Whale season is a wonderful time of the year. Humpbacks are the most acrobatic of the baleen whales, and they spend half their year in our beautiful warm waters, mating and giving birth to their new calves. There is always a lot of exciting above surface behavior for those who like watching them, and considering their immense size, they are really quite easy to spot. With all the news stories and buzz about the whales this time of year, we are reminded that whale watching is one of the great charms of South Maui real estate, and yet another reason why we are proud to specialize in this part of the island.
Not everyone can afford an oceanfront South Maui home, but condos are a nice option when it comes to taking in the views of the great Pacific. If neither of those options are right for you, there are homes in Wailea that are situated above sea level, so you still get sprawling vistas of the ocean, the neighboring islands of Molokini and Koho’olawe, and (you guessed it) playful humpback whales!
Whether you are right up against the shore or a mile away, a good pair of binoculars or a telescope can provide hours of fascinating observation when tracking the whales. Remember, it’s easiest to watch for spouts when trying to locate them. When you keep your sights trained on those spouts, you are much more likely to see their other dynamic behavior, including breaching, spy hopping, tail lobbing, etc. The fun part is when you see the little calves come flying out of the water. When you think about it, it’s really strange to see some of the Earth’s largest creatures get so aerial! As if the astonishing expanse of the ocean weren’t enough fun for them to explore, they like to throw themselves at the sky. Whatever their reasons for this kind of behavior, we sure do enjoy being spectators.
Luckily for us, the whales tend to favor the calmer waters of the South Shore, especially around Ma’alaea Bay. This is where the whales tend to be most concentrated. Of course you can always jump on a whale watching charter to get a really close look, but it’s a very lucky thing to whale watch from your own lovely lanai at home. Visitors from off-island tend to find it a treat as well.
It’s true that whale season will soon draw to a close this year, but if you’re making a South Maui real estate purchase, we hope you will enjoy season after season observing these awe inspiring creatures! Mahalo for reading this week!
