Maui - The Whale Watch

Since we were on the islands in late December it was a no-brainer to book a good whale watch.  Though at the very beginning of the season, we saw several breaches and lots of plumes, and while waiting to see something the guide taught us a lot about whale anatomy and breeding habits.  What I found funny during the excursion was seeing us and up to five other whale-watching boats simultaneously zero in on these plumes and breaches.  There is a law that prohibits approaching closer than a hundred yards, so the boats would end up in a semicircle radiating out from where the sightings occurred.  And, though these operations supposedly were competitors for the tourist trade, the radio chatter that I overheard revealed great camaraderie and cooperation.

Naturally there was a professional photographer on board, eager to snap these events and the passengers having a good time on board.  As for me, the non-professional, I caught two breaches with the Bigger Cahoona, this one being a little better because of the consistent background.  Each shot from the sequence above is highly cropped, and a lot of post-capture was required to adjust for composition, exposure, and de-hazing.