Attention Teralani ticket holders and soon-to-arrive Maui visitors – picture this:

You’re sitting on the bow of a luxury catamaran that’s cruising around the blue Pacific waters of West Maui. It’s nearing sunset time and that bright yellow fireball is setting majestically over the island of Lanai. It’s also dinner time and you have a plate of grilled goodies resting on your lap along with a mai tai or chardonnay at the ready. The aquatic ambience is darn-near perfect and humpback whales are frolicking yards away like families at the YMCA.

Not a bad way to spend a late afternoon/evening aboard the Teralani 3 and its ever-popular Dinner Sunset Sail. I was booked on this Teralani Sailing Adventures excursion on the last Tuesday of February and thoroughly enjoyed the 2.5-hour exploration of some of the most beautiful seascapes on the planet. Talk about peace on earth. Being out there in the briny wild blue yonder frees your mind as Mother Nature takes over and puts on a spectacular show.

Departure time for all 48 passengers was 4:00 PM at Dig Me Beach in Kaanapali. It was choppy out there and the boat’s boarding ladder was being jostled by incoming tides. Those first few steps up the ladder are wobbly because waves have their own spirited agenda. My knickers got splattered when a fast-moving rush hit me straight on. No worries. Within minutes I was drier than the champagne stocked in the galley.

Captain Drew was at the Teralani 3 helm, and, as always, she started things off with logistical instructions (location of toilets, keep plastic plates and cups secured, no puking below deck) and rah-rah greetings in the galley. As soon as she departed for her perch, it was Happy Hour at the galley bar. Belly up and have a brew, mai tai or bubbly. Nibble on chips and salsa and vegetable cruditēs. The line was long and unwavering. Rum and chardonnay bottles got a workout. Some folks may not have realized this gin joint was moving?!

For the next 60 minutes it was Koholās (Hawaiian word for humpback whales) on parade. Right off the bat and straight off the bow we saw one blubbery beauty breach straight up like a rocket firing at Cape Canaveral. How do they do that? Why do they do that? Those weren’t the issues. We were witnessing nature at its freestyle best that no price tag could match.

Whales have tremendous cultural significance for Native Hawaiians. The return of the Koholā is considered more of a homecoming than a visit. Humpbacks are born in Hawaiian waters and making them “kama’aina” (native born). Many Hawaiians also believe the whales are “aumakua” (family guardians) so these gentle giants are treated with great respect.

While the water ballet was staging it felt appropriate to offer shipshape kudos to the crew. Talking with each of them provided geographic insight into the Valley Isle’s populace. Captain Drew was from Missoula, Montana, crew member Eli from Anchorage, Alaska, crew member Amanda from Atlanta, Georgia, and photographer Lauren from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Melting pot defined. Further census-taking discovered well-traveled guests from Portland, Oregon and Perth, Australia. Come one, come all.

This was a dinner date so vittles were served in the galley around 5:45 PM. By then a few passengers needed spongier chow to soak up their alcohol intake. On the buffet-style menu was Caesar salad, citrus rotisserie chicken, grilled Ono (the Hawaiian word meaning “good to eat”) with a creamy pesto sauce, Ratatouille, and spinach and leek rice pilaf. For dessert, brownies with a mixed berry sauce. I took my overflowing plate up to the bow and watched the sun set deep into the horizon. It was without question the best seat in the (seaworthy) house.

As we chugged back to shore a mother and her calf appeared on the port side. Mom was slapping her pectoral fin on the water repeatedly like someone had told her an extremely funny joke. Turns out this gesture might have been more about flirting and attracting the attention of male Koholas. Dirty Dancing on the high seas. That wasn’t in the brochure.