volume 7, number 1, WINTER 2019
Listen to the heartwarming songs of the Humpback whale on your next Kauai boat tour! her new calf in the warm and safe waters of Hawaii until it is strong enough to make the journey back to Alaska. There is no food for the During the fall, the Northern Pacific Humpback Whales, known whales in Hawaii, so they must eat enough during their summer as Kohola– in Hawaiian, embark to sustain them through this on an impressive journey from whole process! Alaska to Hawaii. They travel One of the most captivating non-stop for one month, cruising mysteries about humpback at approximately three to seven miles per hour, powered by their whales is their songs. Only the males are known to sing. The massive tail fins. They depart their feeding grounds in the frigid humpback’s evocative songs are waters off the Gulf of Alaska, mak- among the most complex animal ing it the longest migration of any vocalizations; they sing units mammal, to their annual breeding of sound that together form a phrase. Each song is composed areas in Hawaii. The total roundtrip journey is about 5,000 miles, of anywhere from two to nine the same distance as crossing the themes, and the themes are sung in a specific order. Some of their United States twice! phrases sound like the low moan Once arriving in Hawaii’s of a cello and others are more like warm, shallow waters, they will mate, give birth and care for their the chirping of a songbird. Male humpbacks not only sing newborn calves. A humpback at breeding grounds, but they whales gestation period lasts sing throughout the duration of eleven months, so the whales will breed one year, and typically their long migrations. Intriguingly, the songs they sing evolve; each return to the same waters the year, a few whales in a breeding following year to give birth. The area will add new elements to a mother will nurse and care for
Cindy Kauanui, Holo Holo Charters
song that the other males will adopt. Amazingly, the entire male population will sing the same version of this ever-changing song, sometimes for several hours. The whales in the Pacific sing one song and the whales in the Atlantic, another. These talented male composers make the loudest sound on earth that can be heard underwater as far as 2,000 miles away! The best time of year to view this spectacular odyssey in Hawaii is from December through April; although sightings occur as early as October and can last through May. While a distant spout or breach can be seen from Kauai’s shorelines, the best chance to see humpback whales is on a Kauai boat tour. The more time you spend on the water, the greater your odds of witnessing these amazing creatures in action; experience it all by taking a morning snorkel tour of the Napali Coast! Holo Holo Charters provides boat tours that visit the Napali
Coast, Niihau and explore Kauai’s unique shorelines. Vessels are equipped with hydrophones, an underwater microphone, so passengers can listen to the songs of the Kohola– (whales), in addition to seeing them from the boat. The unique sounds of these incredible creatures are sure to delight any listener! Whale watching from a boat must be the most incredible experience ever and is sure to keep ocean-lovers happy! Nothing quite compares to the pure enjoyment that comes from witnessing a humpback whale spy hopping (lifting its head vertically out of the water), right in front of you. Be sure to take notice of their head and lower jaw as they are covered with knobs of tubercles, which are actually just hair follicles. It’s always a good idea to keep a safe distance of at least 100 yards when viewing these spectacular endangered creatures by boat. Holo Holo Charters participates in the NOAA
sponsored program of Dolphin SMART, ensuring responsible and respectful viewing of all marine life. A fun and fantastic way to enjoy the sightings of various marine life on your Kauai boat tour is to bring waterproof marine binoculars or try to capture your best shot with a long camera lens. You must be patient but react quickly in order to capture a worthy image of a humpback whale breaching (jumping out of the water)! Join Holo Holo Charters during whale season for an adventure of a lifetime! When enjoying your time on the water, be sure to listen for a moment, as you may be lucky enough to hear these touching voices of the sea! Some keen ears may even be able to hear the whale songs while underwater when swimming or snorkeling. Experience the majestic humpback whales on a Kauai boat tour by calling Holo Holo Charters at 808-335-0815 or visit holoholocharters.com.