Mating Mantas Surround the Humpbacks

Aloha,
Tuesday’s Wake Up With the Whales was a really fun cruise. We got to see 6 different Humpbacks, and…they were active on the surface! We saw breaches and pectoral slaps, but since this is just the beginning of the season we were too excited to keep an accurate count on how many of each. Captain Mike reports that what really blew him away though  was watching two dozen Manta Rays swimming all around the whales! According to Captain Nick (who would know) this is mating season for Manta Rays, so that might explain the action.  When we got an opportunity to lower the hydrophone, we heard some very clear singing for the first time this season.
Mahalo,
Claire

Captain Claire’s Humpback Fact of the Day: It takes an average of just under 3 months for the Humpbacks to migrate from the summer feeding grounds in Alaska to Hawaii (although at least one Humpback was seen in Alaska and then in Hawaii just 45 days later). That means the Humpbacks are generally swimming at a speed of about  1 -2  knots (which is the speed we travel when ambling)!

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