MAUI MADNESS

Whales, Fish, Ocean, Canoes

Maui is known as the Valley Isle because it is dominated by the lowland between two volcanic rises that look like a bust. The remains of the older volcanic mountains make up the head and form the West Maui watershed. Haleakala, the larger, higher, younger volcano forms the body and the East Maui watershed that drains along Hana Highway.  The separation between them is a flat valley prized for agriculture since human occupation.  It will be under water in the not too distant future and the current Maui will be two distinct islands.  Maui Nui, or great Maui included Kaho’olawe, Lanai and Molokai at one time, now all separate islands.

Maui -  The Valley Isle

East Maui is the head, West Maui is the bust

Red bar at forehead is Ka'anapali area where we stayed for 3 days 

Arrow at nose is Olowalu where we snorkeled from a boat  

Arrow in center is Kula, another 3 days

March 21 -24, 2014

Even though it was rainy the first couple days and we wondered why we had left Kauai, we didn’t manage to find time to watch basketball.  It’s weird since we used to be glued to the TV during March Madness.  I guess we just aren’t glued to the TV any more.

We snorkeled at Black Rock.  This is where we got hooked on snorkeling back in 1985.  Our nephew had a little sail boat and we jumped from it all along Ka'anapali – discovering the underwater world that changed our lives. It was nice to pay homage.  (See the red bar on the map above for the Ka’anapali area.)

 Black Rock

Great snorkeling in spite of rock jumpers

Sheraton at Black Rock - rainbow and windblown palms

The rocky point is blocking the winds for us in the water

It is pretty wicked chop outside the sheltered area  

Black Durgons (triggerfish) and Hawaiian Dascyllus (damsel fish)

Detail of Black Durgon showing his stress colors

He/she may have been protecting eggs from other fish

 Green sea turtle - Honu

This guy is heading right for the mayhem of the jumpers!

He decided to turn back and Gil followed him down

Big Longnose Butterfly fish (forceps fish)

Rare to see them on Kauai

 Gil got this shot - fun to see from a different angle (different fish, too)

The coolest thing about swimming around the point at Black Rock, besides fewer people, was that when I held my breath and floated, I could hear the whales.  Gil got an even better concert when he dove down under. 

           

Next day, still rainy, we cruised the Lahaina harbor area and booked a whale watch/ snorkel tour for the following day. The outfit we went to Lanai with last year was booked.  Lucky for us, there was room on Pacific Whale Foundation’s big catamaran; still hoping for clear skies tomorrow.

 Lahaina Harbor

The catamaran is to the left

That done we visited the Lahaina canoe club, and went back in time.  Since the great successes of Hokulea’s long distance voyaging, every island has built their own voyaging canoe.  They haven’t been on the water yet, but this is the year.  Kauai has Namahoe down at Nawiliwili harbor and Maui has the Mo’okiha O Pi’ilani being built by Hui Wa’a Kaulua. 

Visit the website, just google Hui O Wa'a Kaulua

 Mo'okiha O Pi'ilani

roughly translates to the beautiful rising up of a spiritual lizard or dragon

Wishing you safe sailing soon
Should launch on the full moon in mid-May, 2014 at high tide 

            Gil’s old friend Kimo Keo Kapahulehua is president of the organization but was not on site.  They paddled the Queen Lilio race in Kona together many years ago when he was still known as Bully.  We ran into him the next day after our boat ride.  That was great because we missed him last year when we were on Maui (see March 2013 Maui post), as he was visiting family on Kauai!  It was really sweet to talk story with him as we had just watched him in a documentary about paddling to the northwest islands.  
            We did get to chat with another old timer from the Hokulea.  AND his daughter is getting ready to sail on Hokulea's next voyage.  The goal of passing it on to the next generation is already happening.  

Gil and proud voyaging canoe sailor (stroking the mo'o)

             He was very proud of not just the big canoe but also this smaller double hulled Mo'olele on the property.  Modeled after the interisland canoes of the Hawaiians, this one is made of koa and carbon fiber.

Mo'olele - what a great name

Mo'o (moh-oh) means any lizard from a gecko to a dragon but it is also a water spirit

Lele (leh-leh) means lots of things including to burst forth, or to sail through the air

The club calls her the Leaping Lizard

This is the mo'o, ready to go'o 

Next door to the club is an old fishermen’s canoe shed or k’oa hale surrounded by the canoe garden.  Squint your eyes and think back many centuries to voyaging times.

            Time to return to modern Lahaina, with all the colorful, busy Front Street souvenir shoppers, yikes! 

We pay homage here to a distant past.      

Saturday

            Sunshine as promised – seems like a long time since we’ve seen it!  We learn that west Maui has not been this green for thirty years.  The residents are thrilled to have the rain.  We sympathize since we endure it ourselves for Kauai’s green north shore. 

We hope to cross the channel and snorkel off Lanai.  The captains all talk on the com and figure out what the best locations are for delivering quality experiences to their guests.  Since we snorkel and whale watch, they try their best to please everyone.

 Though we had some real sun, the mountains were still moody at 8am

A perfect example of mom and calf - big blow, little blow 

This is so cute, the baby taking a dive - note the little dorsal fin

isn't quite upright - probably close to newborn

 Some real excitement for the folks on the other boat quite a distance from us

Lanai in background

 We have a threesome next to us here

Two are left of center, one to right

Probably the same mom and calf plus an escorting male

 BLOW!

We are surrounded - that's why we come here, they love to calve here

 DIVE!

Looks like damage on the tip of fluke at left

 Another critter

Usually a dive means they won't be back up for awhile and

it is usually males that do the dramatic show of their flukes

Another  baby diving- 

Yeah! good job

The channel is too rough to cross and the beautiful Manele Bay we were looking forward to is chocolate brown (per the ferry captain).  As we turn in and head up the coast, we see more whale behaviors happening around us.

                                                      Yet another dive

We head in toward Olowalu instead for our snorkeling.  We snorkeled off shore here many times in the 80s-90s when visiting family.  (See arrow on map – pointing to her nose, that’s Olowalu).

Olowalu 

Coral heads in clear water

            Gil got all of these next underwater shots diving and using his camera mask.  The coral and fish activity were a little too deep for my camera work.

 A gorgeous Eyestripe surgeonfish 

18" plus tail

 Then the 3" little guys - two dozen damselfish 

Oval chromis

Wish I could dive !

Ornate Butterflyfish - like 8" dinnerplates

Gil finds a pair every time

Is there anything like bright yellow in blue water?

Two yellow tangs and a four spot butterflyfish

The catamaran has a great transom for sitting and taking off gear, then a warm freshwater shower before heading on deck for lunch.  The food was great:  grilled chicken or burgers (the BBQs were going while we were in the water) with green salad, pasta salad, etc.  We enjoyed Bikini Blonde beers from Maui Brewing Co., too. 

Leaving our snorkel spot, we resumed the whale watch portion of our trip. 

Tail slapping lesson 

By jove he has it!  Splendid baby tail slap

(sorry for the blur - I got very excited)

On the other side of the boat.

This is more of a peduncle slap - at least a third of the body

Here comes baby slap just as mom geysers her way down

We headed back toward the harbor and just when we thought the show was over, another mother/baby pair displayed.

This is how it is done 

Like this?

Bye bye

            Back at our digs, we made use of our full kitchen and cooked dinner for friends that couldn’t join us in the water.  Mary Frances broke her foot right before we left and had to suffer through hours of basketball with her foot up.  Thankfully she and Bob had a wonderful suite at the Sheraton above Black Rock and had a glorious panoramic view between battles at the hoop.  Could’ve been worse.

 Beats a half fridge and a micro

 Long and skinny arrangement but worked out great

            We had a bit of ocean visible from our lanai but we weren’t there much to see it.  It was a great place to dry our gear though.  We were about 10 minutes north of Black Rock at the Maui Ka’anapali Villas (MKV) run by Aston.  Loved it.  We used their gym before checking out and heading up country.