Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
play only 45 minutes if someone is
waiting.
WHALE-WATCHING
Every win-
ter, pods of Pacific humpback whales
make the 3,000-mile swim from the
chilly waters of Alaska to bask in
Hawaii's summery shallows, fluking,
spy hopping, spouting, breaching, and
having an all-around swell time. About
1,500 to 3,000 humpback whales
appear in Hawaiian waters each year.
Humpbacks are one of the world's
oldest, most impressive inhabitants.
Adults grow to be about 45 feet
long and weigh a hefty 40 tons.
Humpbacks are officially an endan-
gered species; in 1992, the waters
around Maui, Molokai, and Lanai
were designated a Humpback Whale
National Marine Sanctuary. Despite
the world's newfound ecological
awareness, humpbacks and their habi-
tats and food resources are still threat-
ened by whalers and pollution.
The season's first whale is usually
spotted in November, but the best
time to see humpback whales in
Hawaii is between
January and April,
from any island. Just look out to sea.
Each island also offers a variety of
whale-watching cruises, which will
bring you up close and personal with
the mammoth mammals; see the indi-
vidual island chapters for details.
Money-saving tip:
Book a snorkel-
ing cruise during the winter whale-
watching months. The captain of the
boat will often take you through the
best local whale-watching areas on
the way, and you'll get two activities
for the price of one. It's well worth
the money.
15 Show & Tell: Getting Kids Interested in Hawaii
If your kids are 10 or younger, there
are a couple of books they probably
will like that explain Hawaii.
A Beau-
tiful Hawaiian Day
by Henry Kapono
is the story of a little Hawaiian girl
named Kaleo who finds a magical sea
shell that jettisons her back in time to
when King Kamehameha was a child.
This future great chief teaches Kaleo
about Hawaii's history and culture.
The Ancient Hawaii Color Book
by
Bellerophon is entertaining for the
entire family: It depicts original art
and artifacts of Hawaiian gods, god-
desses, and scenes of life when Euro-
peans first reached the Hawaiian
Islands. While the kids color the
pages, you'll find yourself learning
about Hawaii's cultural history. For
pre-schoolers, get
Baby Honu's Incred-
ible Journey
by Tammy Yee. This
locally popular and well-illustrated
Teach Your Kids Hawaiian
Here are some basic Hawaiian words that you'll often hear in Hawaii
and see throughout this topic. For a more complete list of Hawaiian
words, visit
http://hawaiianlanguage.com
.
akamai
smart
mahalo
thank you
aloha
greeting or farewell
malihini
stranger, newcomer
halau
school
mana
spirit power
hale
house or building
muumuu
loose-fitting gown or dress
kahuna
priest or expert
ono
delicious
kamaaina
old-timer
paniolo
Hawaiian cowboy(s)
keiki
child
wiki
quick
lanai
porch or veranda
