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View From Here - Hawaii Travel Blog - Whalewatching

Total Number of Entries - 25

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A Humpback Whale Visit on Endangered Species Day

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Sat 5/21/2011

Destination: Kauai

At exactly 3:53 p.m. at Kauai's Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on Friday, May 20, I heard a woman's voice exclaim, "There's a spinner dolphin." I remember thinking that I hadn't see any earlier in the sandy-bottomed waters off Kauapea Beach. Maybe, I thought--it's really amazing how fast thoughts can whiz through your mind--maybe it's a pod coming from the bay around the point--Kalihiwai--and headed out to sea for a night of foraging. I've seen them rest there during the day before, too.
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Welcome to Maui. Welcome to Whale Soup.

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Mon 2/28/2011

Destination: Maui

We boarded a Trilogy's Elua catamaran on the sandy shores of Kaanapali, Maui at 4:00 on a hot February afternoon, as a Kona system from the south evaporated Hawaii's cooling trade winds and vog from Hawaii (Big) Island's Kilauea volcano settled on the islands of Lanai and Molokai to our west. February is known for pretty much one thing in Maui: Whales. Just three days before a whole day was dedicated to the celebration of whales in Kihei, complete with a Parade of Whales, Run for the Whales, Hawaiian music concert, “Made on Maui” market, food--lots and lots of food—and more.

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Preparation Meets Opportunity in Hawaii

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Thu 2/10/2011

Destination: Oahu, Kauai

Yesterday, I walked from one side of Waikiki to the other, from Outrigger Reef on the Beach and nearly to the Honolulu Zoo. I walked out of the sunshine and into a fluorescent room to sit on a straight-backed chair for eight hours. I listened to real scientists toss around phrases like foraging ecology, protozoal threats, cestode egg presence, Allee effects and genetic stock structure. All in an effort to suss out the best way to reverse the downward population trend of endangered Hawaiian monk seals.
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Q and A with Whale Researcher Jim Darling

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Tue 3/16/2010

Destination: Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu

A few weeks ago, I managed to fire off a few emails to Jim Darling in the height of the research season. For the past 30-some years, Jim has spent his winters in Hawaii—off the shores of west Maui, in particular—studying humpback whales. Jim’s primary field of research is whale song. Through Jim’s research, as I shared last week, we know that only the male whales sing and they do their primary singing in and around the breeding season. While Jim has studied gray whales off Vancouver and humpback whales throughout the North Pacific, he returns to Maui annually to focus on humpback singers and their song.
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Counting Hawaii's Humpback Whales

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Thu 3/11/2010

Destination: Kauai, Maui

In Hawaii, we take our endangered humpback whales seriously. February is known as Humpback Whale Awareness Month and the last Saturdays of January, February and March are officially known as Whale Count Days for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Hundreds of volunteers across the state brave potentially strong trade winds, pelting rain and searing sun to count humpback whales and record their behavior for four hours, starting at 8:00 a.m. We cancel in case of a tsunami, however, as was the case on Saturday, February 27, 2010, but we dutifully re-schedule, which is how I ended up on Crater Hill this past Saturday.
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The Best-Kept Hawaiian Vacation Secret Around

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Wed 11/11/2009

Destination: Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu

Early November is not known for being a busy time in Hawai'i. It's like the pause between the in-breath and out-breath. That time right before the holidays when craft fairs, parties and concerts vie for spots on my calendar and when vacationers enjoy some time off from their hectic lives. And yet, for me, early November is one of the most exciting times in Hawai'i and that just might be the best-kept Hawaiian vacation secret around.
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Whales Return to Hawaii

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Thu 11/5/2009

Destination: Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu

On October 21, 2009, the first official whale sighting was reported off West Maui. (Those 45-foot, 45-ton behemoths sure like Maui.) So, I thought I'd share this footage of a whale filmed by NOAA. It's beautiful, especially because the slack key composition you hear playing was inspired by this footage.
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Whale-Watching in Maui #2

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Sat 3/28/2009

Destination: Maui

At 7:30 this morning, the sun glinted off the ocean like it was a field of diamonds. Three minutes outside the Lahaina Harbor, Captain Karl of Maui Adventure Cruises nosed the boat northwest. He had already spotted our first humpback whales of the morning. Thar she blows.
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Whale-Watching in Maui #1

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Fri 3/27/2009

Destination: Maui

When I visit Maui, one of the first places I go is Maui Tacos. Thankfully, my plane touched down today just before lunchtime. After lunch, I traveled down South Kihei Road to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Sanctuary’s education center. And on to Papawai Scenic Lookout.
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Humpback Whale Counts Growing

Kim Steutermann Rogers on Tue 3/3/2009

Destination: Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu

When the winds blow at 25 knots, the surface of the ocean looks like a shimmering field of snow. And all those whitecaps make it difficult to spot whales lolling about the surface of the ocean–even with binoculars.
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