Whale & Wildlife Report | Feb 1-7, 2026
Highlights
Humpback Whales
Short-Finned Pilot Whales
Sperm Whale Carcass
Hydrophone Vocals
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphins
Hawaiian Monk Seals
Pelagic Manta Ray
Oceanic White Tip Shark
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Tiger Sharks
Whale & Wildlife Report | Feb 1-7, 2026
It’s Super Bowl Sunday but this week on the Kona Coast has felt like one nonstop championship game! Dramatic weather, exciting wildlife encounters, and an absolute touchdown on our very first Adventure Whale Watch Tour with humpbacks AND short-finned pilot whales. And to top it off, a surprise appearance by a sperm whale carcass that left us in total awe – more captivating than any halftime show. All that said, and in honor of our sister company back in Washington State… Go Seahawks!
We’re right in the middle of the humpback season, but we also have the potential to see Kona’s year-round whales. On our very first Adventure Whale Watch Tour, we encountered a pod of short-finned pilot whales! We love introducing our guests to the more unique pelagic species, and we got some great looks at the group as they cruised through the waves.
Later in the week, we were stunned by something we truly don’t see every day: a sperm whale carcass! We saw a tiger shark feeding on the surface, and our naturalists had the unique opportunity to talk about the fascinating circle of life in Kona’s waters. Wow!
Mother Nature tested us this week, but the humpbacks were absolutely worth it! Our whale watching tours were packed with action and we saw pec slaps, chin slaps, head lunges, and impressive big breaches. There were so many whales on the move, and a couple competitive groups of males. Competition pods can be thrilling and we could watch and hear the drama with trumpeting echoing across the water. We also found an individual interacting with a playful pod of bottlenose dolphins – a fun multi-species interaction!
Right in front of the harbor, one of our trips found a presumed yearling – a humpback whale for whom this may be their first solo winter in Hawaii! It was encouraging to see this little whale looking well, and we hope they return for many years to come. We saw sweet mom and calf pairs, and enjoyed watching the calves playing. A more intense encounter (similar to a sighting mentioned in last week’s report) involved an escort fighting off a trio of males with a series of crazy surfacings and jaw pops! An exciting way to end one of our 3 PM whale watching tours during golden hour.
Can you believe it, we saw another pelagic manta ray this week!! Right outside of Honokohau, we spotted a pelagic manta and it stayed at the surface for quite some time. Everyone onboard was able to get a glimpse of this ocean giant before we continued our search! We saw numerous pods of dolphins but were shocked to see bottlenose dolphins and two Hawaiian monk seals in conflict near the fish pens. Such a crazy sight and an overall wild week!
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