Start tuning into your humpback whale senses and skills…it’s time for our favorite contest of the year! Check your sources 😉 or just pick a random date of the first sighting of this upcoming season.
Before we get into the simple details of the contest, let’s go over some useful facts about humpback whale migration to Hawaii:
So, why are we launching this contest in August when the heart of the season doesn’t start until January? That’s because there’s always a whale or two (or more) who apparently don’t have calendars 😉 and arrive earlier. (Who can blame them for wanting to get to Hawaii sooner?!) Here’s a list of the first recorded humpback whale sightings for the past 10 years:
2006 – October 11
2007 – October 7
2008 – October 8
2009 – October 20
2010 – October 20
2011 — September 26
2012 — August 30
2013 — October 5
2014 — September 16
2015 — September 29
Here’s how the 2016 contest will work:
This year’s prize is the book 125 Fun Facts About Humpbacks by Paul Forestell and Gregory Kaufman.
So, now it’s time to enter your prediction for the first sighting in the below comments. Have fun and good luck!
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September 22nd
October 15
September 17
This year will be September 21...I know it!!
September 16th... cause I will be there!!! ha
October 19th.
October 1
October 2, my daughter's birthday
October 1
October 8th-our 50th wedding anniversary! We will be there in Feb to celebrate and see the whales!
My little brother's birthday......September 24th. That has to be the lucky date!
October 3!
October 13th, please!
12 October
September 26th
September 17th
second day of October
October 1st
October 10, 2016
22nd September 2016
October 4, 2016
I'm guessing earlier this year. Here in Ak it's already Fall looking/feeling...September 18 Tons of whales this year~ such a beautiful site!
October 1st
I am guessing it happened yesterday on August 25!!!!!! Read more on Pacific Whale Foundations Page. I happened to be working on boat that spotted it. Sadly the whale wasn't in a great way but it certainly was in Maui waters and this has been confirmed by many sources.
Thank you for alerting us Annelise!
It's so sad to read that the whale isn't well. Is there any hope that the whale can receive any care?
Hard to say... The NOAA Marine mammal crew was on the scene but i won't lie it looked rather bleak.. There's a chance the whale never actually left as it looked rather thin and had other concerning health issues. They're currently trying to find and track it
October 9
Thanks to Annelise for letting us know of her first hand experience of seeing the first humpback whale of the season! It was spotted on August 25th!
Congratulations to our winner Kathy Anderson who guessed September 16!