From December to March, over 10,000 humpback whales migrate to Hawaiʻi to escape the cold for mating and giving birth. There are all kinds of whale watching tours you can do, but sightings aren’t guaranteed. I met a few people on Oʻahu who’d ended up getting their money back when they didn’t see any whales.
I didn’t actually do a whale watching tour. I went on the ‘Na Pali Coast Super Raft Snorkel Adventure’ with Captain J’s Offshore Adventures, which was incredible, but I’ll write about the trip in general in another post. What was extra special about it was all the whale action! We never did the snorkelling (which was fine with me since I can’t even swim) because we were so busy watching the whales. So I’m very excited to share my photos!
We actually saw not one, but TWO full breaches! Even the crew were freaking out. They said people had been paying good money for whale watching tours for months but seeing next to nothing. I didn’t get photos of the breaches, but that’s perhaps for the best for me, because I saw it with my own eyes, not through the viewfinder. It will be crystal clear in my mind for a long time.
I don’t think anyone cared about the snorkelling at that point. As the crew put it, you can snorkel anywhere, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime sight. It seemed to be the same pod the whole time. We saw them on the way out and on the way back.
When I left a review, I saw others gushing about the whales a week later, so it looks like it’s still happening!
The trip would have been amazing with or without the whales, but yeah, that was an incredible bonus.
May your memories of Kauaʻi be full of stunning landscapes and whales! 🐳
Atlas and a Camera 