Maybe were too late in the year, I mused to my husband.

The regions whale season goes from roughly August to October; I knew November was a long shot.

OurMoorea Activities Centerguide, Jay Tevaireva, had one last trick up his sleeve: a hydrophone.

A boat on the ocean near three whales swimming

Humpbacks in Platypus Bay, in eastern Australia.Credit:Courtesy of Pacific Whale Foundation

Whales, such as the humpbacks we hoped to spot, often sing to communicate.

Different species of whales migrate and breed at different times and in different regions.

That means travelers can embark on whale-listening excursions throughout the year.

A group of people watch a whale blow water from the distance on a boat

Watching a humpback surface and spout.Courtesy of Pacific Whale Foundation

Meanwhile, on Canadas Vancouver Island, whales can be heard on land.

I saw the signature spouts and tails of a humpback mother and her calf just offshore.

A whale blows water from its hole next to a boat of people

A humpback whale blows water as guests watch.Courtesy of Pacific Whale Foundation

People on a boat watch a whale swim by in the ocean

Whale watching with Pacific Whale Foundation.Courtesy of Pacific Whale Foundation