Yup, that’s right. It’s that time of year again. Just like the sun rising in the morning, the humpbacks come back to Maui year after year. Sort of like the swallows returning to Capistrano. I always loved whale watch season. Usually during my early morning ocean swims, I could hear them singing since water is a great transporter of sound. I have come very close to them while on a boat or kayaking and the thrill never goes away or lessens in the least. Graceful and magnificent these ancient creatures are. These marine mammals travel great distances to take advantage of the best breeding grounds and feeding spots. North Pacific humpbacks, for example, mate and give birth in Hawaii and then travel to Alaska each summer to feed.
These gentle giants are famous for their singing abilities — belting out seductive ballads to attract mates or to challenge other would-be suitors. But they also have other talents. Their unique hunting skill, called bubblenet feeding, involves a group of humpbacks working together to capture schools of herring. Each whale has a particular role in the process: One whale swims in a circle while blowing bubbles under a school of herring. When the bubbles rise, the school of herring can not escape and form into a tight ball in the center. Other whales vocalize — grunting or screaming — to scare the herring to the surface. The whales then rise with their mouths wide open to capture large amounts of fish.
When on Maui, don’t miss out on an opportunity to see these majestic creatures. Contact Maui Sights and Treasures and they will get you all set up. 
