Whales

Image via Wikipedia

• One of the most popular Maui sights from December to April

Image via WikipediaMany tourists make their travel plans so that they are able to visit Maui during the time when the humpback whales are here. The whales arrive in the Hawaiian islands in December and leave Maui in April every year, so peak whale season is really January through March.

Humpback whales migrate from Alaska, where they spend the summer eating and storing energy as blubber. They swim thousands of miles to the Hawaiian island chain, where there is no food for them to eat, just so that their calves have a safe and sheltered ocean where they can learn to swim. The newborn humpback whale must breathe every three minutes. Because they are born without any body fat, the parents must assist newborn calves in getting to the surface. This is much easier to do in the 300 foot deep ocean around the Hawaiian islands instead of in the open ocean which is much deeper.

Mother and baby whale are often seen around Maui swimming together and accompanied by a male escort, who protects the female from other male suitors. Competition pods are seen around Maui quite often. This is usually comprised of one female whale and multiple male whales who perform spectacular breeching feats and compete for the attention of the female whale. These whale activities make the Hawaiian islands a spectacular place to whale watch, you wouldn't see anything as amazing at their summer home in Alaska.

Bring bincoculars to the beach to whale waImage via Wikipediatch there. In fact, if you are an avid whale watcher you can bring your binoculars everywhere with you. You will see people pulled over on the side of the road watching whales that are swimming just offshore. You will often see "spouts" of water and this is a sign that there is a whale nearby. If you are out in the open ocean in a kayak, or in a boat which has cut the motor, you can even hear the whales blowing and look for them that way. You will almost surely see whales anytime you are on a boat around Maui during whale season.

Please respect these gentle giants as they are endangered and, even so, they are still hunted by a few countries in the world. U.S. Coast Guard regulations state that all people must stay 100 yards away from the whales at all times and they issue fines for violation. Most boat captains will approach the whales within a safe distance then cut the motor. Because the whales are curious about us too, they often swim up to the side of the boat to get a good look at us. This is allowed if the whale approaches you but you are never allowed to approach the whale.