Consolidated "Whale Watching in Hawaii - Questions & Recommendations" thread
Mar 11, 2014, 12:07 am
#136
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 625
In O'ahu this week. As mentioned earlier, I understand that it's not as good as Maui, but we're going to do a whale watch (mom, dad & 7 year old). We're staying in Kapolei, and Hawaii Nautical is out of there, but would be $120+ more expensive than Navatek out of Waikiki (we have a car, and parking shouldn't be THAT much!). So I don't anticipate using them unless my wife insists... 
Would Navatek be the best choice? It was mentioned to use a smaller company on the islands, and the Navatek boat is huge, so are there any others recommended on Oahu?
Thanks in advance!
Would Navatek be the best choice? It was mentioned to use a smaller company on the islands, and the Navatek boat is huge, so are there any others recommended on Oahu?
Thanks in advance!
Mar 11, 2014, 4:52 am
#137
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Netherlands - Hawaii - Antigua
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Posts: 32
It was an amazing experience that we were able to have because we were with one of the smaller companies that actually assists with research and contributes a portion of whale watching proceeds to research in Hawaii. Please use the smaller companies - Ultimate Whale Watch, Maui Ocean Adventures, Hawaii Ocean Rafting, and Captain Steve. Theses companies assist the Maui researchers. The big whale watching company does not have research permits in Hawaii and any research that they claim to do is in Ecuador and Austraila.
I am not sure from where you got that info about research permits, but when I looked it up I got this:
http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/...dresearch.html
And don't get me wrong I have nothing against Capt. Steve or any of the others, but just found some other info then you provided.
Mahalo Nui Loa,
Pendragon
Dec 14, 2014, 9:55 am
#138
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
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Posts: 1,001
I am in Maui for four days of whale watching. I will focus only on the whales that I personally observe and will not comment on any companies except for the ones that I use.
Yesterday, I went on three whale watching excursions with two different companies. The official whale watching season does not start until December 15 when restrictions become effective. So if I want to go parasailing, I only have today as an option.
The first whale watch was with Ultimate Whale Watch. I have been going on whale watches with this company for over twelve years. The early morning whale watch is only an hour and a half but is less expensive. The highlight of this morning's 7:00 AM trip was seeing a glorious sunrise over Haleakala. The sugar cane is being burned for processing so there was a smoky cloud. The sun was a deep burnt orange color and perfectly visible as it slowly climbed up the sky.
Our captain and naturalist were extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They saw whale blow in the distance so we went searching for humpback whales. The whales that we encountered were not very surface active so we tried to find more. Towards the end of our journey, we found a pair of whales who surfaced, exhaled a few times, and dove approximately every nine minutes. They were at least two hundred yards away. The passengers on our raft were so excited about seeing whales so close and so active. The veteran whale watchers on board were kind and did not mention that to us close meant practically in the boat. We were happy for them and did not spoil their enjoyment.
On whale watch number two, my 80 year old mother joined me. She has a difficult time climbing in and out of Ultimate's raft so she opted not to go earlier. We went with Maui Adventure Cruises. They also have a zodiac type boat, but it holds up to 45 passengers and the pontoons are lower. There were only 15 passengers on board. We encountered a few whales within the first fifteen minutes out. One whale was spyhopping. It had raised its head straight out of the ocean and was looking around. This behavior is one of the more rare ones exhibited by humpbacks and I was thrilled to pieces to see the whale's head. We then found a pod of three whales just hanging out together. It appeared to be an adult female and two sub -adult males. They were very curious about our raft and swam up to us and very slowly swam under the boat just inches from the surface. With the crystal clear water, we could see the entire whale from the tip of the head to the end of the barancle-crusted flukes. We were fortunate to have the whales repeat their cruising under the boat. They stayed fairly close and remained near the surface.
Whale watch number three was with Ultimate Whale Watch. The trip was iffy for a while since I was the only one booked. Nine other people booked the trip, including my mother, so the trip was on. Two people paid in cash and then disappeared. We waited a few minutes and left without them so there were eight people on the raft. Our captain saw splashes in the distance so we zipped along the ocean towards the splashes. We were rewarded with a yearling who did tail throws, tail slaps, and a peduncle throw. We stayed with him until he swam off. We then found the beginning of a small comp pod of one female and two interested males. They were surface active and easy to track. They were also curious about the boat and we again had super duper close encounters where the whales swam to the boat, under the boat, and all around the boat. At one point the female just parked herself directly under us so we could see her perfectly.
Our captain radioed the other boats in the area, including the huge catamaran operated by the largest whale watching company in Maui, and invited them to join us. They did and it was so cool to have the eight of us hanging off the pontoons with whales just inches from us while the passengers on the catamaran watched from the upper deck. The comp pod intensified with head lunges, bubble blowing, body contact, and even some barnacle scraping that produced a bit of blood. I am a pacifist but I do enjoy a good whale fight.
We are scheduled to go again this morning. I will update.
Yesterday, I went on three whale watching excursions with two different companies. The official whale watching season does not start until December 15 when restrictions become effective. So if I want to go parasailing, I only have today as an option.
The first whale watch was with Ultimate Whale Watch. I have been going on whale watches with this company for over twelve years. The early morning whale watch is only an hour and a half but is less expensive. The highlight of this morning's 7:00 AM trip was seeing a glorious sunrise over Haleakala. The sugar cane is being burned for processing so there was a smoky cloud. The sun was a deep burnt orange color and perfectly visible as it slowly climbed up the sky.
Our captain and naturalist were extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They saw whale blow in the distance so we went searching for humpback whales. The whales that we encountered were not very surface active so we tried to find more. Towards the end of our journey, we found a pair of whales who surfaced, exhaled a few times, and dove approximately every nine minutes. They were at least two hundred yards away. The passengers on our raft were so excited about seeing whales so close and so active. The veteran whale watchers on board were kind and did not mention that to us close meant practically in the boat. We were happy for them and did not spoil their enjoyment.
On whale watch number two, my 80 year old mother joined me. She has a difficult time climbing in and out of Ultimate's raft so she opted not to go earlier. We went with Maui Adventure Cruises. They also have a zodiac type boat, but it holds up to 45 passengers and the pontoons are lower. There were only 15 passengers on board. We encountered a few whales within the first fifteen minutes out. One whale was spyhopping. It had raised its head straight out of the ocean and was looking around. This behavior is one of the more rare ones exhibited by humpbacks and I was thrilled to pieces to see the whale's head. We then found a pod of three whales just hanging out together. It appeared to be an adult female and two sub -adult males. They were very curious about our raft and swam up to us and very slowly swam under the boat just inches from the surface. With the crystal clear water, we could see the entire whale from the tip of the head to the end of the barancle-crusted flukes. We were fortunate to have the whales repeat their cruising under the boat. They stayed fairly close and remained near the surface.
Whale watch number three was with Ultimate Whale Watch. The trip was iffy for a while since I was the only one booked. Nine other people booked the trip, including my mother, so the trip was on. Two people paid in cash and then disappeared. We waited a few minutes and left without them so there were eight people on the raft. Our captain saw splashes in the distance so we zipped along the ocean towards the splashes. We were rewarded with a yearling who did tail throws, tail slaps, and a peduncle throw. We stayed with him until he swam off. We then found the beginning of a small comp pod of one female and two interested males. They were surface active and easy to track. They were also curious about the boat and we again had super duper close encounters where the whales swam to the boat, under the boat, and all around the boat. At one point the female just parked herself directly under us so we could see her perfectly.
Our captain radioed the other boats in the area, including the huge catamaran operated by the largest whale watching company in Maui, and invited them to join us. They did and it was so cool to have the eight of us hanging off the pontoons with whales just inches from us while the passengers on the catamaran watched from the upper deck. The comp pod intensified with head lunges, bubble blowing, body contact, and even some barnacle scraping that produced a bit of blood. I am a pacifist but I do enjoy a good whale fight.
We are scheduled to go again this morning. I will update.
Mar 3, 2015, 9:24 am
#142
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FYI, their sunset dinner cruises are great (they go much further up the coast than the snorkel cruises, which spend a lot of time looking for good water for snorkeling), the food is very good and the crew is exceptional.
Mar 3, 2015, 6:51 pm
#143
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Spotted humpbacks yesterday breaching off Mauna Kea Beach on the Big Island ^
Spotted humpbacks yesterday breaching off Mauna Kea Beach on the Big Island ^
Nov 5, 2015, 7:30 am
#144
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dreamland
Posts: 927
Was cleaning up some thread subscriptions, came back to this - we did Capt Andy's in March - was a great experience - couldn't get up the coast that day but highly recommend the staff, boat, experience was all top notch.
Nov 5, 2015, 5:17 pm
#145
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Very nice of you to report back. So often people ask for and receive recommendations and then silence. ^
Nov 16, 2015, 4:31 pm
#146
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
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We (2 adults) will be in on the Big Island (time split between Kailua-Kona and Hilo) at the end of November and would like to go whale watching. We're interested in looking at whales and other marine life and hopefully clued-up commentary (no science too detailed 
), and not so interested in the snorkelling/swimming trips combined with whales.
I can find a whole lot of companies via Google, but I would appreciate recommendations for any companies based in those two cities (or anywhere else on the Big Island, I suppose).
I have seen mention of whale watching by moonlight, anyone tried that and have experience to report?
Thanks!
), and not so interested in the snorkelling/swimming trips combined with whales. I can find a whole lot of companies via Google, but I would appreciate recommendations for any companies based in those two cities (or anywhere else on the Big Island, I suppose).
I have seen mention of whale watching by moonlight, anyone tried that and have experience to report?
Thanks!
Nov 18, 2015, 5:58 pm
#147
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum 5 million miles
Posts: 1,001
I have not been whale watching on the Big Island. Captain Dan Sweeney operates on a year round basis, so he is probably your best option. Humpback whales have barely started their trickle migration, so you could possibly see some, but sightings are not very common in November. Other types of whales are spotted off the coast of the Big Island.
Nov 22, 2015, 7:19 am
#148
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
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I have not been whale watching on the Big Island. Captain Dan Sweeney operates on a year round basis, so he is probably your best option. Humpback whales have barely started their trickle migration, so you could possibly see some, but sightings are not very common in November. Other types of whales are spotted off the coast of the Big Island.
Jan 11, 2016, 8:47 am
#149
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 195
Whales in 2016
Recent media reports indicate the whales are late to arrive in Hawaii this season. Watching the golf tournament from Maui I noticed some whale shots but maybe not as many as in years past. Does any one who has recently been in Hawaii, or currently in Hawaii have any information on whale sightings?
Jan 11, 2016, 12:40 pm
#150
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