Maui Snorkeling Trips

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

If you look really closely at the right side of this humpback tail you may notice evenly spaced scratches.  The left tip is also missing.  Both appear to be from an orca attack, but the scars seem to be old ones.  This was a male escort traveling with a mother and her new calf.

Transient, or rogue, orca can be very dangerous to a young humpback whale, or any whale calf.  Researchers tell us they are intelligent enough to know attacking a large whale would not be a winning situation, but hungry orca attacking a calf seems to happen very often.  There are many adult and sub-adult humpbacks seen in Hawaiian waters with scars from a battle with orcas.  Not all scars are on the flukes (tails).  Some scars are seen on the pectoral fins and around the mouth.  If a calf is attacked while still with its mother, mom will use her great tail or her entire body to protect and defend her young.

Whale watching is nearing its end in Hawaii.  We have only a few weeks left, but there are still many animals out there.  Tomorrow, all of us with cameras ready will be on the lookout for anything nature offers.  To find fascinating scars on whales is always a real photographer’s treat!  Won’t you join us?

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

“What is that?”  The question was being asked by many passengers who were watching the turquoise glow shimmering in the warm tropical sun.  That color was a humpback white pectoral fin reflecting the sun.  We all waited with great anticipation as the animal rose slowly, took air and began to move away, followed very quickly by a scarred up male who seemed to be patiently standing by.

When on a marine safari in Hawaii it is always wise to remain vigilant and keep a watchful eye in the waters surrounding the vessel.  Our comfortable catamaran affords a wide and spacious upper viewing deck making it very easy to walk from side to side and gaze into the beautiful blue water.

It was a ‘mugging’ today.  The whales chose to come over and spend their valuable time with whale lovers old and young.  The amount of animals in the waters surrounding Maui makes it very easy to find whales to spend time with.  But it is the call of the individual that makes a close encounter one that will never be forgotten.  Can hardly wait for tomorrow!

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

Today’s whale watch was very challenging for the boat captain, but the whales never cease to amaze.  Twice mothers with calves approached the boat to check out the curious whale watchers.  Winds were clipping at 30-35 mph, but hardy passengers wearing jackets and secured hats kept cameras in hand as they clung to the railing.  Even though there is a comfortable and spacious cabin, everyone chose to stay on the upper deck of the comfortable and smooth feeling catamaran in hopes of getting a glimpse of these majestic and popular marine mammals.

Humpback migration season is in full swing with mom/calf groups seeming to dominate the waters around Maui.  Playful calves frolic and learn while sub adults and adult singles mingle in the waters around all islands hoping to mate before having to head back up to northern waters around Canada, Alaska and the Aleutian Islands in search of the fish they love.

Tomorrow we will board and head back out in search of the ‘friendlies’.  Cameras ready, caps off, those memory cards will quickly fill up and so will our hearts.

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

It is peak humpback whale season and mother/calf groups are everywhere you look.  It is truly amazing to witness the population growth researchers talk about.

The calf in this picture was practicing breaching after mother left the water with a tremendous splashdown.  The calf then breached again and again for about 15 minutes before seeming to tire out.  The pair were quiet for a few minutes with the calf resting on its mother’s head, then breaching behaviors resumed, much to the delight of passengers, crew and captain.

Why do they breach?  Researchers believe breaching has multiple reasons such as sloughing skin, dislodging barnacles, parasites, remoras or cookie cutter sharks.  In the feeding grounds breaching is seen as communications and stunning prey, along with some of the same reasons mentioned above.  Whatever the meaning, breaching is a behavior one never forgets when seeing it up close.  The sound upon landing is a tremendous BOOM, which researchers say can be heard for a great distance, and divers in Hawaii can verify that.

Coming to Hawaii?  People come from all over the world to Hawaii this time of year just for the humpbacks.  Come out with us, we have plenty of room!

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

Every day we hear passengers saying their heartfelt wish is to see whales close up.  For the past 19 days straight we have not been disappointed.  Each day behaviors are logged as are proximity of visits and these animals never cease to amaze.  According to researchers, if this population of North Pacific humpbacks continue to grow, it is very possible they could reach pre-whaling numbers in about 50 years.  A world without whales is simply unthinkable.  It was Jacques Cousteau who said “if we cannot save the whales, how can we save ourselves?”.

We love them.  That is a fact.  People have a fascination of ocean animals, and possibly even more so, animals that are enormous.  Whale watching season in Hawaii is nearly half over.  There are literally hundreds of whales in Hawaiian waters this time of year.  Researchers feel that possibly 4000 animals migrate here.  Coming to Hawaii?  Visiting the islands without going on a whale watch tour should be unthinkable!  See you on board.

Photo Courtesy K. Velasquez

Some days are just like that.  You start your marine safari with high expectations but when something really amazing happens it takes time to truly digest the gifts that were given.

By gifts, I’m talking about whale visitation.  This is more than a mugging.  This is when whales come over and actually spend time with a vessel and passengers.  Such was the case today.  Twice, with different groups, whales came over and stayed under and around the boat, and each visitation was nearly a half hour.  Startled passengers and crew ran from side-to-side, taking pictures, which was an easy feat today since these animals were in no hurry.

Why would whales approach and hang around like this?  Researchers aren’t really sure.  But when we are allowed precious moments such as these, why doesn’t really matter.  All that matters is that they give us a tremendous gift of their time.

Are you planning on whale watching in Hawaii?  Please do.  Oh, you might want to grab an extra card for the camera.  You may need it!

Photo courtesy K. Velasquez

When out on a marine safari we always tell our passengers to expect the unexpected.  Many marine animals, besides humpbacks, make their presence known.  We see manta and eagle rays, scalloped, tiger, and great white sharks, flying fish, and many other types of schooling fish, such as scad, dolphins (several species) including false killer, pilot, and melon headed whales.

Who would have thought that during such an excursion a beautiful and very large pirate ship would come cruising by?  We’ve heard rumors that the next Johnny Depp pirate movie is being filmed in Hawaii and production is to start very soon.  We did not expect to see the beautiful vessel up close and personal!

So this goes back to what we like to tell our visitor and resident passengers.  Stay awake, keep that lens cap off, and always expect the unexpected.  Sometimes things that make an appearance will amaze even the most seasoned boater!  See you on the water.

Photos Courtesy K. Velasquez

Can you identify the Hawaiian Sergeant Major, or Mamo, as it is called in Hawaiian?  If you were to say the one without the yellow in the pattern, you would be correct.  Stripes are the same, nearly identical, with both species, but the one with yellow on the top is from the Indo-Pacific oceans.  Both fish are very beautiful, curious of humans, and in a balanced reef, prolific.