Coming back to Maui - want to see whales

[rmarrash]

Hi all,

My wife and I just went to Maui for the first time during thanksgiving and had a great time. The diving was great but the one thing we missed out on was seeing the whales so we decided to come back on Feb 24th (bummer we are going to miss the parade on the 21st!) specifically to see whales.

So, I realize that law says no diving within 100 yards of whales. Does anyone have any recommendations how the best way to see them and also get in a dive?


Thanks
Russell

 

[KrisB]

Do you mean to see them underwater? If so, if you follow the law, you'll be one of the really lucky ones.

If you just want to see them topside (on the way to the dive site), virtually any charter that leaves from Kihei or Maalaea will cross their path -- as will any that leaves from Lahaina -- except on a bad whale day.

Obviously, a boat charter from Lahaina or Maalaea has more distance to cover, and you'll be more likely to see more whales than the ones that leave from Kihei boat ramp... but you'll also have a much longer boat ride, and you'll want to make sure that if the planned return to the dock is, say, 1pm, you don't have any fixed plans before 3 or 4pm -- just in case the whales are plentiful and the boat is travelling slower than normal.

 

[AquamanKauai]

Late Feb will be loaded with whales in the channel between west Maui and Lanai. You can sit on shore and even get an amazing experience. The look up coming from the airport headed towards Lahaina is also amazing. I gotta agree with Kris on "any boat" will make for a great trip. Though it was several years back I worked on "Lahaina Princess" out of Lahaina harbor. They ran a pretty nice trip and trained naturalists to be sure that correct info was given about the whales. Early trips are likely to be calmer waters (generally) but that doesnt mean more or less whale activity. As far as diving with the whales? It is very rare to see them on scuba. You will probably be able to hear vocalizations and songs while diving however. Night dives at Black Rock always seemed to be an amazing dive experience/time to hear the whales.

Good luck. You wont be sorry. Maui in Feb rocks for whales. Being on Kauai - I miss the number of whales Maui is blessed with.

Best wishes from the islands

 

[rmarrash]

Thanks for the responses. Glad to hear we can see lots topside.

I did not mean to see them underwater as I knew the laws related to it. I just had no idea which path out would give the most views topside. Sounds like any boat will get me a decent amount of visuals assuming the whales are around

Russell

 

[KrisB]

Thanks for the responses. Glad to hear we can see lots topside.

I did not mean to see them underwater as I knew the laws related to it. I just had no idea which path out would give the most views topside. Sounds like any boat will get me a decent amount of visuals assuming the whales are around

Russell

Keep in mind that the laws only have to do with you APPROACHING them. They are allowed to come right up and bump you on the mask... but you're not allowed to approach them.

Yes it's true any boat should get you reasonable visuals -- but the longer the boat ride, the more likely. It's also a bit more likely to see them when you leave from Maalaea than it is from Kihei. They seem to congregate in the bay a little. I don't know about the run from Lahaina, as I've never found it wise to drive all the way up there to get on a boat to come all the way back down.

I don't think the Lahaina Princess runs scuba operations -- at least I haven't heard of them doing it.

 

[ccredifo]

Anyone ever encounter a whale while diving? Is the best chance the Back Wall of Molokini or a shore dive?

 

[KrisB]

Anyone ever encounter a whale while diving? Is the best chance the Back Wall of Molokini or a shore dive?

I've heard of two first hand accounts. One at Reef's End Molokini, the other in 30' at Ulua Beach.

It seems it's at the tips of Molokini that most of the pelagics are spotted... the Backwall occasionally produces something, but that doesn't seem to be as common as you'd expect it to be.

 

[AZjohn]

It's been our experience it is very hit or miss getting close to the whales via a boat. We always take a couple of whale watching trips on a company that runs rafts (Maui adventure or something like that).

This week we only got within 100 yards of several whales. Last year we had a female, new born, and the escort swim around/under/up to the boat for 45 minutes (never had an experience like that before). Also last year while on a boat dive we saw up close the most viscous competition between 5 males I have ever seen. I mean they were really fighting with each other with a lot of blood coming out of two of them (what guys do for females....lol).

I hope this morning we get to see some good action on our boat dive. There are a ton of whales out here right now. But you just never know how close you will get.

Good luck and have a great time,
John

 

[TSandM]

We saw whales Monday, right off the east end of Molokini. They were breaching. I think we have seen whales reasonably nearby on all the winter dive charters we have done on Maui.

We were also lucky enough to encounter a whale underwater, on one of the rock pinnacles off Lanai. When we returned our tanks to the shop where we had rented them, the fellow there told us he hated us. He had over 6000 dives on Maui, and had never seen a whale on scuba!

BTW, the whole last week, all of our dives were full of loud, constant whale song. It's a very cool accompaniment to a dive.

 

[fishtal]

I'll be over there next week, hopefully I have good luck seeing them up close too.