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OUR RAFT TOURS
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Hawaiian Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
SEASON ON KAUAI:
The Humpback Whale visits the warm waters of Hawaii from December - May of each year to breed and care for their young. With adults weighing between 25-30 tons, these slow moving creatures are
"gentle giants" of the seas.
In the height of the season, these whales are seen breaching
out of the water, performing flipper-slapping, spyhopping, and lobtailing (tail-slapping).
Underneath the water, their beautiful whalesong may be heard for miles. The magnifence of these mammals is best witnessed on a Na Pali Riders Whale Watching Tour.
WHALE WATCHING:
The Humpback Whale is an endangered species, and we promote their protection in the wild.
At Na Pali Riders, we follow
two golden rules for successful whalewatching: 1) cause as little disturbance as possible; 2) be patient.
In the Zodiac® raft, we are able to quietly observe the fascinating social behavior of the Humpbacks, while being careful not to disturb them in their environment.
"If Your Want to Watch Whales, Now is a Very Good Time"
- Honolulu Advertiser, February 8, 2009
Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra)
The Melon-headed Whale is found year-round in the Hawaiian Islands. These whales are actually
small members of the dolphin group, and grow up to 9 feet in length, and 460 lbs. in weight. Their body is shaped like a torpedo and is dark in color. The behavior of these whales is quite playful. They
are known to bow-ride, breach, and even spyhop. Another fact about these whales is that they are known to strand in large numbers.
In 2004, a mass-stranding event occured in Hanalei Bay, Kauai. Approximately 150-200 Melon-headed whales were \trapped in the bay for over 28 hours.
2004 Melon-headed Whale stranding on Kauai
Short-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus)
The Short-finned Pilot Whale is found year-round in the Hawaiian Islands. A characteristic of this whale is it's bulbous forehead and dark gray to jet black color. This whale is one of the larger members of the dolphin group, reaching average lengths of 12 ft.(females) to 18 ft. (males), and maxing out at 24 feet for the males. Adult weight is between 2200-6600 lbs. This whale is sometimes seen lobtailing and spyhopping, but rarely breaches out of the water. They are spotted in groups of 25-50 animals.
False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens)
The False Killer whale receives its name for its resemblace to the Killer Whale (Orcinus orca), and is often mistaken for the Pilot Whale when seen from a distance. It has a slender head and a long, slim body. This whale is believed to eat dolphins and has even been seen attacking a Humpback Whale calf. This whale is a social animal, traveling in groups of 10-50. It is known to breach clear out of the water, bow-ride, and wake-ride.