No one knows exactly when humpback whales first began wintering in the warm, shallow waters around the Hawaiian Islands. Narrative reports from whalers document the appearance of these majestic giants in Hawaii in the 1840s, but little evidence substantiates an earlier presence. But arrive they did, and today the waters around the main Hawaiian Islands of Kauai, Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kaho'olawe constitute one of the world's most important North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) habitats and the only place in the U.S. where humpbacks reproduce. Scientists estimate that two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population (approximately 4000-5000 whales) migrate to Hawaiian waters to breed, calve and nurse their young.
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary also provides opportunities for surfing, diving and snorkeling.
Map
http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/oms/omshawaii/omshawaii.html
Directions
Within the 100-fathom isobath in the four-island area of Maui; Penguin Bank, and off the north shore of Kauai, the north and south shores of Oahu, and Kohola coastline off the Big Islands
References and External Links
Posted by: recreation2 and last modified on Jul 05, 2007 by thoos
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