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Whale Watching on Hawaii's Big Island
Each year, humpback whales swim from Alaska to mate and breed in Hawaii's warm and shallow waters. The depth
and temperature of the water brings the whales back to Hawaii each breeding season. A shelf along the South Kohala coastline, from Kona International Airport
to Kohala, no deeper than 250 feet allows the mothers to protect their babies and teach them how to breathe. An average calf is 10-12 feet long and weighs
1,500-2,000 pounds. Females can grow to 75 feet long and males grow to 50 feet long. They can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes
but the typical time is 10-15 minutes. Whale watching doesn't have to be done on the water. You can see them from the shore and an excellent
place to spot humpbacks on the Big Island is past Kawaihae on the road to Hawi. We were there in mid-February and sightings were numerous
with many whales
close to the shoreline. The Big Island doesn't have a monopoly on whale
watching because you can see them on the other islands too.
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