As I mentioned in the "surfer almost swallowed by whale" craze posted back in November, when not blogging for Gadling I will double as a sailor, diver, and whale naturalist on a fleet of sailing catamarans in Hawaii.

March is traditionally the peak of whale season in the Hawaiian islands, and throughout the winter months of December through April the shallow waters off of Maui are home to the largest population of humpback whales found anywhere in the Pacific. During this time, tens of thousands of tourists make their own sort of migration to experience a close encounter with the world's most acrobatic cetaceans.

For many, a trip to Maui for whale watching can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If such a trip doesn't happen to be on your travel itinerary for this year, however, you can still vicariously experience the thrill of an entire season of Maui whale watches by keeping up with Kohola Katie, a Maui-based blog devoted entirely to breaches, spy-hops, pectoral slaps, moms with calves, male escorts, and, of course, up-close muggings.

With over two months officially remaining in the 2012 Maui whale season, there are sure to be many more encounters just like the one exhibited above.

Filed under: Learning, Scuba Diving, North America, Oceania, United States, Ecotourism