Tag Archives: Whale watches

July 23 is World Whale and Dolphin Day

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Whale‑watching tour boat with humpback whales surfacing beside the vessel as passengers watch and photograph the marine wildlife.

 Good Morning

 

Fresh from the Feline Desk at WMEO (We Meow, You Listen) Correspondents Banner and Balboa are here with an update on World Whale and Dolphin Day.

 

Banner:

July 23 is World Whale and Dolphin Day. Concerned that commercial fishing had reached such a level that several species of marine mammals were at real risk of extinction, international conservation groups pushed for quotas and a total ban on commercial whaling on July 23, 1982. In 1986, July 23rd was officially designated World Whale and Dolphin Day.

Balboa:

dolphins. Whales play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy ocean and even help combat climate change by supporting natural carbon removal. There are other observances too, like World Whale Day on February 19.

Banner:

Whales and dolphins have become beloved worldwide thanks to their intelligence and unique behaviors. Orcas can live 30–60 years in the wild, while dolphins—among the smartest animals on Earth—have demonstrated remarkable communication abilities and even therapeutic benefits for humans. Learning more about these incredible creatures helps us protect them.

Balboa:

Whale and dolphin watching has grown into a major ecotourism industry, bringing visitors and revenue to coastal communitiesBreaching Whale while promoting conservation. A good trip offers education, excitement, and the unforgettable experience of seeing these magnificent animals in the wild. Humpbacks feed off Alaska all summer, gray whales cruise past California bluffs in winter, and the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale still passes close enough to Cape Cod to spot from a boat.

Banner:

Celebrate Whale and Dolphin Day with a whale watch adventure. You’ll almost certainly see whales—and maybe some energetic white‑sided dolphins racing alongside the boat. Humpbacks may breach, feed, and sometimes even bring their calves over for a curious hello.

Balboa:

In Massachusetts, you can enjoy a day on the water with:

Cape Ann Whale Watch

7 Seas Whale Watch

Newburyport Whale Watching

Dolphin Fleet, Provincetown

City Cruises Whale Watching

Captain John Boats (Plymouth & Provincetown)

Celebrate Whale and Dolphom Day with a Summer Day on the Open Ocean.

End of bulletin. Please resume your regularly scheduled scrolling.

 

Whale Watching in February

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Watch out for the Whales

February is the highpoint of the whale season in Maui. The whale season is said to run from Mid December to Mid May but I can vouch for February. You can even watch the whales from shore! I love the whales. I think they are amazing animals and here you get to see the tiny babies as well as the adults. Of course “tiny” is relative. A 2 ton baby isn’t tiny by human standards but next to its mama, its just a bit of a thing.

Whales

What’s a Little Motion Sickness?

My dinner cruise price included a whale watch trip. I hadn’t planned on going whale watching this visit because I forgot to pack my motion sickness patches. The whale watches can get a little rough and I am prone to sea sickness. How many people do you know that can get sea sick while scuba diving? I did!  But that’s a story for another day! Anyway I had a whale watch coming to me so I decided to cross my fingers and take a chance.

Stock Photo

Whale Watching with Hawaii Ocean Project

The Whale watch boat was berthed in Lahaina Harbor, a very popular starting point for many whale watching companies. To pull out of the harbor everyone has to be seated. This is true for all of the cruises. The crew of our ship made all the proper announcements but they didn’t enforce them. Adults and children were still wandering the decks as we cast off. They went on to announce that serious photographers should be seated on the lower deck in the bow. I found my seat in the bow and prepared my camera. I shouldn’t have bothered.

Were there Whales?

just missed but got the splash

We saw whales. There was a lot of breaching and tail slapping. I can’t criticize the trip for that. But I will say I won’t go on this trip again. Getting shots of whales is hard enough without playing a dodge game with people holding their cell phones up in front of everyone. I was competing with heads, elbows and children being lifted on shoulders. This is not a trip for a serious photographer. There are other whale watching boats that have stadium seating so no one has an obstructed view. Or I’ll take one of the smaller rafting tours. All the seats on those are good and its very exciting. Let the families go out on this trip. I’ll find a different one next time.

Tail Slapping

Whales or no Whales????

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When I spoke to the concierge  from Diamond Resorts he said the whales hadn’t arrived and that the whale watches weren’t running.

I told him it made my Facebook feed that the first whale had been spotted. He said it was possible a few were there but still no trips. He suggested we watch for them from our balcony.

Well now I have more news:

The whales are most definitely here! This #amazing photo was taken by Jamey Baumgardt, one of our guests on board Ocean Voyager during Molokini & Turtle Arches Snorkel cruise. Mahalo Jamey! We don’t officially offer our first #whalewatching cruises until Nov.7. #maui

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And check out the date! Whale watches start  November 7. Looks like we’ll get to go after all!