Kona - Whale Watch

[shellseeker]

Has anyone done a whale watch excursion in Kona? We were originally going to use the Pacific Whale Foundation in Maui but found a land tour that we would like to do while there. We did a whale watch excursion in Alaska and loved it so we'd like to do one again.

[JulieMcCoy]

We did not do an official whale watch last month, but we saw whales when we went on our Captain Zodiac snorkeling trip from Kona. There was a mother and baby whale, and we stopped for a while to watch them. One swam right under our small boat!

[zelker]

Typically whale watching is better around Maui as that is where all the moms go to give birth. If your there long enough, you should do both excursions.

[shellseeker]

Thank you both so much for your replies. I learn so much from this board. We may be changing our plans for Maui so perhaps we will do a whale watch tour in both places.

 

Thanks again!

 

LuAnn

[zelker]

Hi, LuAnn. I was suggesting that maybe you could do both excursions on Maui (whales and whatever your other one is) - but as far as I'm concerned, one can never do too much whalewatching!! :D If you're interested, I can point you to other whalewatching options on Maui that will get you off the large PWF boats and onto the really fun, fast zodiac boats which the whales LOVE and will usually approach, swim under, etc.

 

Barb

[shellseeker]

Thank you Barb. Sorry your message didn't connect. Our planned tour takes 4-5 hours and then we have a luau that evening so I think we'll have to do one or the other. We're traveling with my dad and my husband's mom so the zodiac may be a bit too much for them.

 

Thanks for all your help.

 

LuAnn

[cjnky]

zelker - can you pass your suggestions for the zodiac tours on to me?

[rbakker]

Plenty of whalewatching operations in Kona, haven't tried any myself.

 

I don't think the whales specifically go to Maui to calve!

[zelker]

zelker - can you pass your suggestions for the zodiac tours on to me?

 

The two we really like are Captain Steve's (www dot captainsteves dot com) and Maui Adventure Cruises (www dot mauiadventurecruises dot com). Recommend going out in the morning - water is usually much calmer. MAC goes out of Lahaina Harbor and Capt. Steve out of the little Mala Wharf which is near the Lahaina Cannery Mall and Old Lahaina Luau.

[simonv]

In the height of the season, you can see whales anywhere, but Maui is the place. The love the shallow warm waters of the Maalaea Bay, Auau Channel by Lahaina, and around that area. It's like Grand Central Station whales in mid-February. It's fun to watch mothers training young.

[10sbabe]

Just saw the posts on Whale watching. We did 2 in one day a couple weeks ago. First one with "Pacific Whale Foundation" out of the other harbor, and the second out of Lahaina called "Ultimate Whale Watch" 667-5678. Pacific has big boats 70-120 people, and Ultimate Whale Watch was a small 26ft 16 people. We were able to get closer with the smaller boat. Both were a lot of fun.