By Matt Villano
Whales - and their enormity - have captured human imagination for ages. Perhaps it's our knowing they're bigger than school buses, yet as graceful underwater as ballerinas. Or perhaps it's the human connection; they're warm-blooded and they nurse their young like humans do. The awe inspired by whale-watching is incomparable, and the perfect way to spend a vacation day.
Maui, Hawaii
Humans aren't the only creatures that flock to Hawaii every winter - humpback whales do, too. From December to March, an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 humpbacks move from the Gulf of Alaska to the warm and gentle waters of the AuAu Channel separating Maui and Lanai. Their mission: to mate and birth their young.
In most cases, these 60-foot whales (and their 15-foot babies) swim close enough to the beaches along the Kaanapali and Wailea resort areas for humans to spot from shore. Visitors also can catch glimpses of the animals at Napili and Kapalua on Maui's north coast. In these spots, the animals appear to be more prone to jumping, or breaching, out of the water. Scientists don't know why.
Of course, the best way to see these animals is to observe them in their natural environment. Ultimate Whale Watch offers two-hour boat excursions from the harbor in Lahaina on surprisingly steady 20-foot inflatable rafts. Talk about intimate - the boats hold a maximum of 14 guests at a time. The price: $49.
For real whale-lovers, a nonprofit organization named Whale Trust hosts the annual Whale Quest event at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. During this free weekend bash, whale researchers from all over the country give public lectures about their studies. Donations benefit a trio of Maui humpback research groups.
Telegraph Cove, British Columbia
Free Willy has nothing on the orca whales of Canada's Johnstone Strait. The waterway that separates mainland British Columbia from Vancouver Island is home to an estimated 1,000 killer whales. From May to September, the best place to spot the black-and-white creatures is near Telegraph Cove, a blip on the island 30 miles south of Port Hardy.
To call this spot undeveloped would be an understatement; the road in from Highway 19 is unpaved and often gets muddy with the lightest of rains. Still, the secluded cabins and RV campground at the Telegraph Cove Resort provide the perfect jumping-off point for boat and kayak-based whale-watching trips into the strait.
For guided tours, nobody knows the area better than the folks at Stubbs Island Whale-Watching. The outfit was founded as British Columbia's first whale-watching company in 1980, and its scientists have contributed significantly to orca research over the years. Cruises are 3.5 hours and start at $69.
Landlubbers visiting the area can learn about whales at the Whale Interpretive Centre, a whale museum on the dock at Telegraph Cove. While the center focuses on the biology of killer whales, it also highlights local birds and pinnipeds. Another highlight: the massive skeleton of a fin whale, suspended from the ceiling.
Florianopolis, Brazil
Once headed to extinction due to whaling, Southern right whales have rebounded impressively in the last two decades and are now one of the most prevalent species in the Southern Hemisphere. The best spots to see them are within a one-hour drive of Florianopolis, Brazil, the capital city of the country's Santa Catarina state.
Nearly 7,500 of the 50-foot leviathans appear in the area from July to November, coming north from the chilly waters of Argentina to mate and birth their young. When the whales are around, they usually frolic in protected bays along the ocean coast. To protect the area, the Brazilian government designated an 81-mile stretch of coastline a whale sanctuary in 2000.
Two beaches are the whale-watch capitals of this coastal stretch: Garopaba and Rosa. A number of outfitters affiliated with the government-funded Right Whale Project lead guided boat trips from both spots. Excursions usually last for two to four hours. Prices start at $25.
Visitors also can watch whales from the comfort of shore. At the Vida Sol E Mar Resort, which overlooks Rosa Beach, every private cabin has a view of the bay. Bring binoculars and you might spot the whales engaging in a behavior called "tail sailing," where they use their tails to catch a breeze.
Laguna San Ignacio, Mexico
Unless you work in an oceanarium, you probably won't have many opportunities to reach out and touch a whale. This is what makes the San Ignacio Lagoon so spectacular. From December to March, gray whales visit the protected bay on the west coast of Baja California to nurse their young. The 15-foot babies are famously curious about boats.
As a result, most of the whale lovers who venture out on "pangas," or tiny boats, have the chance to come face to face with a gray whale. Literally dozens of outfits (some accredited, some not so accredited) offer government-regulated boat trips out into the lagoon. Most cost about $30 and last two hours. Among the oldest and best: Pachico's Eco Tours.
Many visitors to this area stay at hotels in the nearby town of San Carlos. Others stay right there on the lagoon. Outfitters such as Baja Discovery have claimed sections of the desert bluffs to make safari-style camps. The downside? Accommodations are rustic. The upside? You hear whale spouts all night long.
In the early spring, the whales begin their 5,000-mile journey back to Alaska's Bering Sea. This means that travelers who come by car can follow the animals north. In response to tourist demand, towns such as El Rosario and San Quintin are developing whale-watching. These operations are hit-or-miss, but generally, the spots are less crowded.
Churchill, Manitoba
Small whales are cool, too - that's the thinking in this tiny Canadian town on the southern tip of Hudson Bay. Every summer from May to September, 3,500 of the region's 20,000 beluga whales come down from the Arctic to molt, mate and birth young in the Churchill River estuary. The whole town goes nuts.
These 10-foot whales are known as "sea canaries" for the sounds they make with their blowholes, and visitors during this time of year can hear telltale creaks and squeals from just about everywhere in town. At the mouth of the river, the cacophony is nearly deafening. The sight is just as incredible - thousands of white and gray bodies, dotting the blue water like confetti.
A great way to observe belugas is on foot. From the waterfront Lazy Bear Lodge, hike 30 minutes to Cape Merry and look down on belugas as they congregate below. Real adventure-seekers also can wander (in waders) out into the bay itself, marveling as the whales poke their heads above the surface for a closer look.
For a closer look, try a whale watch from Sea North Tours. During the four-hour, $75 tour, the outfitter heads out into the bay and cuts the boat's engines to turn on the hydrophone. In water, where sound travels far and wide, beluga singing makes Bjork sound mute. No wonder they're called canaries.
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