Whale watching: Hawaii in the winter or Alaska in the summer?

[sonnyjane]

I've done both, and both tours were fascinating. Depends on what you want to see. In Hawaii, the humpbacks and their babies might put on a show for you. They are playful, and breaching. We followed a Mom and calf for a while and they were really active.

In Alaska, they are feeding. No breaching. The boat captain found a large group bubble feeding and we stopped nearby. The whales headed in our direction, some went under the boat. That was exciting! Lots of tails. Another group from our ship saw a pod of orcas eat a group of seals sunning on a buoy. Quite a thrill, but not sad we missed it.

They can and do breach everywhere/anywhere. Definitely not just a Hawaii thing. Lots of breaching in Alaska too, but the bubble net feeding is something you wouldn't see in Hawaii.

 

[Dancind]

Well, I did ask the boat captain in Alaska about breaching, and he said it doesn't happen. Or was very rare. Anyway, it was a No. This was a tour out of Juneau.

 

[sonnyjane]

Well, I did ask the boat captain in Alaska about breaching, and he said it doesn't happen. Or was very rare. Anyway, it was a No. This was a tour out of Juneau.

This is what captains tell guests so they aren't upset that they didn't see it on their tour

(I'm a whale-watching naturalist/marine biologist for what it's worth).

 

[Wishing on a star]

Well, I did ask the boat captain in Alaska about breaching, and he said it doesn't happen. Or was very rare. Anyway, it was a No. This was a tour out of Juneau.

Please post the tour/company you were on, so that it can be avoided.
This is NO

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I have never been to Hawaii so I cannot really choose fairly. However, I just got back from my third cruise to Alaska. I have been in May, June, and July. This past trip in July is when I saw the most whales. I went on a whale watch excursion in Juneau and saw a ton of humpbacks and orcas. And we did see one humpback breach. During our cruise, I saw many whales as we sailed. The last night at dinner, we saw another humpback whale breach-right from our dinner table! We had great luck!

 

[indygirl99]

I have done both Hawaii and an Alaskan cruise and been pleased with whale watching with both. Even had porpoises follow the ship in Alaska.

But the best experience we had was a whale watching trip in August off of Anacortes in Washington. @sonnyjane

We were told at the start that we had to stay a certain distance from the whales but to not be disappointed we would see plenty of wildlife. Man they were not kidding. The captain had to shut the engine down because there were so many whales they just surrounded us. There also was not a bad place at all on the boat.

We saw all kinds of whale behavior and the naturalist kept a running conversation about each pod calling them by name, telling us about additions to the pods with new calves, pointing out tailfins and how they knew who each whale was etc. By the end of the tour I felt like I really knew these whales and their families.

It really stuck with me so much more than the other tours I have done. To this day when we visit a friend that lives on Friday Harbor and whale watch from his deck we ask each other if this is K pod or J pod and try to see the differences in their tails.

Sometimes the smaller not so well know tours run circles around the tried and true.

 

[sonnyjane]

I have done both Hawaii and an Alaskan cruise and been pleased with whale watching with both. Even had porpoises follow the ship in Alaska.

But the best experience we had was a whale watching trip in August off of Anacortes in Washington. @sonnyjane

We were told at the start that we had to stay a certain distance from the whales but to not be disappointed we would see plenty of wildlife. Man they were not kidding. The captain had to shut the engine down because there were so many whales they just surrounded us. There also was not a bad place at all on the boat.

We saw all kinds of whale behavior and the naturalist kept a running conversation about each pod calling them by name, telling us about additions to the pods with new calves, pointing out tailfins and how they knew who each whale was etc. By the end of the tour I felt like I really knew these whales and their families.

It really stuck with me so much more than the other tours I have done. To this day when we visit a friend that lives on Friday Harbor and whale watch from his deck we ask each other if this is K pod or J pod and try to see the differences in their tails.

Sometimes the smaller not so well know tours run circles around the tried and true.

PM me if you're ever in the neighborhood and are planning to go out again. I'm in Anacortes now (which I'm guessing you knew by the "shout-out" but maybe you didn't know I left San Diego). You can put a face to a name

 

[indygirl99]

PM me if you're ever in the neighborhood and are planning to go out again. I'm in Anacortes now (which I'm guessing you knew by the "shout-out" but maybe you didn't know I left San Diego). You can put a face to a name

Will do.

 

[DisneyOma]

There are US operators just as bad. Yes there are regulations but there is virtually NO enforcement here in US. Avoid operators that advertise "getting closer to the whales than other boats". The rules are the same for every single vessel, even kayaks.

One of my responsibilities as a naturalist on a local whale watch boat was to report vessels that disobeyed the standard regulations. This was a few decades ago, so I had to use my film camera for evidence. We had a few visits from official vessels (Marine Fisheries, as Stellwagen Bank was the main locale) too. I'm guessing the funding has been cut.

 

[sonnyjane]

One of my responsibilities as a naturalist on a local whale watch boat was to report vessels that disobeyed the standard regulations. This was a few decades ago, so I had to use my film camera for evidence. We had a few visits from official vessels (Marine Fisheries, as Stellwagen Bank was the main locale) too. I'm guessing the funding has been cut.

Big time budget cuts sadly. I've been more or less told that unless we have video footage (because still shots aren't enough proof) of them physically harming the whales, there's nothing they will do. We've gotten footage of people jumping in to swim with and touch them, including a very small calf that they separated from its mother, and nothing has come of it.

 

[Dancind]

Sorry, don't know the tour company. It was through Holland America. We didn't see any breaching, anyway.

 

[jevs]

Here..... How about AUSTRALIA!
www.yahoo.com/news/rare-white-whale-migaloo-sighted-off-australia-090333481.html

I love Migaloo!!

Yes we have whales.

Don't come by boat.