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Humpbacks, Belugas, Fin Whales…Oh My!

With almost 90 species of whales and dolphins in the world, it’s hard to keep up with these magnificent creatures! We’re shining the spotlight on some of the more common species, from our beloved Humpbacks to the impressive Orcas:

Humpback Whales

Humpbacks, or Kohala in Hawaiian, are impressive marine mammals that can range in size from 40 to 50 feet and weigh up to 45 tons. Every winter, these mammals make their annual trek from Alaska’s cold waters to Hawaii’s warm ocean, where they breed and nurse their calf throughout the season.

Beluga Whale

Beluga whales are distinct marine mammals with bright white skin. While a beluga calf is born a dark gray shade, its skin turns pure white over the next five to ten years. As one of the more vocal whale species, belugas can often be heard “singing” their very distinct song from above the ocean waters.

Sperm Whale

These grand toothed whales are very easy to identify. Equipped with a uniquely angled blow and a single blowhole on the left side of their body, sperm whales can be quickly spotted at sea. They are also one of the deepest diving mammals in the world, reaching impressive depths of nearly 3 kilometers and holding their breath for up to 2 hours.

Fin Whale

Second to the blue whale, the fin whale is one of the largest animals in existence. They can measure up to 27 meters long and weigh up to 120 tons! This species rarely breaches and typically resides in the Gulf of California and the Mediterranean. They are incredibly fast, and feed mostly on plankton and large schools of fish.

Though many whale species reside in waters far from Hawaii, we are lucky enough to spot humpbacks every winter and spring seasons aboard the Star of Honolulu! For more information or to book a cruise today, call (808) 983-STAR (7827) or visit StarofHonolulu.com.