The month of November officially marks the beginning of one of the longest migrations on earth!  The Northern Pacific Humpback Whales swim practically non-stop for nearly 6 to 8 weeks before reaching their Hawaiian winter home, where they mate, give birth, and nurture their calves. Their annual migration of about 6,000 miles is one of the longest of any mammal.

Like most northern hemisphere baleen whales, humpbacks feed during the summer in sub-arctic regions and migrate to sub-tropical waters in winter to breed. Today, there may be as many as 6,000 humpbacks found in the North Pacific, in three somewhat distinct populations.

1.  The eastern stock migrates primarily between the coasts of Northern California in the summer and Mexico in the winter.
2.  The central stock summers in southeast Alaska and the Gulf of Alaska and winters in the waters around Hawai'i.
3.  The western stock migrates between the Aleutian Islands area in the summer and islands south of Japan in the winter.
Some exchange between these groups has been observed on the breeding grounds.

Humpbacks are distributed throughout the world's oceans, although all populations were depleted by whaling from the mid-1800s and into this century. As many as 15,000 humpbacks may have once roamed the North Pacific, but the numbers were reduced to less than 1,000 animals by 1965.

The waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands are one of the most important humpback whale habitats. Humpbacks prefer two major areas in Hawai'i: the four-island region of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kaho'olawe, and the Penguin Band, a tongue of shallow water extending 25 miles southwest of western Molokai. Within about the last 10 years, the whales have spread to the Big Island, Kauai and Oahu, between Koko Head and Sandy Beach, and to the North Shore.

In 1992, Congress recognized the importance of this habitat and designated critical areas as the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Humpbacks are listed as an endangered species and are protected by federal and state regulations.

All images included in this post were provided courtesy of Island Images Photography.  Island Images Photography is an adventure photography company, specializing in underwater images of local marine life.  Island Images Photography is located on the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian island chain.  

Huli is a Hawaiian word that means to "flip over" or "capsize".  Often used in Hawaiian outrigger canoeing terms when the canoe is turned over while paddling and/or sailing.  Today, the term Huli is also used to describe a very popular style of barbecued chicken.  The Huli Huli Chicken!

The chicken is first seasoned with a dry-rub of secret spices.  Then, the bird is cooked over kiawe wood coals.  Kiawe is a local hardwood (originally from Brazil) similar to mesquite, and is responsible for giving the Huli Huli chicken it's unique flavor.  The huli huli chicken is served as a whole bird or half-bird plate and the Private Tours Hawaii top choice side item is Ray's pineapple cole slaw.  The Huli Huli Chicken is a famous local fare that is a must try while visiting the Hawaiian Islands.  

Ray's Kiawe Broiled Chicken is one of the best Huli Huli chicken stops on the North Shore of Oahu.  Ray's is located in Haleiwa town, between Kua 'Aina Burger and Malama Market.