Humpback Holiday!

I felt a new article was needed to push down these stale old posts and clear the slate for a new year of flying. Maui Doug and I were flying today, it was clear light with lots of lift. Hoards of the people were up at the Lighthouse lookout to see the whales. But, I realized the I had only seen a single whale since the humpback whale season began in October. Doug reported seeing only a single pair and he spends most every day in the air at Makapuu. I know Alex reported seeing them, but not sure of the numbers. Usually by January we are fully into whale season.

From my elevated perch over the lighthouse, I could take in a huge swath of ocean from the Mokes to Hanauma Bay, not a whale in sight, a manta ray but no whales. Finally, way off to the south far outside of Sandy Beach, one pair appeared. At least that was something, but pretty sad for the normal peak of whale season. I know the ocean has been unusually warm this year, maybe the Artic Ocean,where they summer, is warm as well. I did talk to a UH meteorologist, who told me that over the last decades our tradewinds have been trending to the east. Hopefully we will start seeing more whales and get some classic winter flying days soon.