Being January and especially early morning the whales were everywhere. We couldn't drive more than 5 minutes without crossing paths with a big group. The captain promised we'd stop for more whale watching on the way back but we still saw plenty as made our way to the crater.
Neither Joseph nor I had ever been out to Molokini before so it was a fun, new thing to try. The water was so blue and crystal clear, the reef was pretty, and the fish abundant, but, we have been too spoiled in the past (Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island). Molokini, even though it's out in the middle of the ocean, had a lot of other snorkelers there already, wasn't very pretty above water, and the variety of fish was small. Okay, we really are spoiled because it was actually lovely. But I just love it when you can snorkel with hardly a soul in sight—feels so much more serene and Discovery channel"ish."
view of our boat from the water
view of the water from our boat :)
Driving away from Molokini
Our next stop was Turtle Town back closer to the island but down near Makena. The hubby and I snorkeled there last time we were in Maui as part of a kayaking tour we did. When we arrived at the site I was still trying to warm up from being in the water and then having the breeze on me as we drove. I sent Joseph in and I basked in the sun for a while before I jumped in too. I never found my hubby but I did see a turtle right away and lots of cool craggy reefs that I swear I remember exploring 6 years ago. Crazy how it looked familiar to me.
Joseph caught some great turtle shots
Back on the boat we headed farther east around the south tip of the island to the newest part of Maui formed about 200 years ago. It was gorgeous and rugged and had some amazingly white, beautiful beaches (Little Beach and Big Beach respectively which we'll have to check out next time—with a sturdy rental car!) 
The bay at Big Beach is a common place for spotting spinner dolphins and we were lucky to encounter some. They are so fast and playful and really just cute. My girls would have died to see some dolphins as they are completely obsessed (they pleaded for stuffed dolphins as their prize from our trip...like we need more stuffed animals around here...but of course we got them some :) 
The newest part of Maui—and the most amazing water.
Such beautiful shades and so strikingly clear.
We went far enough to see the amazing Big Island looming in the distance before turning around to head back. The captain was sharing all kinds of cool information about Maui and whales and the Hawaiian Islands in general. I love that kind of stuff! For example, a mama whale will feed her baby about 75 gallons of breast milk each day. And her milk is more of a curd-like, block of cheese that she secretes into the water so baby can come up and swallow it—no suckling for the babies. And a baby whale will gain about 100 pounds a day!! All of that is just amazing to me. He also mentioned the newest Hawaiian Island which is now about 3000 miles below the surface of the water. Bentley and I did a little research on it when I got home and found a site where someone was asking scientists when he could expect to vacation on the newest island that forming. The answer: in about 50,000 years :) Hawaii is so brand new in the geological timetable of the world but still ancient in our human terms of time. It's all so incredible.
On our way back to the harbor we saw whales, whales and more whales. We even happened upon this happy, energetic baby breaching over and over again. So cool and quite cute. All 10 tons of him :)
Thoroughly enjoying the boat ride and the hot Hawaiian sunshine!
On our lazy evening we sat on the beach to watch the traditional Black Rock sunset ritual: a local dressed in traditional garb runs out to the rock to light all the torches on the way out to the point. After he lights the last one he throws his torch and lei into the water and then dives in himself. We had a gorgeous sunset lighting the scene making it all the more perfectly Hawaiian.
Lounging views. Had to document Mozart playing while I read. My parents trained me well...
My brave hubby cliff-jumping off of Black Rock
We did venture into Lahaina for lunch at Aloha Mixed Plate and then back for dinner to meet up with our friends the Yeats at Cheeseburgers In Paradise. Ally has served in YW with me for a couple years now and it was too crazy that we both ended up in Maui at the same time (our trip was just ending when hers was just beginning—lucky!)
Last view of Kaanapali Beach on Friday night.
We flew out early Saturday morning over to Honolulu, and then had a morning flight to LA getting us home right around 7:30 pm Saturday night. I was eager to find a non-red-eye home after knowing we'd have such a luxurious vacation. It was so worth it. We came home feeling very ready to see our kids and unpack and unwind instead of feeling like zombies who just needed sleep.
an açai bowl by the hot tub (from a day earlier in the week but a cool pic)
3 comments:
Your trip sounds amazing. And you two are the cutest couple ever. I'm glad you had a nice time. You deserve it.
such beautiful sunsets. What an amazing adventure!
You look SOOOO much like Daddy in the pic on your balcony. Cute.
Those sunsets are spectacular there. Shouldn't we get LMP to set up an office in Maui that needs checking up on? The shifts could be for two weeks at a time...I know the boss and maybe I will throw that out to him. :-).
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