WHALE WATCHING

When you come with us on a Calypso whale watch, the onboard naturalist, captain, and crew will be just as excited as you are to see humpbacks. The 45-foot cetaceans inspire awe, delight, and excitement with their very existence, and whenever they come over to our 65-foot catamaran – wow, oh wow!

As soon as the boat leaves Ma’alaea Harbor, keep your eyes peeled for any big motion on the surface – especially large clouds of misty spray in the distance. (That’s a whale of an exhalation!) No matter what is going on out there, the Calypso whale watch naturalist will give you an exciting play-by-play and “swimming commentary.” Some of the more popular moves that whales engage in at the surface are the tail slap, the pec slap, the peduncle throw, the spy hop, and the ever hoped for launch-of-an-entire-whale-from-the-water full breach!

Whenever the boat is stopped for a while, you can go down to the underwater viewing room. If the whales choose to swim beneath the vessel, you’ll be able to see them through the glass panels in the bottom of the hull! That is one of the most awesome things about the Calypso whale watch. (It is rare for a whale-watching vessel to have a glass-bottomed seating area.)

Many North Pacific humpback whales are born in Hawaii, and they return to the Islands each year to choose mates, breed, and give birth. The shallow, protected waters of the Maui Nui Basin are a terrific playpen for new calves. These little ones use this fairly predator-free region to learn how to be whales: to practice holding their breath, try out their first breaches, and begin to develop a close relationship with their mothers which they will maintain for the next year. Can you believe that humpback moms transform about one-third of their body weight into milk for their single calf?

For adult male whales, these same waters are chock full of competition and opportunity. Adult males tend to spend the longest time on the breeding grounds – and away from their food sources up north. (Speaking of food, did we mention the Calypso offers an epic dinner cruise, too?)  The males’ ethereal singing, amplified by the Islands’ underwater caves and lava tubes, can often be heard throughout Hawaii’s nearshore waters. If conditions are calm enough, we can drop our hydrophone into the ocean, and you can hear the whales communicating in real time!

Bring the kids, bring your camera, bring polarized sunglasses if you have them, and bring an open heart. (Who doesn’t love an open heart?)

Aloha, and whale see you soon on the Calypso whale watch!