Story By Ekahi Aloha Dale Michaels
The Whales are Back! and “ALL IS WHALE”
Winter Visitors Along the Puna Coast
Each year, sometime between late October and early November, a quiet excitement begins to ripple along the shores of Hawaiʻi. People start scanning the horizon. Conversations shift. Someone inevitably says, “I saw one!” And just like that, whale season has begun.
A close friend, Jun, commented, “ Honestly when I see them personally it brings up the idea of our cosmic family, the feeling of being loved and supported, being recognized and seen like ‘hey we see you and everything is going to be okay’. The fact that we are not alone here on this planet, there’s so much more intelligence in this world even if it’s not human! I also see and receive so much wisdom in the way they operate and communicate, it’s so comforting, I love them so much”
These magnificent Humpback Whales have journeyed thousands of miles from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska to the warm embrace of Hawaiʻi. Here, in our island waters, they mate, give birth, and nurture their young before making the long migration north again in spring. Their presence transforms the ocean into something even more alive than usual — a moving, breathing pathway of giants just offshore.
While the channel between Maui and the Kona coast is famous for its dense whale activity, those of us on the eastern side of the Big Island have something equally special: front-row seats to a migration route that passes right along our rugged coastline.
This year in particular has felt extraordinary. A whale lover and admirer commented, “A breach feels like a message. Like the ocean saying, ‘Look up.’ It cracks something open in me. Every time. I leave changed, softer, quieter, more aware of how miraculous it is to be alive at the same time as these beings.”
Since November, sightings have been frequent and thrilling. Residents and visitors alike have been pausing mid-conversation, mid-walk, even mid-thought, to watch the ocean. A spout appears first — that unmistakable plume rising from its blowhole. Then perhaps a dark curve of a back. A fin lifts and disappears. And if you’re graced and fortunate, a FULL breach. An immense body launching into the sky and crashing back into the sea with a force you can feel in your whole being.
One dedicated viewer on the Seaview lawn commented “ Explosive! The water just detonated around this massive, living being. For a split second I felt small in the best possible way. Like I was standing in the presence of something ancient and completely sovereign. My eyes filled with tears before I even knew why. It felt like the ocean had a heartbeat, and it just revealed itself.”
The Seaview lawn has become a gathering place for whale watchers. People camp out in lounge chairs, with cameras, and simply sit in wait. The whales travel southward along the coast, visible in the distance as they pass, sometimes close enough to make out details of their movement. There’s something quietly communal about it, strangers pointing for each other, calling out, “There! Did you see that?”
At Kehena Beach, the experience is even more intimate. As the whales move north toward Hilo or south toward Kalapana and Kaimū, they often pass within sight of the black sand shoreline. Swimmers and sunbathers glance up between waves to catch glimpses of life unfolding just offshore. Sometimes a tail lifts and hangs in the air for a moment before slipping beneath the surface. Other times, a mother and calf travel together, the smaller shape staying close beside her.
For those living in Kehena Estates along the coastline, whale watching becomes part of daily life. Morning coffee with a view might suddenly include a spout rising from the horizon. An evening walk might be punctuated by a distant splash. There’s a rhythm to it, a seasonal reminder that the ocean is never empty, and that these ancient migrations continue, year after year.
One Kehena resident commented, “When I saw the spout rise, that soft plume of mist catching the sunlight, everything in me went still. It wasn’t dramatic. It was gentle. Rhythmic. Like the ocean breathing. I realized I had been holding my own breath. Watching that exhale reminded me to slow down. It felt sacred, like being let in on a secret.”
People are deeply moved by these encounters. Some feel awe at the sheer size and strength of these beings. Others feel a sense of peace watching their slow, deliberate movements. For some, it stirs something more personal — a feeling of connection, humility, or even reverence. There’s something about seeing a whale breach that stops the mind for a moment. It reminds us how vast the world is, how mysterious, how full of life beyond our everyday concerns.
The whales don’t perform for us, of course. They are living their lives, traveling, birthing, nurturing, communicating in ways we can’t fully hear or understand. And maybe that’s part of the fascination. We’re witnessing something ancient and real, something that has been happening long before we arrived and will continue long after.
In reflection, another viewer from the lawn comments, “Seeing a breach off Puna feels different. It doesn’t feel like a show. It feels like a relationship. Like they’re not performing, they’re simply being. It reminds me that this is their home too. It brings up gratitude, and deep respect. We’re visitors in their waters.”
From December through March, the chances of spotting whales along the Puna coast are especially high, with activity sometimes stretching into April before they begin their long journey north again. Each sighting feels like a gift, unexpected, fleeting, and unforgettable.
For our Lower Puna community, the whales are more than seasonal visitors. They are a reminder of the deep relationship between land, sea, and life. They bring people outside. They bring neighbors together. They give us moments of wonder on this extraordinary day!
One woman commented “When the whale surfaced completely, rolling in that slow arc of muscle and grace, I felt joy rush through me. Not excitement exactly, more like recognition. Like I was witnessing something I was meant to see. I started laughing and crying at the same time. It made all my worries feel very small. For that moment, nothing else existed.”
From the first time someone spots that first spout of the season, the excitement returns all over again:
The whales are here! and “ ALL IS WHALE!”
Ekahi Aloha Dale Michaels
EKAHI ALOHA DALE MICHAELS has been a lower Puna resident since 2014. He's 76 years 'young,' and loves deep ocean swimming, which is aligned with overall health consciousness. He's been a licensed healthcare practitioner (L.Ac.) since 1994 and a Hawai'i resident for 50 years. He loves swimming, preparing wholesome, nutritious, and delicious organic foods, enjoys ecstatic dance and all music in general, yoga stretching, and is an advocate for spending time in nature, walking, and hiking.