Maui Snorkeling Trips

As the second biggest island in the Hawaiian china, Maui is home to some of the most spectacular sights on Earth.  Some of the animals that reside on Maui do no exist anywhere else, providing a one-of-a-kind nature experience. They are completely native species that have developed an independent strain of characteristics.  To see these beautiful animals in the wild is not a problem while on the island.

Just ask a local tour guide where you can go and how to get there and he can show you the way, but don’t think that all of the wildlife is found on the shore. In Maui—and in other locales around the globe—much of the diversity of wildlife is found under the sea. On your trip to Maui, make an effort to go snorkeling or take a Maui whale watching tour so that you can get the complete experience.

Artwork Courtesy Mike Ogata©

Researchers tell us that fifty million years ago our whales’ ancestors walked on land, ate meat and possibly grasses, and headed into water when volcanoes activity began to take out much of land-based life forms.  It wasn’t until about thirty million years ago that baleen whales began to evolve.  What an amazing beginning to the ocean’s largest of predators!

The above picture of a humpback calf resting reminds us of how fragile and delicate species can be.  There is much talk of releasing the hunting ban on humpback whales.  It was Jacques Cousteau who said “a world without whales is unthinkable.” and I feel most of us agree.  To insure they remain for future generations is going to take a combined effort, but they can be saved.

Watching whales has been proven to be way more lucrative than whale hunting.  Even though one whale is worth one million dollars to the companies who still insist on this type of hunting, once the whales are gone the income will cease.  To keep these animals around just makes good business sense.

Whale watching in Hawaii has been on the rise, with more companies joining in an effort to keep up with the demands of whale watchers.  Keep loving them everyone!  December will be here before we know it and our wonderful humpbacks will return.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.  It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin

Humpback season in Hawaii is winding down and animals are slowly becoming scarce.  Where did the months go?  It seems like just a few days ago it was early January and the season was fresh.

Today’s excursion involved a mom with escort and a really new baby.  How new?  He still had fetal folds!  While mom rested he breached, tail slapped, rolled around on the surface, and a couple of times he rested on top of mom’s head.  We observed mom rolling on her side, half of her tail sticking out in a nursing posture while the calf dove down for about two minutes before bursting through the surface for air.

Tomorrow is our last trip for this season.  We will journey out with excitement and eagerness, our expectations high and cameras ready for whatever comes our way.  Hopefully the summer will fly by as quickly as this winter has and our dear humpbacks will be back in Hawaii’s waters as eager whale watchers who love them climb on vessels and venture out, hopes high and hearts ready to be filled.

This male was in the middle of it all.  Humpbacks brawl, shove, push, and take each other down, all of it very serious.  If you look closely at the above photo you will see the blood on the trailing edge of this fluke.  His tubercles were also bleeding.  Although this is not a fight to the death, as far as researchers know, a death did occur several years ago during a competition.  Researchers believe that the humpback’s heart may have given out.  What was even more interesting was as the animal began to sink toward the ocean floor, one or more males tried to lift him to the surface and one tried to hold him.

What is it about?  In the animal kingdom many males compete, or fight, for the right to mate.  Dominance must take place.  The biggest and strongest males are more successful in mating.  Most researchers agree that the animals seem to feel bigger is better because it may produce a larger offspring who would have a better chance of success.

In humpback world researchers tell us that the size of the female is key.  Bigger females produce larger offspring.  If a female were sixty feet in length, her newborn calf would be the length of her head, or twenty feet, at birth and would weigh approximately two tons, the same weight at mother’s tongue!

Are there small calves out there?  Indeed there are, the products of smaller moms.  Humpback mating season in Hawaii is nearly finished.  The numbers are thinning out very rapidly with a few straggling adults and many moms with calves still milling around.  So grab your camera and hurry on down.  We’ll save you a rail spot.

This active mother with a new calf was very busy this afternoon.  Tail and pec slapping for nearly 20 minutes while her calf swam circles around her head, this new mother had much to say, to the delight of all on board.

We are told by researchers that humpback mothers are extremely caring of their young.  Indeed, they are seen caressing each other and constantly touching or rubbing on one another.  Today’s calf was clumsy and cute.  Occasionally while finishing an attempted breach, the calf would fall against mother’s side or head and slide down, the little pectoral fins rubbing mom as he slid.  Adorable.

Whale watch season is quickly winding down, but with this and other new calves we are sure they will be around for the next three to four weeks, at least.  Grab your camera, sunscreen, hats and come on board. Tomorrow will provide another exciting marine adventure, we are sure.

Oh, those powerful males!  Finding a competitive group while on a marine safari is always an amazing experience and this day was truly astounding! Although there appeared to be only five large males, the female seemed to lead them around our vessel with the ease of an experienced humpback who had been through this many times.

Researchers tell us that the males outnumber the females two to one so it makes perfect sense that they have to compete fiercely in order to be allowed to mate. Watching breaching, head slapping, lunges and many more behaviors leaves even the novice whale watcher breathless.

Wanting to go out on a boat?  Best makes your plans for very soon.  The numbers are already thinning out and whale season in Hawaii will be over before you realize.  Grab your camera and jump on.

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

Today’s windy journey to see whales was not uneventful.  Whales were abound and in spite of winds more than 25 mph, we had whales come close and mug us.  This adorable calf breached over and over again, while delighted whale lovers tried their best to get the perfect picture.

From our vantage out on the water nearing the Auau channel (translates to bath water), we were able to look up on the ridge above an area known as Olowalu (many peaks).  There, courtesy of mother nature, is a magnificent bird in red rock, suspended on the mountainside for thousands of years, and probably thousands more to come.  According to Hawaiian legend, she is called Halulu and is a very important leader of migratory birds, showing them the way to southern islands, like Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and more.  At the end of the season, she would lead the way back to Hawaii.  Most of the information about this magnificent rock formation has been lost in time, and the best place to get a really good picture is from the water.  There used to be a very well defined head with beak until a strong earthquake in the early 1970s caused it to break off and fall into the valley below.

Are you an avid photographer?  Do you love wildlife and Hawaiian legends?  Come on out with us.  We would love for you to join us on our next whale watch cruise.  We always have room for one or two more!

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.