AHUKINI — By the time Meph Wyeth signed on, the Crater Hill observation site was filled so she opted to watch for whales at Ahukini yesterday during the February Ocean Count.
The ideal weather conditions of flat seas, a mild breeze and clear skies also attracted scores of boaters to the area.
“We saw at least four groups of whales jumping and playing,” said Angela Tillson, site leader for the Ahukini Count site. “But as soon as it hit 8 a.m., the boats came, and activity slowed.”
Ahukini was one of four sites on Kaua‘i that reported an average of three sightings in a 15-minute reporting period between 8 a.m. and noon.
According to a report released by Jean Souza of the Kaua‘i NOAA Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, that was the least number of sightings for the island’s 15 sites this month.
The highest number was reported at Crater Hill, where a dozen whales were seen in the 15-minute period. That was followed by the Maha‘ulepu-Makawehi site, which reported 11 sightings for yesterday’s count.
According to the compilation provided by Souza, the number of sightings were up at almost all locations except two, and overall, Kaua‘i reported an average of six whale sightings in the count period, compared to just three sightings during last month’s count due to cold winds, rain and choppy seas.
On O‘ahu and the Big Island, an average of three sightings were reported in the 15-minute period. Maui’s whale count is conducted independently by the Pacific Whale Foundation, and its results were not available at press time.
“February is the peak of whale season in the Hawaiian Islands and it’s the best time to get outside and see humpback whales,” Christine Brammer, Sanctuary Ocean Count coordinator, said in a press release.
More than 700 volunteers from around the state took part at 57 sites in the annual count yesterday.
On Kaua‘i, 122 volunteers took part and 319 people received whale education at ocean count sites around the island.
Although counters were primarily tasked with counting humpback whales, there were numerous sightings of other species including spinner dolphins, green sea turtles, Hawaiian monk seals and a variety of seabirds.
Souza said volunteers are still being accepted for the final Ocean Count in March, and interested people are asked to call the Kaua‘i office at 246-2860.
