Whale & Wildlife Report | Sept 28-Oct 6, 2026
PC: Olivia Miller
Highlights
Short-Finned Pilot Whales
Cuvier’s Beaked Whales
Bottlenose Dolphins
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Oceanic White Tip Sharks
Oceanic Blacktip Sharks
Mako Shark
Whale & Wildlife Report | Sept 28- Oct 6, 2025
We had a few stellar encounters on our whale watching tours this week! If you’re one of our Kama’aina, you know the wide array of whales and dolphins that we can see on our year-round trips. With our USCG offshore certification, not only are our boats safe, our wildlife search expands beyond 3 miles from shore where we can find over a dozen species of pelagic whales. If you haven’t been out with us yet, join us this Fall!
PC: Olivia Miller
The week began with some incredible looks at two Cuvier’s beaked whales. Also known as Goose-beaked whales, these deep divers are on many whale enthusiast’s bucket lists! They can hold their breath for exceptionally long periods of time, so we get excited about every encounter with them. We were treated to some good surface time and a nice pass before they disappeared on a dive. The Kona Coast is a pelagic whale paradise!
PC: Olivia Miller
We arguably had some of the most astounding encounters with short-finned pilot whales on our trips. Offshore we found multiple large pods and saw oceanic white tips trailing behind. The real excitement came however when a juvenile decided to come check us out. For around 15 min, we watched as the individual circled us and vocalized non-stop!
Just when we thought this week couldn’t get any cooler, on another trip, a different pod cruised over to say hello. We shut down and all our guests gathered towards the stern as the group continually spy hopped and vocalized. One of the females even passed by with her adorable newborn! The mutual curiosity between us and the whales was absolutely wild. To see videos from this encounter, check out our Instagram page @hawaiianadventureskona and follow us to stay up to date on our latest sightings!
PC: Olivia Miller
We spotted a couple bottlenose dolphins near the fish pens, but there were other species lurking nearby! Our team noted a small dorsal fin in the current line that we identified as a mako shark when it fully breached! Some large bait balls around the pens also drew the attention of oceanic blacktip sharks who were hunting the area.. Along the coast we spent time with energetic pods of Hawaiian spinner dolphins, and further offshore we even found a large scalloped hammerhead shark finning at the surface. What a fantastic variety of whales, dolphins, and sharks!
PC: Olivia Miller
Upcoming Tours
Captain Andrew and Naturalist Olivia are heading off island! Year-round 8:30 AM whale watching tours will resume on October 30th. See you then!
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.
