MA'ALAEA, Maui — A record number of whales were sighted during the 2008 Great Whale Count on Maui, which recorded a total of 1,726 whale sightings in a three-hour period.

Perfect weather conditions for whale-watching on Saturday and a growing whale population are thought to be the reasons for the unprecedented number of humpback whale sightings.

"It was absolutely gorgeous out there for the Great Whale Count today," said Quincy Gibson, research director for the Pacific Whale Foundation and the coordinator of the count. "The weather was sunny with no clouds, with just a light breeze, little glare and very flat, calm seas — just ideal for watching whales."

Saturday's count of 1,726 whale sightings broke the 2006 record of 1,265 humpback whales counted.

The Great Whale Count is an annual event organized by the Pacific Whale Foundation that brings together Maui visitors, residents, and foundation researchers, educators and other staff, to tote up the number of whale sightings from 12 shoreline observation stations.

These counting spots stretched along Maui's southern and western shores, from the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua to Pu'u Olai in Makena, and included a site at Ho'okipa Beach on Maui's north shore.