Kohola

[malolo]

As winter approaches, I always get grumpy.
Waves, wind, whacked out weather.
Ninety-nine blankets piled on the bed. Grrrr.

But then I remember the whales are returning!

The vast majority won't show up 'til December, however it's not too early to begin scanning the horizon...even now.
Last year, the first reported humpback sighting was October 14th I believe.

Stewardship-wise, it's important for folks to keep in mind that it's totally unlawful to: 1) Approach by any means (ie. by any form of watercraft or swimming) closer than 100 yards of any humpback, or closer than 300 yards of a mother and calf, or 2) Disrupt the normal behavior or activity of a humpback whale, as this is considered a form of harassment.

That said, if they happen to approach you?
...which they very well may?
...that's a whole 'nuther kettle of krill!

Stop paddling (if you're kayaking).
Continue to breathe (if you're diving).
And snap some prize-winning pics!

http://starbulletin.com/2006/05/07/news/story07.html

~~~~~~~~~

Edited by - malolo on 10/04/2006 08:53:37

[Andrew]

Malolo:

I pile the blankets high at night too.

I also love the gentle giants that visit out waters each year. I wrote this article a few years back and I am posting it here now again. It's simple but has a few interesting facts.

Andrew

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Humpback whale sightings are common in Hawaii from December through May each year. About 60 percent of the North Pacific humpback whale population migrates to Hawaiian waters where they mate, give birth to and nurse their young.

North Pacific Humback whales migrate nearly 7,000 miles each year between Alaska in the summer and Hawaii in the winter.

Adult females begin to reproduce when they reach ten years of age and have one baby (called a calf) per year. The gestation period lasts between 10-12 months, after that a calf is born which usually measures about 12 feet long.

Weighing about 3,000 pounds, humpback whale calves are born beneath the water and need to be pushed to the surface by their mothers so they can take their first breath of air. Calves stay very close to their mothers for the first year as they feed on their mother's milk and learn to swim. A Calf will consume about 50 gallons of milk per day and grow by about 100 pounds a day.

A humpback whale's tail (called a fluke) averages fifteen feet across and has distinct white and black markings on the underside. These unique markings help scientists identify individual whales, track their movements and record their numbers.

Did you know whales can sing? Scientists think that male humpbacks communicate by pressing air through the valves of their respiratory system. They do this during mating season probably to compete with other males and for the attention of the females. Hear Humpback Whale Song - Click Here.

Humback whales are mammals and breathe air just like all mammals. They can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes but usually their dives last from 10 to 15 minutes in length. When they return to the surface they exhale through a blowhole on the top of their heads. These spouts can be seen from miles away and contain enough air to fill a ballon the size of a small truck.

Humback Whales are the world's fifth largest whale and females can measure up to 45 feet long or about the same length as an average school bus. Males are usually a little smaller. Even though these massive creatures can weigh over 100,000 pounds they are strong enough swimmers to jump out of the water.

______________________________
DiveHilo Dive Club Website:
http://www.divehilo.com/

[malolo]

Nice article, Andrew.
Lotsa cool information
Thank you for posting it.

(I love the bit about the school bus: great mental picture!)

Though I've yet to see humpbacks when I've been diving, I've heard 'em plenty of times.
And on a several (mind-boggling) occasions I've had 'em swim directly beneath my kayak. Eeeeek!

Anybody else with tales of whales, I wonder?


.

You left last May, and I missed you like mad


O Kohola -- cruise the continental slope,
giant gypsy-gyroscpe spinning in your skull.

Sink through inky thermoclines,
dodge the nets, opala, lines.
Signal as you dive.

Hitch-hike warm Pacific swells,
chase remembered flavors, smells.
Harmonize and hum.

Learn more liquid lullabies,
booming, squealing, plaintive cries.
Memorize new tunes.

Break the surface, look around,
smash your fluke and spy-hop. Sound.
Breach and feel the sun.

O Kohola -- toss and churn through turquoise sea,
with your far-flung family. Home again at last.

~~~~~~~~~

Edited by - malolo on 10/04/2006 17:58:57

[mella l]

Just a thanks to Andrew and Malolo for the information on the whales. The peom is full of beauty and colors for me and Andrew's fact sheet will be a good help when I am next on island and searching the horizon with friends. Longing to see the whales.

mella l