In addition to the huge winter surf, the peak of the Humpback whale season in Hawaii is here! This is not just the moment when the whales have come to the warm waters of Hawaii to give birth in December. Now the lucky whale watchers will see the mama whales with their baby calves. I've found a wonderful photo of a humpback whale mother with her calf floating right above her on the official Hawaii Humpback whale site. Why don't you pay the site a visit to see the stunning humpback whale photo and read more about what is done to save and protect these special ocean creatures, so we and our kids will be able to enjoy watching them for many years to come. You may also find out more about what's happening during Humpback Whale Awareness Month.
Whale watching boats can be seen around all the Hawaiian Islands at all times of the day this whale season. For our Hawaii visitors, the captain of the boat can't seemingly get close enough to the whales but boats or divers are not legally allowed to approach closer than 100 yards of any humpback whale or closer than 300 yards of a humpback mother and calf. Well, there is always the question 'Does the humpback whale know that?'. To tell you the truth there are many close encounters with the gentle giants reported and whale stories told. That's what we intend to do today. Here is Keoki's own close encounter with a humpback whale mother and her baby:
"Sometimes the most astonishing things happen when you lest expect it. This experience happened to me years ago, yet I can remember it as though it was yesterday. I was working as a massage therapist at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. It was January and the whales were back from Alaska for their winter breeding season.
Myself and Jeanne, a fellow therapist, had a 2- hour break and the weather was beautiful, as it often is on the Kohala Coast, though the ocean can be a bit turbulent in winter, however today it was calm as glass and we decided to take the 2- person kayak out for a look back at the island from sea. I would say we got out about a quarter mile and had decided that was far enough. The day was absolutely gorgeous and we had seen a couple dolphins and we were about turn around and head back when we had our minds blown.
You know when something happens so fast, like instantaneously, that you just sit there and go 'WOW!' in your mind. I mean not even being able to say anything. We were just sitting there and the next instant a mother whale and her baby appeared not more than 5 meters away, although at the time it seemed much closer. My first thought was 'Holy crap! What are we going to do?', and my second was 'Just sit here and let her make the next move'.
It seemed like we sat there forever though I know it was only minutes. We just kinda stared at each other, at least that was what I was doing. How she had appeared out of the blue, I'll never know but when she decided she had seen enough of us, I swear she and her baby dove straight down causing like a vortex in the ocean threatening to take our kayak with her. It was one of the most amazing experiences!"
Did you have any close encounters with humpback whales in Hawaii? Our blog visitors would love to hear those whale stories. Mahalo and aloha, Pua and Keoki Hawaii Vacations
Humpback whales in Hawaii
Whales are back to HawaiiWhale Watch in Hawaii
West Hawaii Today Whale Story
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