A whale's fluke above the water as it prepares to dive
(Maui 2006)
A group of 5-6 whales lead a parade of boats just offshore
(Maui 2007)
Subject: Whales
Whale watching is a relative new hobby of mine, since we only recently had our first encounter with these mammoth creatures this past April. And even that was abbreviated because it was the end of whale season.
Most people mock the whole "Save the Whales" campaign and don't think much of it, but these mammals are truly amazing once you see them in person. There story is pretty amazing, too. For example, they only feed during the summer months, and then travel thousands of miles to warmer waters in the winter to breed. The ones that visit Maui from October to April travel upwards of 6,000 miles!
If you're still not impressed, check out more info on Wikipedia.
Ways to Photograph Whales
In the 2-3 days that I really had a chance to photography the whales the first time we encountered them, I learned a few things.
The first attempts I made from was from the lanai of our hotel at the Sheraton. All that extra green for the ocean front room was paying off, but my whimpy 300mm lens just wasn't getting me as close as I wanted. I did, however, have great views from with my binoculars after getting the hang of them. My video camera came in handy, too, but as you can see here, the quality at that zoom level wasn't the greatest. So while being high up on a balcony right on the edge of the ocean is a big plus.
The next attempts were a little more casual. While just spending time on the beach or even driving around, we saw a few spouts of air and water in the distance. I actually missed a whale breach that Cindy witnessed while I was off shooting photos at Maluaka Beach. That would have been a little closer to the action from where I was at the hotel. I should have better luck in February.
The Ultimate Way
Perhaps the ultimate way is to go where they are. We did do one whale watch cruise with the Pacific Whale Foundation (of which we are members). By law, boats have to stay at least 100 yards from whales at all times, but that doesn't stop an occasional whale from approaching a stopped boat on their own.
While we didn't get that lucky, we did get pretty close. I also got a little sick, from staring through the viewfinder while the boat is rocking and just the overall motion of the ocean. I was okay for about the first 45 minutes and did get some good photos, but now we're looking for some good remedies to help us cope with that sea sickness so we can last longer.
More Still to Come
It was only the tail end of whale season the first time we saw them, but our two trips in 2009 are going to be during primo whale watching season. With a little more practice and some new gear, I have high hopes of returning with a whole collection of whale photos.
Find More Photos
- Flickr Set: Whale Watching