Hawaiian Whale Watching
On a Hawaiian cruise, there are so many things to see and so many events to experience. One of the most exciting moments of a Hawaiian cruise is coming across our Earth’s largest animal, the whale. Humpback whales are Hawaii’s constant annual visitors. They visit the Hawaiian seas during winter, escaping from the freezing temperatures in other seas to the much warmer and welcoming waters of Hawaii. These visits are highly anticipated and appreciated by tourists, cruisers and locals alike.
Whales are one of the most fascinating creatures in the world. As adults, they can range from forty-fifty feet in length and weigh around 79,000 pounds. That’s not a meager statistic for a sea animal, for any animal for that matter.
Whales are surprisingly acrobatic for their size, often seen breaching and slapping the water with their tails. These natural movements of their’s give cruisers quite an aquatic show. Ship captains, by law, are not allowed to approach whales within 100 yards. But most of the time, ships don’t have to verge nearer. Whales are curious creatures that sometimes approach cruise ships by themselves, turning and rolling around as they swim and examine the foreign vessel. They sometimes even venture close enough for cruisers to see the barnacles growing on their bellies.
It has been estimated by scientists that two-thirds of the entire whale population travels from the North Pacific to stay in the warmer waters of Hawaii each winter. This provides excellent whale-watching opportunities for cruisers who choose to visit Hawaii later in the year and enjoy the warmer weather as well. Most people will never get the rare opportunity of meeting a whale in its natural surroundings, but cruising through the waters of Hawaii gives you a much better chance. Without doubt, whales are the symbol of the ultimate marine life experience, making whale-watching an extremely popular activity in Hawaii.
Whales migrate to Hawaii from later in the year to mid-April. There’s a variety of whale watching expeditions available all over the islands as well. Many of these guarantee whale sightings and even provide expert narration to heighten the whole experience. Some operators even drop microphones in the water whenever whales are near so that cruisers are able to hear the whales’ songs.
Tracking whales is a skill, so carefully choose which cruises and expeditions that employ knowledgeable and enthusiastic operators if you want to whale watch. With laws that forbid ships to be nearer than 100 yards from the huge sea creature, some unskilled or inexperienced operators may stay too close or too far away for you to enjoy the experience.
The sheer thrill of going on a whale-watching expedition can easily race its way to being at the top of your most memorable experiences. You may have seen them many times on TV but nothing beats seeing whales in their natural habitat, giving you a chance to hear their songs, and to see their impressive bodies without anything in between. Whales show you just how amazingly diverse the world is. Always keep your camera nearby, because on a Hawaiian Cruise you never know when a humpback may show up.
Want to Learn More About the Hawaiian Islands
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii
- http://www.ehawaii.gov/dakine/index.html
- http://www.infoplease.com/
Know Your Cruising Seasons
| Season | Dates | Attractions |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | approx Nov.-Feb. | Catch a glimpse of the Humpback whales from the North as they migrate for the winter. |
| Spring | approx March-May | Spring is the time to enjoy Hawaii's festival season which stretches from late Feruary to May. |
| Summer | approx June-August | With schools out, many cruises offer more for the entire family to experience during this time of year. |
| Fall | approx Sept.-Oct. | In the Fall Hawaii experiences less rain, making it a great benefit of traveling during this time. |