The ocean surrounding our islands are more than 15. 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. The best months to see whales is usually between midjanuary and march as this is considered peak whale watching season. Find the best whale watching tour in maui for your family. Maui whale watching is especially unique because of the relatively shallow waters that exist between the islands that make up maui county. Some of the agencies they have supported in the past are. Boats, by law, cannot approach a humpback whale any closer than 100 yards, but oftentimes the curious whales will swim up and mug the boat. Humpback whale watching in maui options, tips, whale info. Join us on this incredible adventure which offers you the amazing opportunity to see humpback whales during their annual. Estimating nonlethal entanglement rates through scar analysis of central north pacific humpback whales megaptera novaeangliae. The explorer is a hardshelled boat with an inflatable edge like a large zodiac which gives a fast, smooth ride and a front row seat for every passenger. Volunteers collected data from 50 sites off of three islands on march 26, 2016, with a total of 94 whale sightings seen during the 9 to 9. Maui whale watching is most thrilling aboard the malolo.
Maui whale watching guide humpback whales in hawaii. You are unlikely to see as many whales as you would on a tour specifically devoted to maui whale watching, but if youre looking to save some money by combining activities, this is a great way to do it. Every ticket supports active marine research and the whale entanglement response team. Maui whale watching tours are truly an exceptional experience. Although the humpbacks migrate to other areas of globe, 50% of the migrating whales are seen here, between the islands of maui, lanai and molokai.
Mystery absence of humpback whales in hawaii has experts. Hawaiis whale watching season runs from december through may. Humpback whales in maui whales visit december to april. Other options for whale watching in maui include watching for whales while on a snorkel trip, or combining a maui whale watch with a sunset cruise. Our favorite whale watch its fast which means you spend more time watching whales and less time looking for them. How to pick the best whale watching tour in maui vacatia. Look out your window just not while youre driving please. Highlights from a whale watching trip off maui in february 2016. Protecting the ocean through science and advocacy and inspiring environmental stewardship. This high speed catamaran leaves from maalaea harbor and can get you to the whales quickly.
Heres what you need to know to see the breaching beasts on whalewatching tours in maui. The peak season for whale watching on maui is january, february, and march, though whale season in maui officially runs from december 15may 15. The number of humpback whales has been steadily increasing from when they were first recorded in 1975, and the 2016 totals show a steady 7% to 8% yearly increase with 732 animals counted including 83 calves. Maui whale watching tour catamaran shore excursion adventure from port of kahului and port lahaina.
The noaa recorded 88 stranded humpback whales between january 2016 and. Maui whale festival help save the whales maui whale. Every winter, pods of pacific humpback whales make the 3,000mile swim from the chilly waters of alaska to bask in mauis summery shallows, fluking, spy hopping, spouting, and having an allaround swell time. Pacific whale foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to protect the ocean through science and advocacy, and to inspire environmental stewardship. Every year from november to may, maui locals welcome back their favorite guests the huge, majestic humpback whales. Pride of maui nothing beats a sunset over the water when whale watching. Maui whale watch tours hawaii humpback whale watching. You can book either the midmorning, noon, or early afternoon time slots. A diving whales fluke and a second whales exhalation. Hawaii ocean project free kids whale watch maui deals. The humpback whale season in maui lasts from november to may of every year. A total of 732 humpback whale sightings were reported during the 2016 great whale count on maui over the weekend. To truly go whale watching on maui, however, and experience the wintertime magic, you need to book a whale watching tour to see the humpbacks up close.
Please call or chat with us to book or for more information. Since 1980, maui whale festival has offered a series of inspiring events held during maui s peak humpback whale season. Sickly humpback whale spotted in hawaii waters this image provided by national oceanic and atmospheric administration noaa shows a humpback whale sighted off maui, hawaii. Whale tales is an annual fourday event on maui that brings together marine experts with thousands of residents and visitors from around the world. Its a product of their success, said ed lyman, a mauibased marine.
Took the boss frogs whale watch on the quicksliver in the middle of january. The song of the humpback whale is a loud, complex series of sounds repeated over and over. Things to do on maui in spring march aprilmay may day may 1 is lei day in hawaii, just one of many reasons to visit maui in spring. Eileen johnson is an avid landscape and nature photographer from northern californiaand kevins mom. One theory was that something like this happened as whales increased. If you are ready to check out the north pacific humpback whales in hawaii, know that there are a variety of ways to experience it, and the best place to do it is on the island of maui. We are governed by a volunteer board of directors and our work is funded through fundraising activities, memberships and donations from supporters worldwide. Our big, spacious boat and can follow the whales in comfort, no matter where they roam, throughout the humpback whale sanctuary. Humpback whales slow to arrive in hawaii in this jan. Two thirds of the humpback whales in the north pacific, which is about 4 to 5000 whales, swim for 3,000 miles to the south pacific, far from their feeding areas in alaska. We offer seasonal whale watching from maui, and snorkeling all year long humpback whales are one of the larger species of baleen whales, with adult males ranging between 40 and 52 feet and weighing up to 45 tons. Our small group rafting vessels host small groups of guests so you get up close and personal with mauis whales, dolphins, turtles, tropical fish and other marine life. Lahaina cruise ship passengers can do whale watching while in port since the whale express and spirit of lahaina both leave from the same harbor where your cruise ship tender arrives. There are also whale watch tours put on by different organizations that generally handle dozens of people in large crowds, drinking mai tais and getting sea sick, which might be good for some, but maybe this is not what you had in mind when admiring mother nature.
It occurs primarily although not exclusively during the breeding. Whale trust maui conducting, promoting and supporting. Pacific whale foundation helping protect our oceans. Conducting, promoting and supporting whale research and education in maui, hawaii whale trust maui conducting, promoting and supporting whale research and. Humpback whale calls heard in midocean basin maui now. Beautiful drone footage of humpback whale and calf bonding off. We offer each guest plenty of room to roam around, for the very best view of mauis humpback whales. Hawaii 20152016 maui whale watching pacific whale foundation. The pacific humpback whales were quite active as they estimated 20,000 have arrived for a chance to breed in the warm. Whale aid, university of hawaii oahu, center for whale studies maui, hawaii whale research foundation maui and sal cerchio kauai humpback project. The maui whale festival is held in kihei at kalama park in south maui, hawaii. December 15th is the official start of the humpback whale season in hawaii, but guests on our private whale watching tour could spot whales as early as november, and since the feeling of watching a humpback from a kayak is one of the islands best adventures, we figured it was time to discuss some basics about humpback whales in maui. The winter crowds are gone, the spring weather is lovely, and prices are generally lower than during the busy winter and summer seasons.
Since 1980, maui whale festival has offered a series of inspiring events. It is that time of year where the humpback whales start to appear in larger numbers to return to the warm waters of hawaii to mate, give birth, and nurse their young. You can watch the whales from many of mauis beaches, or even from an overcrowded whale watch boat, but imagine experiencing these gentle giants aboard a kayak from ocean level. Maui whale watching tours hawaii cruise excursions. On occasion, we will have our first whale sighting as early as october or late september.
The humpback is the star of the annual whalewatching season, which usually begins in. Our fast and safe rafting vessels are low to the water and perfect for close whale watching encounters and small groups making every seat a front row seat. While you are cruising on the ocean, your incredible captain and crew will know how to find these energetic mammals. We want your whale watching tour to be unforgettable. The four global populations are north pacific, atlantic, southern ocean and indian ocean. Yes, maui whale season is here the humpback whales are the worlds largest nautical mammals that migrate from the cold waters of alaska to the warm shallow waters of hawaii. Humpback whale tailsails as she watches her calf off. They also state that, 100% of all hawaii ocean project research direct funds collected will support genuine research. Here are three great options and a few things to know before you whale watching in maui. Their migration crosses 3,100 miles of ocean each season.
For a creature that can be upwards of 45 feet long, this is a safe place. Early in the season, the first sightings are usually of males who have made the swim from alaska, awaiting the females who usually show up between thanksgiving and christmas. Humpback whale tailsails as she watches her calf off the maui coast. Maui is one of the most important habitats worldwide for the magnificent humpback whale. The two humpback whales played while swimming around each other. Every seat is a front row seat in our whale watching tours.
Since 2016, the model used by the us national marine fisheries service to manage humpback whale populations has treated the mexico and hawaii winter assemblies of humpback whales as distinct. The humpback whale megaptera novaeangliae is a species of baleen whale. Research team launches dolphin and whale tracker app pacific. Everything you need to know about whale watching on maui. Noaa hawaiian islands humpback whale national marine sanctuary.
The island of maui is the best hawaiian island to watch these majestic mammals. The fluke of a diving whale and the pectoral fin of a second whale. Enjoy ample room, and more time on the water with pride of maui out of maalaea harbor, a convenient location between wailea and lahaina. Every year the pacific whale foundations holds mauis great whale count. Humpback whale megaptera novaeangliae breaching, maui, hawaii notice must accompany publication. By simplicio paragas on 11162016, updated on 07122017. Come aboard for the maui whale watching ride of a lifetime. One of the most popular and fun things to do during this time is to go on a whale watching cruise. This is the safest and most comfortable way to experience up. Each year, tens of thousands of whales travel thousands of miles from their summer feeding grounds to winter breeding grounds.
Once they reach the hawaiian islands, they make up the most visible aquatic marine activity and. Its the perfect time for some maui whale watching by kayak. These huge mammals travel between 3 and 9 mph at over 1,000 miles per month. Whale sightings in maui typically occur between november and may. Maui and oahu, hawaii, dji phantom 3 drone 2016 4k duration. Every year, in late february or early march, the pacific whale foundation hosts the maui whale festival. Everyone on board will watch the surface for whale spouting, tail slapping, pectoral fin smacking, andthe jackpot of maui whale watchingbreaching. Each year since 2006, worldrenowned presenters have joined the whale trust research team on maui to collaborate and share the latest findings on humpback whales and their environment. Things to do on maui in spring all about maui travel blog. Festivities are carried out all week, but most of the event is held on 2 days during the weekend. No crowds, no feet getting stepped on for a better view, no heads in the way, no engine noises or.
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