SNORKEL EXCURSIONS REVEAL HIDDEN BEAUTY OF MAUI.Byline: Cynthia Corpuz www.greatescapes.com With one big gulp An unspecified number of bytes. of air, and a pinch of the nose, we dove underwater a few feet to get a closer look at a puffer puffer, common name for some tropical marine fish of the family Tetraodontidae. The puffers and their allies, the boxfish, the porcupinefish, and the ocean sunfish or headfish, form an odd group (order Tetraodontiformes). fish swimming near the reef. Its alluring, eerie green eyes and large spotted body captivated cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. us as it peered sideways, making sure we didn't get too close. Click! Click! We took a few pictures with our underwater cameras, hoping that we could get at least one good shot. Needing another breath of fresh air, we ascended to the surface for a couple of minutes - just long enough to hear other snorkelers nearby mention that they could hear whales below. Whales? Really? Intrigued, we took another big gulp and dove back down, this time trying to hold still while completely submerged. Right at the point our lungs started screaming for more air, we suddenly heard the low moans and cries of humpback whales humpback whale Long-finned baleen whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). They live along all major ocean coasts, sometimes swimming close inshore or even into harbours and up rivers. Humpbacks grow to 40–52 ft (12–16 m) long. several miles away from us. We could barely contain our excitement as we kept surfacing for air and then diving deeper to hear the whales communicate. Above water, we gleefully glee·ful adj. Full of jubilant delight; joyful. glee  ful·ly adv.glee laughed about our experience below. It was not your typical Maui snorkeling tour to Molokini. In fact, because of drizzly and windy weather that morning, our tour to the famous crater was redirected to La Perouse Bay La Perouse Bay is located south of the town of Makena, Hawaii on State Highway 31. It was named for the French explorer who, in 1786, surveyed and mapped the prominent embayment near the southern cape of Maui opposite the island of Kaho'olawe. at the south end of Maui and then to Makena Bay, otherwise known as Turtle Town. By that point, our disappointment over missing Molokini was quickly overshadowed by the abundant marine life we found here, highlighted by singing whales. La Perouse La Perouse may refer to
Snorkeling the bay is best accessed by boat, and it is well worth the trip to rent a boat or book a tour, because the area is bursting with vibrant marine life - turtles, octopuses, live coral and a plethora of colorful reef fish. Small needle fish coast near the water surface, not minding the snorkelers, who occasionally interrupt their morning feeding time "Feeding Time" is the second sub-episode of Tom and Jerry Tales. Episode Summary Tom is working at a zoo run by Spike, who tells Tom not to feed the zoo animals. Jerry then starts to frame Tom for feeding them so he will get in trouble. . Bright-yellow tang fish zip back and forth, circling each other in what seems like a playful game of tag among the lava rocks below. And if you look hard enough, you might encounter a tentacle ten·ta·cle n. An elongated, flexible, unsegmented extension, as one of those surrounding the mouth or oral cavity of the squid, used for feeling, grasping, or locomotion. or two, as small octopuses are known to inhabit the dark depths of the reef. Halfway through our four-hour tour, the sun started to peek through the clouds, and we took leave of La Perouse to anchor off Makena Bay, home of Maui's large sea turtles. Upon our arrival, a 5-foot-long turtle surfaced to investigate as we prepared to splash into the water. He had disappeared by the time we entered the ocean one by one, but he and several other turtle friends were just a dive away. As the boat zipped back to Maalaea Harbor at the end of our snorkel snorkel, tube through which a submarine or diver can draw air while underwater. When in use, the top of the snorkel tube extends above the water surface into the air. tour, we still vowed to make it back to Molokini some day. After all, it is reputed to be one of the best snorkeling spots in all of Maui. An extinct volcano An extinct volcano is a volcano which is not currently erupting and which is not considered likely to erupt in the future. It is difficult to distinguish an extinct volcano from a dormant one because volcanoes are usually considered to be extinct if there are no written just off the western coast of the island, Molokini over the years has become a bustling bus·tle 1 intr. & tr.v. bus·tled, bus·tling, bus·tles To move or cause to move energetically and busily. n. Excited and often noisy activity; a stir. coral reef coral reef Ridge or hummock formed in shallow ocean areas from the external skeletons of corals. The skeleton consists of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), or limestone. A coral reef may grow into a permanent coral island, or it may take one of four principal forms. . It is known for its warm water and visibility to about 150 feet, and its crescent-shaped walls protect the marine life within. About 205 different species thrive in the crater, including the colorful parrot, butterfly and unicorn fish (Zool.) the narwhal. See also: Unicorn . Ocean predators like moray Moray, alternate spelling of Murray Moray. For Scottish names spelled thus, use Murray. Moray, council area and former county, Scotland Moray (mûr`ē) eels, spiny spiny sharp spines protrude. spiny amaranth amaranthusspinosum. spiny anteater see echidna. spiny clotburr xanthiumspinosum. spiny emex see emex australis. lobsters, graceful rays and small white-tip reef sharks Several species of reef-associated sharks are known as reef sharks:
From roughly Christmas to Easter, humpback whales call the warm Maui waters home, breaking the ocean's surface for air in between dives for food, sometimes coming close to Molokini. Getting there is just a matter of deciding which tour boat you want to sail on. There are a number of outfits offering trips to Maalaea and Lahaina harbors. Activities on snorkeling and diving tours can also include trips to Turtle Town and Coral Gardens, as well as whale-watching. Most tour companies offer morning and afternoon trips, which customarily include use of snorkel and diving gear, wet suits (for a nominal fee on some boats), lunch, soda, beer and cocktails. Tours leave as early as 6:30 a.m. to Molokini, and 1:30 p.m. for the afternoon sail. It should be noted that afternoon trips are typically cheaper - $45 per person, about half the cost of the morning departures. Be discerning when picking a boat tour. Ask around, look for the best price and find a tour that best suits your desires. Some tours are on big catamarans that hold 60 to 70 people and offer water slides and trampolines, features great for families. Others offer fishing or more time snorkeling. If choosing the latter, morning tours are the best because you'll typically spend more time in the water and might be able to go to other snorkeling destinations. It is worth getting up early and paying $80. Before booking any trip, be sure to check the local weather conditions, read the tour's cancellation policy and make sure that everyone in your party still wants to go - rain or shine. When it comes to Maui snorkeling tours, don't let a little bit of clouds and light drizzle keep you from going. You'll never know where the adventure will lead you and what kind of incredible discoveries you will find. IF YOU GO SNORKEL TOURS: There are a number of boats offering snorkeling trips to Molokini and other Maui dive destinations. All provide free use of snorkel and diving gear, wet suits (a nominal fee is charged on some boats), lunch, soda, beer and cocktails. Tours leave as early as 6:30 a.m. from Maalaea and Lahaina harbors for Molokini crater. Afternoon snorkel trips go out around 1:30 p.m. Ask around and look for the best price and find a tour that best suits your desires. Some tours are on big catamarans that hold 60 to 70 people and offer water slides and trampolines, which are great for children. Others offer fishing. Some offer more snorkel time, and at different places. Recommended tours: Aqua Adventure Molokini Snorkel & Snuba tour, www.mauisnorkelsnuba.com, (808) 573-2104, (866) 472-2782; Mahana Naia Molokini Snorkel Tour, (808) 871-8636; Four Winds II Molokini Tour, www.mauicharters.com, (808) 879-8188. Check with your hotel's activities office for more information on tours. Or visit the various activities offices located throughout Maui, including Expedia travel offices, Boss Frog's, Lahaina Ticket Co. and Activities 4 Less. COSTS: The cost of a four- to five-hour snorkel trip to Molokini and/or Turtle Town dive runs from $25 to $130, depending on time of day and service desired. Be forewarned that an outfitter boasting a $25 tour will require you to spend 1 1/2 hours in a time-share resort presentation prior to departure. Otherwise, prices are generally $80 for morning trips and $40 for afternoon excursions - if you only want to snorkel. Scuba and snuba diving costs extra, with prices varying depending on type of tour. GEAR RENTALS: Snorkel Bob and Boss Frog's are two of Maui's top outlets for inexpensive rentals of snorkel and dive equipment. There are four Snorkel Bob stores in Maui. Basic rentals begin at $2 per day and $8 per week, and the company has convenient 24-hour, inter-island drop-off boxes. Travelers can also order gear online, up to three days prior to arrival here, and pick it up at one of the stores. www.snorkelbob.com. Where there is a Snorkel Bob, you are also sure to find a Boss Frog's snorkel and dive store nearby. Basic gear rentals are $1.50 per day and $8 per week. They do not have 24-hour drop boxes, so be sure to drop your gear off before 5 p.m. www.bossfrog.com. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: In the waters that are home to the coral reefs coral reefs, limestone formations produced by living organisms, found in shallow, tropical marine waters. In most reefs, the predominant organisms are stony corals, colonial cnidarians that secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate (limestone). of Maui, above right, large green sea turtles, above, are not afraid of snorkelers and will accompany them to the surface for air. At right, a diver diver, general term used to refer to many diving birds, e.g., the loon, the grebe, and some ducks, auks, and penguins. takes in the ocean floor at La Perouse Bay. Todd Reimer/Special to Great Escapes Cynthia Corpuz/Great Escapes Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion