In the waters off Lahaina, two miles away from shore, an encounter struck a chord over the weekend when a golden retriever named Macy excitedly greeted a humpback whale that swam close to them. The whale peeked its head out as if to acknowledge the playful barks from Macy, caught vividly on an iPhone by her owner, Chrissy Lovitt, a devoted boat captain.
Lovitt, who has captained on Maui for a remarkable 25 years, said the humpback whale swam over upon hearing Macy’s enthusiastic barks. “It was the best day of her life,” she shared, reflecting on that special moment from Saturday. The video depicts Macy barking energetically, while the whale, seemingly intrigued, glides close, lifting its head for a closer look.
Throughout her life, Macy has shown a lively interest in the ocean, particularly its majestic inhabitants like whales. However, Lovitt noted that this was the first time a whale had taken a personal interest in Macy’s excited calls. Lovitt describes her lively companion as “obsessed with sea life and whales,” acknowledging the finite nature of their time together and celebrating this special check off Macy’s bucket list.
Years of dedication to her whale-watching business faced a dramatic turning point in August 2023, when Lahaina was devastated by a massive wildfire. The blaze consumed Lovitt’s three boats along with her equipment and vehicles in its rage. On the day the fire swept through, she and her partner, battling fierce winds, made a decision to head to the ocean for safety on one of their boats. During this precarious escape, they assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in rescuing desperate swimmers fleeing the inferno.
December marked a new beginning as Lovitt relaunched her tours, offering free seats to those affected by the fire, as a gesture of healing through the serene activity of whale-watching. As they look forward to the end of another successful season, Lovitt expresses her hope to continue seeing business thrive until the whales begin their journey back to Alaska later in the month.