Big Wings

Aloha!
Well, our 2011 Whale Watching ended with a bang…topped only by the first sightings we had for 2012! On Friday, guests aboard Alala’s 10:00 Whale Watch saw 8 different whales, including a competitive pod of three whales, 5 breaches and 3 head lunges. Seasmoke’s guests saw 10 whales and 2 breaches in the morning, and 6 whales with 2 close encounters, and one breach reported on the afternoon cruise. When the Captain deployed the hydrophone, guests were able to hear some very LOUD singing which means there was at least one male whale fairly close by.
Saturday’s and Sunday’s trips brought more of the same. Excellent sightings were reported from all boats departing from both Abay and Kawaihae. At one point on our Saturday 10:00 Whale Watch on Alala, the boat was joined by a pod of 100-200 Spinner Dolphins who seemed very excited to play with us. Guests saw 9 different whales on that trip multiple times, and one BIG head lunge. Seasmoke’s Whales & Cocktails Cruise on Sunday was accompanied by a competitive pod. Guests saw 8 different whales multiple times and 4 Pectoral Slaps (this term describes a whale lifting his 15 foot long “arm” and using it to slap the surface of the water –or another whale).
Join Ocean Sports on any of our 3 daily Whale Watch Cruises departing from 2 locations within the Hawaii Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Waters. Call us at 886-6666 ext 103, or visit www.hawaiioceansports.com to reserve your adventure today.
Humpback Whale Fact of the Day: Humpback Whales have the longest Pectoral Fins (arms) of any of the great whales. They’re so distinctive that the Latin Genus name for the Humpback actually describes those fins…The Genus and Species names are “Megaptera Novaengliae” meaning “Big-Winged New Englander” and pronounced “MAY-ga-terra No-vee-ANG-li-ee.
Mahalo,
Captain Claire