Whale Stories

[SchUP]

Nice shot!

Today was mackin, I heard about whales from Jono before us, but didn't see any after we left at 2:30p. 

I almost hit a turtle -- I couldn't have got off my wave if I wanted too, and spotted a bigun 30 yards away.  He ducked down just before I got there and spared both our wax jobs  (like turtle wax, right )

[Admin]

Nice shot Jeremy,

Yesterday had as much whale activity as I have ever seen in one run.  We had the same experience at the beginning where we had to wait for a breaching mom (she must have jumped 15 times) and her breaching calf.  It looked like she was teaching the calf.  Then the same thing again before Makena.  Saw at least 3 other pods along the way but not nearly as close.  Kept the excitement level high.

[PonoBill]

Pretty odd having whales as a navigation hazard on a SUP board. I thought there was a pretty good chance of winding up as fin jam yesterday (like elephant toe jam). On the second run with Larry I had to take evasive action for a turtle and fell off. Missed him by inches. I swear it was laughing at me.

[noworrieshawaii]

I caught sight of a huge breach that seemed like it was right next to Larry and Devin on the outside of me as I was looking around to try and spot anyone...  Crazy fun run yesterday... I fell in love with my big ole F16 again... except for trying to carry in that wild wind.

Couple times right outside Kalama Park earlier this year, the whales were so close to shore that the lifeguards were yelling at us to stay away... We're like, no worries, we're just passing by, heading home...

[Chan]

That was an amazing run.  I counted 18 whales.  We all had to change course several times to avoid pods.  It was so cool seeing the keiki learn how to breach.  One of the best runs of the year so far, I think. Glad we all made it in.  I lost track of everyone around pod 4 in Kihei.

At the end of the run at Makena, Randy and I were stalling, blocked by two whales above the surface, when something turned the jacuzzi on just below us.  A fifteen foot circle of big kine bubbles, we started to paddle, lightly. 

[Deb]

They were blowing a bubble ring around you?   

[PonoBill]

Sure was a lot of carnage yesterday. I'm not forgetting my big leash next time, I was sure my wimpy one was gonna pop. Sorry I couldn't stick around today and wait for you guys. We had a time issue. The run to KamII was wild and wooly, I bet it was big fun in the swells past Sorrentos. When we made the turn down to Wailea there was NO wind. At Wailea beach it was blowing towards the North and the windline was at least four miles out. I'm amazed it filled in so quick. Hope none of you wound up at Kaho'olawe.

[LaPerouseBay]

The whales breaching so near was just amazing.  One of the launches was so powerful - the entire whale was above water.   

About a mile before the landing, I saw a 12 foot paddleboard - without a paddler 
I was hoping to tow it to shore, but it had no leash.  I kneeled and layed it cross-wise in front of me.  With the offshore wind, the only way to stay near shore was to hold the paddleboard with my right hand and drag my paddle with the left.  About 10 minutes later, an oc1 launched from the beach and paddled out to me.  He said the paddleboard owner was ok.  the oc1 paddler was able to take the paddleboard into makena landing.  I'm going to carry some string in the future.

The new F-16 was really fun in those conditions.  It loves the wild stuff.  Can't wait for some blasting maliko runs.           

[PonoBill]

Wow, I didn't know you actually tried to carry the thing. I thought I saw it free-floating with my binocs--saw something white way outside. The OC1 couldn't make Makena, he wound up landing way down at the last jetty at the Maui Prince hotel. He got the board in OK, I saw it in a truck back up at the top.

[noworrieshawaii]

Good job Larry... not a day to be out without a leash for sure. I was behind the first group of paddlers and saw one person laying down paddling straight in without a paddle... not a paddleboard... looked strange.. then saw a group of about four SUPs that were way outside, make a strange turn to the inside... Learned later that they were bringing in the person who lost their board... Good that folks keep an eye out for others... Actually had a boat come out of the Kihei ramp and come over to me and ask if I was ok... That was nice... Told him I was fine and actually having a blast... He must have thought I was nuts...   Good fun good fun... and yes Larry, those F16's do love the wild stuff....

[Admin]

I was behind the first group of paddlers and saw one person laying down paddling straight in without a paddle... not a paddleboard... looked strange..

That was probably Jack.  He snapped the blade off of his paddle and had to prone it in.  Shite day for swimming.  Yesterday was even windier (like it needed to be) with the boats getting readings in the 40's and gusting to nearly 50.  We stayed a bit closer in and had an unreal run. 

[LaPerouseBay]

The wind was ideal after work today for a sugar beach to cove run.  I was surfing right the whole time.  Thankfully, the wind was light at the cove which made for an easy finish.
 
As I was rinsing off a Maui Fire Truck pulled up, siren, lights, they works.  I looked around to see if anyone was in trouble, but nothing. 
So three of them walk over, one looks at the F-16 as another asks me 'where did you start?'
As I reply 'sugar beach' the fireman looking at my ride says, 'yep, that's the board'.

They were looking for me.

I was incredulous.  A fireman said 'A tourist with a few too many mai tai's called it in.  They reported someone standing on an OC-1, headed out to sea.  We figured it was someone on a downwind run".
 
I thanked them for responding.   Then one of them told me they had been chasing me all the way up south kihei road, but COULDN'T CATCH ME.

They were very interested in the board, and downwinding.  Smiles all around.  Firemen are ok in my book.   
 
   

[noworrieshawaii]

Thats classic...

[PonoBill]

Odd run yesterday. I went way out and found the wind was actually lighter out there. As I made my way in an OC-1 passed in front of me, about a half mile or so ahead. I thought we might intersect. Next time I looked for him he was no where to be seen. I looked all around, could still see Chan ahead, and Jack in the distance, but no canoe. When I got to where I had last spotted him there was nearly no wind but there ware some really big swells that were cresting on the top. I thought the guy might have huli'ed or had his boat break, so I paddled towards shore for awhile, then back out, watching carefully. No boat. I figure he must have turned away from me and I just couldn't see him in all the swells.

A few minutes later I heard a whale behind me. I turned enough to see him--about fifty feet behind me, headed in the same direction. He wound up staying there all the way from Sorrentos to about the Four Seasons, even after I made some course changes to shake him. Unnerving. He heeled better than my dog does, but my dog doesn't weigh twenty tons.

Poked my head in at Polo because I thought folks were ending there. No one. Called Jack and found that everyone went to Makena. My jeep was there anyway, so I have no idea why I bothered with Polo except I had it in mind to check on the OC1. Paddled back out and headed for Makena and the wind turned into my kisser. The last mile was a real slog with the wind blasting. I had to drop to my knees for the last hundred yards.

Even on a hard day this stuff is just too much fin.

[Admin]

Went on a run yesterday with Jack Dyson, Jenny Kalmbach (cool person and needless to say, a great paddler), and Chan.  I went OC1.  Wind was blasting again and really offshore.  The runners were about waist to shoulder high (if standing), stretched out 15 feet in front of you, and they were nice and slopey.  There was an offshore little 1 ft kicker chop that would run across the swells and whack you from the left.  This kept me majorly focused in my canoe - I am still at the level where it is tough to point to ama side in strong wind and that little bump was toying with me.  At about mile 5 the wind began to scream and we all got moved a little further out than we would have liked (even though we were heavily favoring lefts).  I caught this beauty runner going straight and start a little left angle when I see something at the bottom of the slope, out in the trough.  My first thought was top of a turtle shell.  It was barely above the surface, but started to rise.  As it did, I recognized it to be a hump that was moving in the same direction I was, and it was coming up.  Shit.  I looked down and there is whale everywhere.  My nose was now almost on the exposed part and I was cranking down this swell.  I ruddered hard to the right - too hard it turned out - but I did not want to get tail whacked.  Sure enough, in my overexcitement, I hulied right there.  My leash wrapped around the boat, my paddle got stuck in a leash coil on the far side, and my leg was being pulled under (and pinned to) the boat by the leash.  The wind was still moving me along even upside down, which made it hard to correct the situation, and I was floundering around with this whale and his buddies who knows where.  It took me full 2 minutes to get it all cleared out.  I was so tangled that I had to take my leash off, which did not stoke me, but I did not see another way.  Towards the end of the run I was right near Chan and Jenny and yet another whale came up and blew only yards from my ama.  I hadn't seen him, but his exhale was loud and fully startled me.  On another day that would have been a close encounter, but holy...

I love whales, but I like seeing them a lot better at a little distance.