The first sighting of the return of the humpbacks to the Hawaiian Islands took place off of Maui on October 20, 2012.
Humpback whales migrate to Hawai’i on an annual basis during the winter months to mate and give birth. The sighting serves as a reminder of the upcoming whale season, which traditionally runs from November through May. Peak whale watching months are typically January through March. In early May the last of the remaining mothers and their calves depart the Islands for Alaska.
Of all the islands, Maui is best known for having the greatest concentration of whales which can easily spotted off its southern and western shorelines. The best way of getting up close to humpbacks is aboard a whale-watching tour.
The photos were taken last season by my wife Anne while on a whale watching adventure with our son Sean and his third grade class from Pukalani Elementary.
The annual migration of the whales is just one of the reasons why living on Maui is No Ka Oi!
For more information, visit the Pacific Whale Foundation website.
Author: Michael Nason, Royal Hawaiian Movers Maui
