The scenes of a humpback whale emerging from the sea in the movie Life of Pi are astoundingly impressive. Have you ever imagined what it would be like to encounter a whale in real life? Come to Okinawa if you want to find out!
This year, the whale watching season runs from December 21th 2024 to March 31th 2024. It is the busiest season in the Okinawa Ocean. We would like to share some information about humpback whales and more information for this tour.
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［ Humpback whales ］
Humpback whales have large fins, and are also known as “Big-Winged whales”. They are about 12-16 meters long and weight about 25-30 tons, which is about the size of a large speed boat or a large bus ! Newborn whales are about 3-6 meters in size.
Humpback whales are migratory animals.They live in high-latitude seas during summer. Once they have stored enough energy, they will begin to travel south where the warm tropical or subtropical seas are fit for mating and breeding. The distance they cover while migrating each year is approximately 25,000 kilometers. This is one of the longest distance recorded on migratory animals among mammals.
Each year between December and April, they visit the sea regions of the Kerama Islands in Okinawa for feeding, mating and giving birth to baby whales. More than 1,000 humpback whales have been found. In our statistics, there are about 300 to 500 humpback whales present in these waters during the whale watching season each year.
Humpback whales give birth every two years; each pregnancy runs for about 10 months and only one calve is born to each whale. Mother whales will accompany their babies for about 6 to 10 months so that they can learn to be independent.
Therefore it is very common to see a whale and calf duo swimming together in February and March, as it is the time where baby whales learn to swim and get familiar with the ocean. If you are lucky, you can spot them swimming together in the Keramas.
The whale watching tours take you out to sea in search of wild whales. Once one is found, the boat captain will turn off the engines. Humpback whales are very curious animals, especially newly born baby whales, who are often intrigued by ships. They will often approach the boat and perform a series of jumps.
Humpback whales usually only sing during breeding season, so whale experts believe that their singing may be one of the steps of their courtship ritual. The singing of the humpback whales is like a crisp flute. The singing of male humpback whales has various frequencies and rhythms, which is why they have been called the “Prince of Love Songs” among the whales.
Recently, researchers have discovered that humpback whales have the ability to save other animals attacked by killer whales, such as sea lions, seals, and other whales. In addition, humpback whales tend to have the same empathy as humans, thus many people think that whales are cetaceans with souls.
［ Humpback whale tricks ］
| Blow: Humpback whales go to the surface to breathe every 7-15 minutes then dive back underwater for 15-30 minutes or longer. Their blows hint to a whale’s presence nearby. Spotting Chances ★ | Fluke-up / Down-dive: When a whale is ready to dive, it raises its tail upwards and slowly dive into the water. Spotting Chances ★★ | Pectoral fin slap: Humpback whales slap the water with their pectoral fins to indicate that they are having fun or sending signals to their companions. Spotting Chances ★★★ |
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Tail Slap: The whale hits the water with its tail, producing loud noises and splashes of water. This is a display of anger. Spotting Chances ★★★ | Head Slap: The humpback whale hits the water with its head, indicating that it is threatening the enemy and demonstrating its strength. Spotting Chances ★★★★ | Spy Hop: The whales expose their head out of the water and peeks around, showing their curiosity about their surroundings. Spotting Chances ★★★★ |
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Breach: The whale jumps out of the water and falls back into the sea, splashing water and creating loud splashing noises. Spotting Chances ★★★★★
［ Probability of encountering whales］
Most people wonder whether the chances of seeing whales are influenced by the time or the weather (rainy days, etc). The truth is that it is impossible to determine when and where the mammals will appear.
Whale watching is about observing wildlife in a natural environment. Hence it is completely uncontrollable and unpredictable and spotting one depends solely on luck. Relying on our experience, our encounter rate of whales in the Keramas (which is almost every day!) can be considered extremely lucky!
However there will still be days where we are not lucky enough to spot any. However, the chances of not seeing one whale during the whole 4 months of the whale watching season is in fact, quite low.
［ Whale Watching Tour Information］
What is included in the Whale Watching tours of Marine Club Berry Naha ?
★Full fare refund: you will get a full refund if you are unable to see any whales!
1. The encounter rate of whale watching tours is as high as 99% every year.
2. In December and January a Re-challenge ticket will be handed out instead of a refund. You can use this ticket to try another tour for free.
★Guiding by a professional whale watching shop, established in Okinawa for 35 years and certified by the Okinawan government as reliable and trusworhty.
★Tour commentary by a friendly and experienced professional guide, in Chinese or English to better understand the world of whales.
★All kinds of Free Services:
1. Children of 0-5 can board for free.
2. Free transfer service from designated hotels in Naha City Area
3. Free whale explanation handbook
4. Free photos taken on the day (available for internet download after the tour)
5. Free raincoat rental
6. Free cold and hot drinks on the boat
★Board a high-speed, double-deck yacht. Large enough to welcome 50-60 people and equipped with 2 lavatories.
What do I need to prepare in advance to join a Whale Watching tour?
- Seasickness medicine: Due to the strong winds blowing in Okinawa, the sea can get quite rough as well. When the waves are high and strong, you will feel as if you’re riding a pirate ship! Therefore, if you are sensitive to motion sickness, it is strongly recommended that you the necessary medicine before boarding!
- Toddler carrier: Due to the boat swaying easily, parents with children aged 0-2 years old must use a toddler carrier on the boat
- Warm windproof jackets: The sea wind is very strong. It is recommended to wear a windproof jacket and a woolen hat on the tour. Please do not wear hats that can easily be blown away.
- Anti-shake camera: When using a camera/mobile phone, it is recommended to use a camera string/ phone strip attached to your phone/camera to prevent it from slipping through your hands and falling into the sea.
Joining a Whale Watching tour in Naha?
◆ Times: ① Gather at 8:00 in the morning ② Gather at 13:00 in the afternoon
◆ Fares:
・Adults (over 13 years old): 5,500 – 6,000 yen
・Children (6 to 12 years old): 4,500 – 5,000yen
・Free for children aged 0-5
◆ Reservation link: click here