If you need another reason, besides staying dry, better sight lines and comfort, to book a whale watch trip on a larger boat like those sailed by Hawaii Ocean Project versus a smaller, rubber boat, you can add safety to the list.

A British couple kayaking in Monterey Bay, CA were nearly crushed when a humpback whale breached and landed just a few feet from their kayak. 

Tom Mustill told London newspaper The Telegraph: “We had an amazing couple of hours and we were heading home. There were whales on the surface that we were watching, but we didn’t see this one; when a whale breaches you don’t see it on the surface because it has to get momentum from quite deep down.

“Then we saw it. It was above us and all I could see was this whale crashing towards us, blocking out the light. I thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to die now.’”

When the whale crashed down into the ocean, the kayak flipped and threw the two passengers into the sea.  “There was a huge amount of suction and it pulled us underwater,” Mr. Mustill said. “For me, that was the really scary part because [it was when] I felt I could do something to make a difference to being alive or not, but I felt the whale in the water next to us and it was so powerful, I can’t really comprehend it even now.”

While smaller boats can, in theory, get you closer to the whales (remember, no matter the size of the boat, there are laws that regulate you must be 100 yards from the whales), if the whales can't see you, you may be in danger.

Remember, Hawaii Ocean Project whale watch uses comfortable cruising yachts with indoor and outdoor seating so you'll always be dry under any weather conditions. Tours start at $24.95. Book your trip now