamaran whale watching adventure. Or better yet, if you have the time, do as I did and take the ferry to Lanai for nonstop entertainment with these graceful leviathans. If you go to Lanai there is also the added bonus of lunch at the Lodge at Koele or the Manele Bay Resort, both of which are Four Seasons managed properties.
Contact me via email and I will plan your Incredible Journey to Hawaii and a chance to witness one of nature's most amazing rituals.
Joyce Craddock
Hawaii Specialist
jc@incrediblejourney.net
