2 Sub-orders of Cetaceans

Aloha,
Guests aboard our 10:00 Whale Watch on Alala from Kawaihae on Thursday got to see a Mysticete and a whole bunch (I guess I should say “pod”) of Odontocetes. Our Mysticete was a lone Humpback that was swimming towards the west. We first saw his spout about 2 miles from shore, and were able to watch him surface for about 30 seconds at a time, and then dive. Captain Will estimates this whale to be about 40 feet long, and since the whale stayed with us for about a half hour, we all got a good look at him, Our Odontocetes were actually a pod of Spinner Dolphins doing what they do best…swimming, jumping, twirling, flipping and whistling! On the Whales and Cocktails Cruise from Anaeho’omalu Bay, our onboard naturalist Captain Mike reports that guests got to see a lone Humpback as she cruised down the coast. She looked like she was on her way somewhere important, as she just surfaced to breath only to dive down and swim underwater some more before repeating the pattern.
Mahalo,
Claire
Captain Claire’s Humpback Whale Fact of the Day:Though the Humpbacks we see average between 40 and perhaps 50 feet long, there is anecdotal evidence that the largest Humpback killed by whalers was 88 feet long. This Humpback was taken in the Caribbean.