A humpback whale (Na koholā) the size of a school bus approaches and calmly eyes a group of people on a boat just off Hawaii’s shores.
Humpbacks like this weigh upward of 40 tons and are around 45 feet long. At birth, humpback calves are 10- to 20-feet long and weigh between 1 and 2 tons.
Their size and strength do not stop many from getting as close as they can to these massive creatures though. The whales’ typically calm nature and aversion to too much attention has earned them a reputation as being fairly “people-friendly.” This makes them a joy to behold while also potentially putting them in danger of people with agendas other than simply enjoying the view.
Here is a terrific, recent video of humpbacks relaxing off the Kona coast in January, 2013.
