Whale & Wildlife Report | June 22-28, 2025
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
False Killer Whales
Short-Finned Pilot Whales
Rough-Toothed Dolphins
Pantropical Spotted Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphins
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins
Oceanic White Tip Sharks
Hawaiian Monk Seals
Iwa Hunting Flying Fish
Reef Manta Rays
Green Sea Turtles
Whale & Wildlife Report | June 22-28, 2025
SO many species this week on our year-round dolphin whale watching tours! What makes Kona so extraordinary when it comes to whales? There’s a wide variety of rare and exotic species that we have the opportunity to find on our adventures! This means that every day is different and no two trips are the same experience. We were blown away by the diversity of life this week and it’s such a great time to join us on the water for one of our year-round trips!
PC: Olivia Miller
When cruising north our team was over the moon to find a pod of false killer whales!! We were so excited to see these whales again as it’s been a while since our last sighting. They were on the move but we bounced around to watch different individuals and get as many id shots as possible of the pod. When watching the false killer whales we also noticed a pod of pilot whales nearby, but they didn’t interact with each other too much and just passed through keeping their heading. Eventually, after much joy and lots of looks, we said goodbye to these unique whales after a fabulous encounter!
PC: Olivia Miller
Boy oh boy did we get our fill of pilot whales this week. Offshore there were a number of pods spread out and exhibiting lots of different behaviors. A couple little whales were very curious and came over to say hello for a few minutes. So sweet! Other individuals were spy hopping and two juveniles were being super playful breaching together and cruising right next to each other. During one interaction, an ocean white tip shark also came over to check us out and swam right by the bow for a bit giving our guests a great view!
PC: Olivia Miller
We were delighted to spend time with four different species of dolphins! We enjoyed pods of Hawaiian spinner dolphins outside the harbor and along the coastline, and found bottlenose dolphins near the fish pens and outside the Old Airport area. In deeper waters, we were thrilled to see Pantropical spotted dolphins who were hunting flying fish while iwas were diving to get their share. It was wild to witness! The dolphins started riding our bow, and we estimated some 100 dolphins wake surfing.
Just when the week couldn’t possibly get better, our crew spotted a pair of rough-toothed dolphins who were hunting. We haven’t seen this species for some time so this encounter was the true cherry on top!
PC: Olivia Miller
The fish pens are a great place to search for wildlife, and in addition to bottlenose we also watched two Hawaiian monk seals! The duo was pretty playful and we cruised along with them watching the animated interaction. This was such a cool and uncommon encounter! The northern manta site is close by, and our night manta snorkel also enjoyed a memorable night with lots of mantas and consistent barrel rolling. The variety of marine life in Kona never ceases to amaze.
PC: Olivia Miller
Interested in experiencing our tours?
Hawaiian Adventure’s tours provide the best opportunity to explore Kona’s coast and the wildlife beneath the waves. Our top-notch vessels, experienced crew, and oceanic expertise will make your Big Island adventure unforgettable.
If you’ve been on other tours, you’ll appreciate the Hawaiian Adventures difference.
