Seasonal· Maui· Hawaii
Auau Channel Humpback Whale Season
20° 51.6′ N · 156° 45.6′ W · approximate
Each winter thousands of North Pacific humpbacks arrive from Alaska to breed and calve in the shallow, sheltered Maui Nui basin; the Auau Channel between Maui and Lanai, only about 108 ft deep, is the heart of it.
Practical
Coordinate is approx (mid-channel between Lahaina and Lanai). Whales are in Hawaii November through April (NOAA sanctuary); PacWhale gives Maui's season as November through May with a peak mid-January to March. Federal rules: stay at least 100 yards from humpbacks; give dolphins 50 yards and monk seals 100 ft (DOBOR guidebook). Report entangled whales to NOAA (888) 256-9840 or the Coast Guard on VHF 16; report violations to NOAA Enforcement (800) 853-1964. Keep a bow lookout and slow down; whales surface without warning in the channel.
Best for
Sailing among breaching humpbacks
Season
Nov–Apr; peak mid-Jan to Mar
Nearby
- Keomuku Anchorage3.6 NM away
- Mala Anchorage (Bight North of Mala Wharf)4 NM away
- Kona Storm and South Swell Exposure (West Maui Roadsteads)4.1 NM away
- Lahaina Roadstead Moorings (A and B)4.1 NM away
- Lopa Beach4.3 NM away
- Mala Wharf Dive (Collapsed Pier)4.3 NM away
- Mala Wharf and Ramp4.4 NM away
- Lahaina Cannery Mall Provisioning4.5 NM away