MAUI 2013 - WHALES and FISH

MAUI 2013 – WHALES and FISH

MAUI NUI

            Maui Nui (Big Maui) refers to a time when Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kaho’olawe and Molokini were one large island.  Far back in geological time, each island formed volcanically as individuals but built up until they converged into a huge land mass.  Just over one million years ago, Maui Nui was bigger than the Big Island is today.  Eventually they peaked then began to erode. 

           During that million years, glacial periods cycled with ice forming and taking up sea water and exposing the land followed by the ice melting down causing sea levels to rise.  The islands today are surrounded by water, but the land under the water is relatively shallow, less than 500 feet rather than thousands of feet deep surrounding the island chain.  The highest point of the highway across the neck of Maui today is only 130 feet above sea level.  It isn’t hard to imagine both Kahului and Kihea under water and a channel of water making the head and torso two islands!

            After living on Kauai, it is really a different feeling to look out at any point on the island and see other islands.  From here we can only see Ni’ihau, and then only when we are on the west side.

Lanai from Lahaina 

Kaho'olawe with the cinder cone Molokini off to left

from Kihei

            We had a number of reasons for visiting Maui but planned the trip for March so we could see whales, and if we are on a boat we want to snorkel.  Actually our addiction for snorkeling started on Maui back when I had family there and we visited regularly.  So, we booked two days on boats, one out of Lahaina to Lanai waters and one out of Kihei to La Perouse Bay (which didn’t happen and at the last minute we jumped on a Molokini bound boat). 

Day One continued
            After the wetlands and gallery on the Kahului side (previous post), we checked into our closet sized hotel room on the beach in Kihei.  We dug our stuff out and made it into the water by 5pm.  On our first dip we sighted a few fish we don’t see regularly on Kauai and just enjoyed being in the water.  Yea! 

           Gil’s camera did not work the first day out and mine got stuck the day off Lanai.  Only on the Molokini trip did we both have pics.  The nature of our camera masks is that maybe one out of five or ten pictures is any good.  The water is moving, the fish are moving, and we are moving.  To catch any still in those conditions is amazing.  Gil can dive but I can’t so unless a fish is very close to me, I don’t get much.  And yet it is a great tool for identification even if all I get is a blur sometimes or just a tail or odd angle, it can be enough to discern one species from another for my surveys turned in to Reef.org every time I go out.

Pale Tail Unicorn 

this is a good example of a bad picture that let me identify a fish new to me

 Sand  

I tried to capture how beautiful the surge of the water played with the sandy bottom near shore

            It was chilly getting out a few minutes later but we enjoyed watching whales spouting and breaching from Kama’ole Park III. 

Day 2
Lanai Snorkel / Whale watch Boat

            We booked with Daniel Sykes, owner of Maui Adventure Group and had to be at the Lahaina Harbor at 7am.  The hard bottom of this boat made it really comfortable compared to a regular zodiac inflatable.

 This hard bottom inflatable was great, 

We could sit on the benches looking out or on the pontoons'

The benches had storage underneath - it looks small but was very well equipped

 Gloomy at 7am but I love harbors

Leaving Lahaina

The old Pioneer Inn on far left, Lahaina was the whaling capital for awhile, 

lots of memorabilia in town celebrating the devastation of whaling

            We headed for Lanai straight across.  We had seen plenty of whales breaching from land (glad to say their recovery has come along, albeit slowly).  All the way across the channel we saw spouts, pect slaps, and big splashes in the distance alerting us to breaches we had missed.  We knew they were everywhere.

            The reason for so many whales on Maui is that shallow water between the islands: it is warm and clear and predators can be spotted easily.  Thousands come to give birth and mate here for the next season.  Young males travel with the group in order to learn the ropes and they hope to get lucky but are usually rebuffed either by the female or by an adult male.  Humans on land with binoculars or bobbing on the surface in little craft can only see the activity at the surface but just witnessing that much makes us realize we share the planet with these spectacular creatures. 

 This is a mother with a new calf, he is actually riding on her nose so he can breathe easily

Tail shot - this indicates a deep dive

Whatever activity or behavior we have seen from the top, 

the dive usually means we wont see this one again for at least 10 minutes 

            We didn’t care to land on Lanai.  The island used to be entirely pineapple plantation and is now just two resorts, one on the beach and one up the mountain plus a handful of residents. The whole island was just purchased by one man, Larry Ellison.  He promises to do some environmentally sound agriculture; everyone has high hopes.  

Manele Bay, Lanai

            We anchored to a buoy in Manele Bay, and jumped in, oblivious to the resort above us on land.  Anyway, while the day was cloudy, promise of rain, the water was pristine.  As I mentioned, my mask camera did not work on this trip, so these are Gil's shots.  

 Spectacled Parrotfish  

supermale about 24" 

            This endemic parrot fish was very exciting to see because we had only seen them at Midway before and they are usually associated with the NW islands.  Remember that measurements of fish do not include the tail! 

Lei Triggerfish or Humuhumu Lei (Saddle Wrasse off to side)

A pretty little guy (8") that we don't commonly see, a relative of our state fish the 

Humuhumu nukunuku a pua'a

Gold Rim Tang

            It was exciting to see Achilles Tangs because we usually only see them on Kauai in deeper water.  But we don't see these Gold Rims at all so he was very special.  

            We came back on board, shivering and comparing notes on the abundant varieties and clear water.  Too bad the sun was not out so we could warm up.  We had fruit and banana bread while the boat took us to another spot.  Along the way we were escorted by dolphins. 

 Chilly coast of Lanai

 Fun having the spinner dolphins, too

We stopped and watched for some time

           The second snorkel spot was over a massive rock formation now covered with coral, called a pinnacle.  We got highs and lows, beautiful, and just before coming aboard, someone screamed they were seeing Spotted Eagle Rays.  It was a family of four, various sizes skimming along the bottom about 30 feet below.  Gil dove but his fickle camera must not have functioned – they are alive and well in our minds.  What a privilege, their motion is more like flying than swimming.

This shot gives a feel for the highs and lows (shallow & deep) of the pinnacle

The fish is an Agile Chromis Damselfish about 4"

 Scrawled or Scribble Filefish 

Not common to this location according to boat staff 

but my fish book says these guys sometimes follow eagle rays!

            Back on board, they served turkey wraps and chips.  We got into dry clothes and enjoyed the ride back to Maui.  Would definitely recommend this outfit and go with them again; The Maui Adventure Dolphin Safari.

Day 3
Molokini Snorkel / Whale watch boat

Trilogy Sailing Catamaran

            We were ready to do it all again the next day.  We had booked a boat that was to take us past La Perouse Bay along the Kanaio coast, not really accessible by road.  All excited, we showed up at the Kihei boat ramp at 6:15 am, in the dark, in the rain, only to find we were not on their roster and the tour was to Molokini not La Perouse Bay even though we had a printed voucher for it, booked 5 weeks earlier.  Not happy with the circumstances, we canceled our pre-paid excursion.

            Our friend Dan Sykes got us on the deluxe Trilogy boat going to Molokini at 8am instead.  Molokini is the rim of a long gone volcanic crater with one side missing.  It is even more protected than the relatively shallow water between Maui and Ko’olawhe and since much coral has formed, it is a haven for fish and for snorkel tours.  We knew over 40 boats are licensed to go there and really hadn’t wanted to do the “usual” but it all turned out great.  Trilogy really treated us well; the big beautiful sailing catamaran was very comfy. 

            Right off the bat when we got to the dock we had to sign an agreement that we would not use spray sunscreen (should be a no-brainer but if it is sold, they will buy) and not to touch anything in the water (coral or fish or try to ride a turtle, etc.)  I loved these guys.  If they make speeches at the beginning, half the people don’t listen so if you must read and sign it before getting on board there is a chance you will comprehend how fragile the ecosystem is.  Turns out the company is the oldest, everyone really cares about their water world, and Trilogy is certified under Hawaii Ecotourism, etc.

             

 Whale activity off the stern

 I can see blow from at least four animals here, probably more in the cluster
The mist on the mountain mimics the mist from the living 45' mountains underwater

On the crossing, they served coffee, hot chocolate, and juice plus fresh fruit and hot cinnamon rolls, it was beautiful. 

Full Breach off the bow

Kaho'olawe Island with Molokini crater on left

            We anchored to a buoy at the far right inside the crescent of the old cone.  Once we got in we saw quantities of Black Durgons (one of my faves) and quantities of Orangespine Unicorns (monkey faces).   Then we started seeing Pink Tail Durgons (see previous post from Kona).  I’ve only seen one on Kauai.  

 Black Durgon (triggerfish) with two Yellow Tangs

Pink Tail Durgon, also a triggerfish about 12"

Orangespine Unicornfish

We see these pretty much wherever we go but not usually travelling together like this

A closer view of the monkey faced Orangespine Unicornfish, 18"

Of the unicorns, he doesn't have horn but his scalpel spines near the tail are prominent

            I tend to gurgle and point a lot in the water when I want to share something; Gil taps me and points.  It is fun to share but we are just as likely to head off in different directions if something takes our fancy.  Gil shot off after something and in the surge along the point of the crescent I spotted four scribble file fish!  We both really appreciate nice coral and the little yellow tangs are so rare on Kauai (due to the aquarium trade) that we enjoy them like the rare birds of the forest.

 Scribble Filefish - two days in a row!

Orange band Surgeonfish behind his tail

While this is not a clear picture, it shows the tail fanned out

Yellow Tangs [like birds in a coral forest]

            While chubs are common to see and often overlooked for their abundance, they have such unique behavioral color changes they can be exciting.  For the longest time, chubs spotted with half and half color were thought to be in behavior mode until someone figured out it is a separate species: the Hawaiian Bi-color Chub, wow!  It is fun to catch them on film (or pixels). 

Hawaiian Bi-color Chub 14"

            Chubs can get blotchy or spotty while grazing but they usually lose their spots if a large fish comes by (like a person).  It is really tough to get a photo with their grazing spots.  Gil must have sneaked up in time to get this.

Grazing Lowfin Chub 18-20"

    While I was off in another direction, Gil captured this puffer I never saw.  

 Spotted Pufferfish about 18"

I do see blue goat fish  at home but not very often and not this large.  

Blue Goatfish about 18"

            There were a number of parrot fish, their tropical blues, pinks, and yellows very eye-catching but I thought I saw a large female (grayish) I couldn’t place only to figure out later it was a Hawaiian Black grouper I had never seen before!

 Hawaiian Black Grouper and two Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasses

all endemic

If the grouper were full sized he'd be 3' but since the wrasses are only about 4", he is under 2'

Red Lip or Ember Parrotfish, alpha male, 28"

            I was swimming over this guy and expecting him to take off - I cannot keep up with parrots, they can be torpedoes.  Instead, he flopped over on his side.  They sometimes behave like this at a cleaning station, going into a lethargic trance, but there were no cleaner fish visible.  Perhaps he had just left the spa and wasn't quite ready for the freeway yet.  My gain, gorgeous bugger!

            I followed the crescent around away from our boat just to see who else was living here and  I was about to turn around when I spotted a large black jack or ulua.   These guys are usually only in the NW islands or it is possible it was another jack in stealth mode where they turn black.  At any rate they are always exciting since they have totally different behavior than reef fish – basically much higher in the food chain.  As I was watching him (about 25 feet below me) I caught the movements of his travelling companion – a small white tip reef shark.  I tried to keep up at the surface while they scanned the bottom; effortless for them, I really had to swim hard.  Eventually I think everyone from our boat saw them and it created quite a stir.

Black Ulua on right with baby White Tip Shark trailing, both about 3'

            From where Gil was he noticed all the fish dashing between coral and the black durgons flashing their stress colors on top of their head – that was when he spotted the two gangsters coming and figured out why the fish were ducking for cover.

Black Durgon going electric

During the next stage of stress for these guys, their cheeks to turn an amber yellow

            Time to come up, rinse off and head to our second snorkel spot in McKenna Bay, known for turtles.  This time we had a huge bowl of corn chips and an excellent home-made salsa full of pineapple chunks made by the Captain, Chris.  The underwater drama was so fresh we nearly forgot we were also on a whale watch and stopped in time to catch a fellow repeatedly displaying for the attention of a female (pure conjecture, but also a pretty likely scenario).

Breach with Kaho'olawe as backdrop

            Conditions weren’t great at Turtle Town with lots of surge and no turtle activity (until we got back on board and a couple floated around the boat while we ate lunch).  I didn't mind as turtles are one thing we get to swim with all summer on Kauai.

Pale tale Unicorns

This time I recognized them right away since discovering them on Day 1

There are also two Ring-tail Surgeons, an Orange-band Surgeon, and a Moorish Idol here

            The nice surprise at the top after a warm rinse and dry clothes was the lunch.  And since the wind picked up, the sails went up and we sailed back into Ma'alaea Harbor. 

 Plates were served to us:  teriyaki grilled chicken and rice, taro rolls, and ceasar salad

            Gil managed his and half of mine, I asked for more salad and got another whole plate full! We had great conversations with Captain Chris about lifestyles in Hawaii and then they served ice cream!  A couple little kids helped with the serving and with the ice cream scooping.  Nice to include the people in running the ship.

Young guys were recruited to help with rigging, nice to sail back

Two more whale displays here

We had watched them from the highway turn-off just above, too

Great to see from any vantage point