 |
| A young humpback whale lurches aboard the Na Pali Eco Adventures catamaran Hokua, breaking a tourist’s knee.
Dan Morett • Special to The Honolulu Advertiser |
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser KauaÎi Bureau
LIHU‘E, Kaua‘i — A young humpback whale left its mother’s side, breached and landed on a stationary whale-watching boat — and on one of its passengers.
The visitor, identified as Sandra Gieb, suffered a broken knee and was taken to the West Kaua‘i Medical Center for treatment on Tuesday. No other information about her was released.
The young whale and its mother had been swimming about 75 yards from a Na Pali Eco Adventures catamaran, the 40-foot Hokua. The boat had come to a stop with its engines running off Barking Sands on West Kaua‘i to let passengers eat and watch the whales.
Passengers on another whale-watching boat, operated by Capt. Andy’s Sailing, had a clear view of the scene. The mother and calf were swimming together with plenty of clearance from the boat when the calf suddenly changed direction, said company owner Andy Evans.
"This little baby just peeled off and jumped a couple of times and landed on the boat. The little one was just having a ball, learning how to breach," Evans said.
Doug Phillips, a co-owner of Na Pali Eco Adventures, said the young whale, which he estimated at 20 to 25 feet long, landed with its head on the stern of the catamaran. Gieb had been sitting in a seat near the stern.
"It just head-lunged right onto the transom," Phillips said. The whale then slipped back into the water and swam off.
Evans and Phillips attributed the whale’s behavior to its youth and inexperience.
"Normally, whales will keep their distance when they hear the engine. But juvenile whales are pretty high-strung, and they don’t know much yet," Phillips said.
[back to top] |
