Why go out on a Whale watching tour when you can see the whales from your lanai? For those of you perflexed by the first sentence, a porch or balcony is called a”lanai” here in the islands. You may not be able to truly understand the difference until you actually get out there on the water up close and personal. It is hard to guage the actual size from shore, one may think they are like a giant dolphin. The actual size of an adult humpback whale is actually more like a school bus, and this is very clear when one swims under our boat. The large puff of breath from a humpback is easily visible from shore and not an uncommon sight. You will quickly discover that this breath is no mere puff when it emits from a giant 10 feet from the vessel. This breath is rumbling bass with a force of air that is shocking in its power. Going out on a whale watching tour allows you to experience the intricate relationships between mother and calf, bulls and escorts. The competition pod is turbulent and grand as a group of males compete for a mate. You may also witness the tenderness as a mother lefts her calf to the surface as a reminder to take a breath. The experience that really touches most of our guests is the “mugging”. A “mugging” is when a whale takes a break and comes over to check us out, and the often pop up beside the boat and look us right in the eye. One of our favorite things to do is turn off our engines and drift. We put a hydrophone in the water so you can hear the whale songs being sung below. Our tours leave throughout the day from Maui’s Lahaina harbor. Book direct at www.hawaiioceanrafting.com or give us a call at 808-661-RAFT.