The Pacific Whale Foundation offers whale-watching cruises from both Ma'alaea Bay and Lahaina. I boarded in Ma'alaea and took the 2 hour boat trip into the bay.
The pier is located in the town of Ma'alaea off the southern coast of Maui. Mt. Haleakala can be seen in the distance to the southeast. As we departed from Ma'alaea, the western mountains of Maui were visible from the ship's stern.
The pectoral fin of a small calf cavorting in the bay can be seen in the distance. The cruise operators are required by law to remain at least 100 yards from the whales. Below, the tail fin, or fluke, of a humpback can be seen as it returns to the depths.
Spouting is a common behavior among the whales. We saw several "breaches" (when the whales break the surface and plunge back down into the sea), but these are difficult to capture on film.
