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Watch out
for the whales

After seeing a whale breach offshore of Ala Moana Beach Park recently, it reminded me that my annual warning to recreational boaters was a bit overdue.

As most seasoned boaters in Hawaii know, the annual winter migration of Pacific humpback whales from the Arctic seas to our warm tropical waters began in earnest last month. So, by now their population has grown to something like 5,000 around the islands.

For starters, everyone should know that since 1997 most of the shallow waters off our major islands are part of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

The whales themselves are considered an endangered species as well, and as such, they are protected by a number of state and federal laws. Breaking these laws can cost an unwary boater up to $10,000.

Couple that fine with the likely destruction of any small boat that accidentally collided with a 40-ton whale and there are plenty of reasons to learn and follow the rules.

These rules of encounter were created to prevent boaters from disrupting the whales' normal behavior with actions that are detrimental to the whales' -- and often the boaters' -- welfare.

No whale should be intentionally approached closer than 100 yards. Think one football field.

When hearing this, many boat owners immediately respond with, "Yeah, but what if the whale approaches me?"

Most authorities recommend that skippers bring their boats to a full stop and allow whales the complete right of way. Once a nearby whale's direction has been determined, then the skipper may move off slowly in the opposite direction.

Remember, just causing a whale to change its direction or speed can be considered disrupting the whale's behavior and is a violation of the law.

Disruption in the extreme could cause a whale to use escape tactics such as prolonged dives or evasive swimming patterns.

Female humpbacks often give birth and nurse their calves while in Hawaii's waters. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that another important rule is to never steer a boat between a mother and her calf. Such a maneuver could certainly be life-threatening for the calf.

Slower boat speeds are important, particularly when visibility on the water is affected by glare, darkness, or choppy sea conditions. Humpbacks usually cruise at just a leisurely 3 to 6 mph (even though they have been observed swimming at 20 mph for brief periods) so they can be easily overtaken.

As the sanctuary encompasses some 1,400 square miles, Hawaii's boaters have been asked to be self-policing and to report any vessels violating the rules to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at 1-800-853-1964.

Those who would like further information about the sanctuary and its rules may visit its Web site at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or call 1-800-831-4888.