Humpback whales, known in Hawaiian as koholā, may be spotted from the deck of the Hoku Nui between December and April. They travel nearly 3,000 miles from Alaska to Hawaiian waters each winter to mate, give birth and nurse their calves. Federal rules keep boats at least 100 yards away, so they are watched from the boat.
Sea Paradise Hawaii has sailed the Kona Coast from Keauhou Bay since 1985, and whale season is one of our crew’s favorite times of year. Here is what to know before you sail.
Why do humpback whales come to Hawaii?
Humpback whales come to Hawaii to breed, not to eat. They spend summer feeding in Alaska, then migrate to warm Hawaiian waters each winter to mate, give birth and nurse their calves. They do not feed while they are here.
Hawaii is a major destination. Almost two-thirds of the North Pacific’s humpback whales migrate to Hawaiian waters each winter. In 2018, NOAA estimated that as many as 12,000 humpbacks travel to Hawaii in a season.
Fact: because they do not feed in Hawaii, the whales wait until they are back in Alaska’s cold, rich waters to eat again.
Fact: male humpbacks sing. Their songs last 10 to 20 minutes, can be repeated for hours, and whales in the same area sing the same song.
How far do humpback whales travel to reach Hawaii?
Humpback whales cover nearly 3,000 miles of open ocean between Alaska and Hawaii, and they make the trip in less than two months. That works out to an average of roughly 50 miles a day, every day, across open ocean.
Fact: most humpbacks reach Hawaii between January and March, according to NOAA, though the first arrivals may be spotted earlier in the season.
Fact: calves are especially vulnerable to boats because they are hard to see and surface often, one reason the approach rules below matter so much. NOAA’s large whale entanglement response coordinator, Edward Lyman, has warned that collisions between whales and vessels occur every year in Hawaiian waters.
What rules protect humpback whales in Hawaii?
In Hawaiian waters, it is illegal to approach a humpback whale within 100 yards by boat, swimmer, paddleboard, kayak or drone, or within 1,000 feet by aircraft. According to NOAA, these rules apply year-round throughout Hawaiian waters out to 200 nautical miles.
Fact: Congress created the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary on November 4, 1992. It covers about 1,400 square miles of ocean around the main Hawaiian Islands. The State of Hawaii formally approved it in 1997.
Fact: suspected violations can be reported to the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964.
The same distances apply to every vessel on the water, from large tour boats to single kayaks. That is why every whale encounter on a Sea Paradise tour happens from the deck, at a distance, on the whale’s terms.
How can you spot humpback whales on the Afternoon Snorkel Tour?
Between December and April, humpback whales may be spotted from the deck of the Hoku Nui as we sail the Kona Coast to the World Famous Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay. Watch the horizon for a spout of mist, a dark back rolling at the surface, a raised tail or a full breach.
A tip from our crew: once you spot one spout, keep watching the same patch of ocean. Whales often surface several times in a row, and calves surface more often than adults.
The Hoku Nui’s sundeck and netted bow seating give guests a high, open view of the water, and the sail along the coast to the bay takes about 45 minutes each way, plenty of time to scan the horizon.
Whales are wild animals, and no sighting can be guaranteed. When whales are near, our crew keeps the legal distance and gives everyone time to watch. Spinner dolphins may also be seen from the boat, while snorkelers in the water may see reef fish such as the humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa, yellow tang and parrotfish.
Sea Paradise’s Afternoon Snorkel Tour departs Keauhou Bay at 2:00 PM aboard the Hoku Nui, our 50-foot luxury sailing catamaran. In about three hours, you get the coastal sail, a marine naturalist reef briefing, all snorkel gear and light snacks. To plan your day at the bay, see our Kealakekua Bay guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is whale season in Kona?
Humpback whales may be spotted off the Kona Coast between December and April, when they visit Hawaiian waters to mate, give birth and nurse their calves. Sea Paradise guests may spot them from the deck of the Hoku Nui.
Can you see whales on a snorkel tour in Kona?
You may. Between December and April, humpback whales may be spotted from the boat on Sea Paradise’s Afternoon Snorkel Tour to the World Famous Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay. No sighting is guaranteed.
How close can boats get to humpback whales in Hawaii?
No closer than 100 yards. NOAA rules prohibit approaching a humpback whale within 100 yards by boat, swimmer, paddleboard, kayak or drone, or within 1,000 feet by aircraft, throughout Hawaiian waters.
