Sanctuary Ocean Count 2020 results by island and site

The highest island figure for 2020 is 3.9 whales per site per 15-minute period, for Kauaʻi in January. The lowest is 2, for Hawaiʻi Island in January and February.

The 2020 Sanctuary Ocean Count ran on two Saturday mornings: January 25 and February 29. We list the island averages from the preliminary results sheets, and each site’s average per count, computed from the results sheets’ site tables.

The March count was canceled because of COVID-19.

Island figures, 2020

Island figures for the 2020 counts: average whales per site per 15-minute count period, as printed (– means no figure)
Count	Kauaʻi	Oʻahu	Hawaiʻi Island	Source
January January 25	3.9	2.3	2	results sheet
February February 29	2.4	2.3	2	results sheet
March March 28 (canceled)	–	–	–	–

Headcount and busiest period, 2020

What the 2020 press releases give for each count
Count	Headcount	Sites reporting	Busiest period	Whales in busiest period
January	more than 550 volunteers †	41	8:30–8:45 a.m.	148
February	more than 650 volunteers †	39	8:30–8:45 a.m.	138

† The headcount includes Pacific Whale Foundation’s Great Whale Count on Maui, held on the same mornings.

2020 averages by count site

The highest 2020 site value for a single count is 9.11, at Mōkapu Point (Monument Point Overlook) on Oʻahu in January.

Each figure is the whales seen at that site, adults plus calves, averaged over the 15-minute periods it reported, from the results sheet’s site table. A dash means the site reported no period that morning.

Kauaʻi, 2020: average whales (adults plus calves) per 15-minute period at each site, computed from the results sheet’s site table
No.	Site	January	February	March
1	Lumahaʻi Lookout	–	–	–
2	Cliffs at Princeville	0.56	2.44	–
3	KPNWR-Kīlauea Lighthouse	–	2.33	–
4	KPNWR-Crater Hill	5.67	2.33	–
5	Kapaʻa Lookout	6.56	3.78	–
6	Ahukini State Recreation Pier	1.56	0.56	–
7	Ninini Lighthouse	7.22	–	–
8	Māhāʻulepū-Makauwahi Trail	–	–	–
9	Māhāʻulepū-Makawehi	6.11	2.89	–
10	Makahūʻena Point	6.56	3.78	–
11	Poʻipū Beach Park	5.11	2.11	–
12	Kaʻiwa Point	1.11	3.22	–
13	Port Allen Cemetery	1.56	1.33	–
14	Waimea Canyon Drive	–	–	–
15	Pacific Missile Range Facility	1.11	1.67	–

Oʻahu, 2020: average whales (adults plus calves) per 15-minute period at each site, computed from the results sheet’s site table
No.	Site	January	February	March
1	Ewa Beach Park	0.67	0.67	–
2	Ko ʻOlina	1.11	1.11	–
3	Māʻili Point	–	–	–
4	Mākua Cave	1.33	–	–
5	Kaʻena Point (West Shore)	0.44	4.62	–
6	Kaʻena Point (North Shore)	3.33	1.22	–
7	Mokulēʻia Beach Park	0.67	0.71	–
8	Puaʻena Point	–	–	–
9	Shark’s Cove	3.11	3.78	–
10	Turtle Bay Resort	1.67	2.78	–
11	Lāʻie Point	1.89	3	–
12	Hauʻula Beach Park	–	–	–
13	Kualoa Ranch (Bunkers)	1.22	0.89	–
14	Pyramid Rock	2.11	–	–
15	Mōkapu Point (Monument Point Overlook)	9.11	0.67	–
16	Lanikai	2.22	0.33	–
17	Waimānalo Beach Park	–	–	–
18	Makapuʻu Lighthouse	3.11	1.78	–
19	Hālona Blowhole	3.89	6.78	–
20	Lānaʻi Lookout	4.78	3.11	–
21	Hanauma Bay	–	–	–
22	Spitting Caves	1.11	6.75	–
23	Diamond Head	–	–	–
24	Magic Island	0	0.67	–
25	Kakaʻako Beach Park	–	–	–
26	Kahe Point	2.22	0.67	–

Hawaiʻi Island, 2020: average whales (adults plus calves) per 15-minute period at each site, computed from the results sheet’s site table
No.	Site	January	February	March
1	Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park	0.78	0	–
2	Ka Lae Park	–	–	–
3	Miloliʻi Lookout	–	–	–
4	Hoʻokena Beach Park	0.67	0	–
5	Hōnaunau Lookout	0.11	0	–
6	Keauhou Scenic Lookout	–	–	–
7	Keāhole Point (OTEC)	0	2	–
8	Hualālai (Four Seasons Resort)	2.22	0.78	–
9	Puʻukoholā Heiau National Park	6.44	4.67	–
10	Mile Marker 7	5	6.75	–
11	Lapakahi State Historical Park	–	–	–
12	Kapaʻa Beach Park	2.56	3.44	–
13	Old Coast Guard Road	3.89	2.88	–
14	ʻUpolu Point	–	–	–
15	Waipiʻo Valley lookout	–	–	–
16	Laupāhoehoe Scenic Lookout	–	–	–
17	Onekahakaha Beach Park (Hilo Bay)	0.44	0.22	–
18	Kumukahi Lighthouse	–	–	–
19	Kehena Lookout	–	–	–
20	Kaʻena Point (Chain of Craters Road)	–	–	–
21	Hawaiian Paradise Park	0.89	0	–

Sources

The official record is on oceancount.org, and registration for the next count is on oceancount.org/registration. The island figures on this page, and the site-table cells behind its site averages, are also in our download files. This site is independent and not part of NOAA or the Sanctuary Ocean Count.