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Unexpected Hawaii Whale Watching Experience

One of the better snorkel trips I’ve had was on a morning trip to Molokini, a small uninhabited (by humans, at least) atoll off the coast of Maui. The snorkeling itself was nice, of course, but what really made the trip was the boat ride back to Maui. We were enjoying our post-snorkeling juice and pastries, when suddenly two humpback whales breached around 15 feet off starboard side of the chartered catamaran. They did this a few times, and each time, the passengers in the boat gasped. Some pointed, some rummaged for their cameras, and the woman next to be broke out in tears. I found myself laughing without being aware of when I started even to smile. It was a pure Hawaii experience: Spontaneous, in-the-moment, and completely joyous.

Something similar just happened this month, with the passengers on the Atlantis Submarines Maui. This underwater sightseeing trip usually takes its passengers off the coast from Lahaina. While Molikini is off the east part of Maui (which is roughly shaped like the two side-by side volcanoes that formed it), Lahaina is off the west coast, near Ka’anapali. On this particular cruise, a pod of around 5-10 humpback whales appeared maybe 25 feet from the Atlantis submersible, swimming around and apparently vying for the attention of one very desirable female whale. Isn’t she lovely? A quick-minded passenger took a video, check it out:

The activity lasted for 45 minutes or so, and then the humpback whales moved away. Only then did the Atlantis submarine return to the surface. It’s great that the Atlantis extended the tour to accommodate this special, amazing experience for the passengers. It gave them an experience they’ll never forget, I’m sure, and that’s what a Hawaiian vacation is all about.

Source: MudslideMama