LIHUE — Breach?
Count it.
Tail slap?
Mark that down, too.
Humpback whales have returned to the Hawaiian islands and each year, volunteers flock to coastal lookout points to participate in the annual Sanctuary Ocean Count.
Coordinated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the annual counting project offers residents and visitors the opportunity to monitor whales and their activity from 15 different locations on Kauai.
Yes, the job asks people to watch nature perform in its majestic way. But it also requires a keen eye.
“This is a shore-based outreach event,” said Jean Souza, NOAA’s Kauai program coordinator. “There are some folks that don’t fully know how much you can see from shore. Spending four hours actually counting the number of whales and monitoring certain surface behaviors, there is a deeper understanding that comes out of that.”
The 2014 Sanctuary Ocean Count dates have been scheduled for Jan. 25, Feb. 22 and March 29. Kauai volunteers who have not attended one of Souza’s ocean count training sessions are required to do so prior to participating.
In addition to ensuring participants have a an enjoyable experience, Souza said the trainings help NOAA obtain reliable data.
Training sessions will begin at 9 a.m. Jan. 18, Feb. 8 and Mar. 22 at King Kaumualii Elementary School in Hanamaulu, as well as Feb. 15 at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center.
The award-winning Ocean Count program — winner of the 2012 Take Pride in America “Best Federal Volunteer Program” — allows volunteers to count the number of humpback whales at designated locations around the islands and record their behavior. Not only has it proved to be a fun volunteer activity, it also provides important population and distribution information on humpback whales around the Hawaiian islands.
Counts are conducted at more than 60 locations on Kauai, Hawaii and Oahu.
Souza said each of the three counts on Kauai draws between 150 and 200 volunteers, including a large number of visitors and part-time residents.
Volunteers select the date or dates in which they wish to participate and choose the most appropriate site for them, based on location, elevation, proximity to comfort facilities and other factors.
“Hopefully they find it an enriching experience, and Hawaii becomes recognized as one of the best places to watch whales from the shore,” Souza said.
Kauai Sanctuary Ocean Count sites from the North Shore to the Westside include Lumahai Lookout, the Cliffs at Princeville, Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Crater Hill East, Kapaa Lookout, Ahukini State Recreation Pier, Ninini Lighthouse, Mahaulepu (Haula), Mahaulepu (Makawehi), Makahuena Point, Poipu Beach Park, Kaiwa Point, Port Allen Cemetery, Waimea Canyon Drive and the Pacific Missile Range Facility.
For a map of count locations, directions to each site or more information visit www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or call (888) 55-WHALE ext. 253.
Volunteer registration is being conducted online at http://sanctuaryoceancount.org.
