Tag Archives: whale vision

Just How Well Does a Whale See?

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Aloha,
Our Monday started off really exciting with sightings of at least 20 different whales on our Breakfast with the Whales Cruise. We saw a lot of breaches in the distance but even better…we watched 5 breaches just 100 yards from the boat. We got to spend about a half hour with a Mom and her little calf…they seemed to be aware we were there (all the “oohing” and “aahing” from our guests probably tipped them off), but they didn’t seem at all bothered by our presence. On the 10:00 Whale Watch, guests saw 7 whales including one Mom with her baby. We saw 3 breaches too, and had two close encounters on the starboard side of the boat. The whales weren’t close enough for their spouts to coat our glasses, but they were close enough that we  see details on their bodies! We deployed the hydrophone on this trip and we heard singing from a whale we estimated to be about one mile away. On the Whales and Cocktails Cruise, we saw 18 different whales, but spent the majority of our time with a Mom and her very young calf. Meggan, our on-board naturalist estimated this little guy to be no more than a week and a half old. We watched as he attempted several tail lobs and peduncle throws. And we saw Mom breach 15 times! At one point, we got “mugged” as both of them came over to check us out, circling the boat and looking at us (we saw Mom lift her head out of the water to see us better). Oh…and we also saw some breaches out in the distance!
Mahalo,
Claire
Captain Claire’s Humpback Whale Fact of the Day: The Whales “mugging” us are definitely taking a look at us. Though Humpbacks rely on their sense of hearing far more than any other sense, we do know that vision is also important to them. Based  on the shape of the Humpbacks’ corneas, they can certainly see us…but, they’re probably a bit farsighted when looking through water, and a bit nearsighted when looking through the air. And in case anyone asks you, Humpbacks have beautiful brown eyes (with at least one notable exception…but I’ll tell you about that in a future email)!

Wild Weekend Whale Watching

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Aloha,
We had a wild weekend of Whale Watching, starting with our Friday cruises, with our 8:00 Breakfast with the Whales reporting sightings of 10 different whales, multiple tail lobs, 2 pectoral slaps, a breach and some very loud singing. Nate, our naturalist aboard that trip reported that 6 of those whales were in 2 competitive pods of 3 chasing each other down the coast. At 10:00, Whale Watchers report seeing 5 different whales with 3 close encounters and 2 really close encounters (whales swimming under the boat), and our 3:00 Whales and Cocktails Cruise reports seeing 4 different whales multiple times. Saturday and Sunday brought more of the same — with the Whales & Cocktails cruise on Saturday reporting 5 whales, but the highlight of that cruise was watching a full breach about 400 yards from the boat! Sunday’s 8:00 Breakfast with the Whales cruise reports the most sightings — 15 different whales in all, and guests aboard that boat were “mugged” 3 different times (in this case, a “mugging” is a good thing, because we use the term to describe one of those really, really close encounters!). At 10:00, whale watchers saw 6 different whales and were treated to a close encounter and some very loud singing. Sunday’s 3:00 Whales & Cocktails cruise reports seeing 13 different whales multiple times…and to end the weekend with a bang (or a splash), FIVE BREACHES!
Join Ocean Sports on one of our 3 daily Whale Watch Cruises departing from 2 different locations within the Hawaii Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Waters. Call 886-6666 ext 103 or visit hawaiioceansports.com to reserve your adventure today.
Humpback Whale Fact of the Day: The Whales “mugging” us are definitely taking a look at us. Though hearing is the most important sense for the whale, based on the shape of the Humpbacks’ corneas, they can certainly see us…but, they’re probably a bit farsighted when looking through water, and a bit nearsighted when looking through the air. And in case anyone asks you, Humpbacks have beautiful brown eyes (with at least one notable exception…but I’ll tell you about that in a future email)!
Mahalo,
Captain Claire