KAILUA-KONA — Humpback whale season typically starts in December and stretches through March, but a few of the mammoth mammals recently made early appearances off the coast of West Hawaii.
Two separate reports of sightings came into the West Hawaii Today Tuesday, the first such reports since last season. The first came 900 fathoms off Kaiwi Point at around 11:30 a.m. and was reported by Stuart Clements, first mate on a charter fishing boat dubbed the “High Noon.”
Clements climbed the tower looking for life when he saw some white under the water, which he first thought might be fish feeding. The High Noon set course, but upon arrival, Clements realized his initial inkling was incorrect.
“We came up and saw the white of the fins right next to the boat, as clear as day. It was heading north, and right afterwards a couple of pilot whales came up right around it,” Clements said. “This is the earliest I’ve heard of them being here in a while.”
The captain of the High Noon, Jaen Nogues, told Clements it was probably the first sighting of the year — an opinion seconded by one of Clements’ friends who works on a whaling vessel.
But Clements, Nogues and their charter weren’t the only seafarers to encounter a humpback on Tuesday.
Lisa and Steve Robertson, who live part-time in Hawaii when they’re not at their home in Wyoming, spotted three whales in two different locations throughout the afternoon.
The first two were a pair the couple encountered off of Kawili Point, a little north of the High Noon sighting. The third was inside the buoy at Honokohau Harbor.
“We saw two blows, and we stopped and watched,” Lisa said. “It was two humpbacks, and they blew a couple times and then went down. We were in shock. It’s Oct. 25. I’ve never seen them this early.”
Whether these sightings were isolated or not remains to be seen. NOAA officials could not be reached before press time Tuesday to explain if Hawaii Island residents should expect an earlier or a longer humpback whale season than normal.