Captain Zodiac

Happy Thanksgiving 💛☺️ We are grateful for so many things but especially for our amazing guests, and even more so this year as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary! 🎊 Mahalo for 50 years of support, which we could not have done without the help of you and our amazing Captain Zodiac ohana 🫶🏼🏴‍☠️Because of all of you, we get to share these beautiful experiences with nature daily! 🎥 Video by @sham_wow28 #happythanksgiving #captainzodiackona #bottlenosedolphins #dolphins #bigislandhawaii #konahawaii #hawaii

This past week, Captain Zodiac assisted with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s (Sanctuary) Whale Entanglement Response training. Maria Harvey (Harvey), the Sanctuary’s Large Whale Rescue, Resource Protection, and Monitoring Assistant flew over to provide crucial training to a team of volunteer community members. Under Harvey’s guidance, we were able to understand that safety is the top priority when working around large marine mammals and the inherit risks that go along with disentanglement. The team worked with two Captain Zodiac rafts, one towing an entangled whale tail while the other acted as a support vessel. On the small NOAA inflatable Harvey talked each 3 person team through the process before each team were given the opportunity to perform each task. To begin we practiced kegging, which helps slow the whales down to allow for lines to be cut at a hopefully slower speed. Then we worked on deploying a flying knife from a telescoping pole to cut lines from the whale tail. Lastly, we used a cutting grapple to throw on lines, which can be used on trailing gear or lines wrapped around the body of the whales. This training allows for an on island team to be prepared to deploy to help assist a whale in trouble alongside Sanctuary staff - Maria Harvey (Level 4) or Ed Lyman (Level 5). Ed Lyman is the regional large whale entanglement coordinator and has been leading the Hawaii network since its creation over 20 years ago.🚨If you see a whale in distress, do not intervene, please call 888-256-9840 (Option 3)*All disentanglement activities are permitted and done in coordination with NOAA Fisheries working under the Marine Mammal Heath and Stranding Response Program (Permit# 24359) #captainzodiackona #captainzodiac #noaa #whaledisentanglement #whaledisentaglementtraining #humpbackwhales #marinemamals #konahawaii

"Did you see that mama?" We saw our first humpback breach of the season in Kailua-Kona! Oooh yeah! Way to go Captain Sandy!🐋🐋🐋. #captainzodiac #captainzodiackona #humpbackwhale #humpbackwhales #hawaiiwhales #whalewatchingtour #snorkeltour #kailuakona #konahawaii #bigislandhawaii #whalebreach #whalebreaching #hnn #hawaiinews

An amazing video of a Hawaiian Monk Seal enjoying a meal yesterday outside of Kealakekua Bay- swallowing this fish whole! Everyone on board was very impressed (as you can hear in the audio) 🤣 👏🏼 🎥 Video by Crew member Kalia Crookes. Can anyone help us ID the fish? 🐟 We are thinking it's opakapaka… #hawaiianmonkseal #hawaiianmonkseals #endangeredspecies #hawaii #wildlife #marinemammals #captainzodiackona #kailuakona #konahawaii #seal #oceanlife #kealakekuabay

Nothing like wiping the ocean water off your goggles and seeing the beautiful scenery of Kealakekua Bay! Come snorkel with us, book with the link in our bio 🐠🫧 #captainzodiackona #captainzodiac #kailuakona #konahawaii #konabigisland #bigislandtravel #bigislandhawaii #snorkeltour #wildlifetour #kealakekuabay #captaincookhawaii #marinesanctuary #ecofriendlytourism #maunakeabeachhotel #hapunabeachprincehotel #royalkonaresort #fairmontorchid #fshualalai #kingkamehamehahotel #hawaii #oceanlife

Another beautiful day on the water for some tours! 🏴‍☠️☀️ #captainzodiackona #captainzodiac #kailukona #konabigisland #konahawaii #hawaiivacation #bigislandhawaii

Our neighbors on Maui are suffering and in need of help ❤️‍🩹 Tuesday, August 8, 2023, deadly wildfires spread across the island of Maui and left many families, first responders, and victims in need of aid. Check out these accounts for ways to help: @mauifoodbank @mauinutualaid @mauicommunityfoundation ❤️🏴‍☠️ Video by @brantins

The cutest crew member, Mahi 🐶 @mmahi6160

Blainville’s beaked whales with a backdrop of our beautiful Big Island 🌺 📸 Spotted by @kalia_crookes #captainzodiac #captainzodiackona #kailuakona #konahawaii #hawaiivacation #bigislandhawaii #bigisland #blainvillesbeakedwhale #whales #whale #marinemammals #marinelife #oceanlife

Short-finned Pilot Whales 🌺 Did you hear that vocalization at the beginning of the video?! We want to know what they’re saying too, Captain B! @littlebuzzzyb Book your adventure today, link in bio 💕🏴‍☠️ #captainzodiackona #captainzodiac #kailuakona #konahawaii #konabigisland #bigislandtravel #bigislandhawaii #snorkeltour #wildlifetour #kealakekuabay #captaincookhawaii #marinesanctuary #ecofriendlytourism #maunakeabeachhotel #hapunabeachprincehotel #royalkonaresort #fairmontorchid #fshualalai #kingkamehamehahotel #hawaii #oceanlife #pilotwhales #pilotwhale #shortfinnedpilotwhale #whales

A Spotted Box Fish, called Pahu in Hawaiian (seen above ^) is a cousin of the pufferfish and can inflate it’s body when threatened. Their bright blue colors protect them by warning potential predators that they are poisonous to eat. They also make them really beautiful to see! 📸: @dre_d.r.e #spottedboxfish #pahu #hawaiianreef #reeffish #tropicalfish #captainzodiackona #captainzodiac #honokohauharbor #kailuakona #konahawaii #bigislandhawaii #hawaii #hawaiivacation #snorkeltour

Listen to the humpback whales sing! 🎶🐋 Thanks for sharing @capt.ashlinds12 🔊 This hydrophone, or underwater microphone, can pick up the whale song from miles away! Our Whale Watching tours are always equipped with a hydrophone on board 💯 #captainzodiackona #captainzodiac #kailuakona #konahawaii #kona #whalewatching #humpback #humpbackwhale #hydrophone #whalesong #ocean #hawaii #bigislandhawaii #bigisland #bigislandtravel #adventuretourism #ecofriendly #hawaiitravel #marinelife #marinemammals #whales #wildlife #nature #travelinspo