Whales

Image via Wikipedia

• One of the most popular Maui sights from December to April

Image via WikipediaMany tourists make their travel plans so that they are able to visit Maui during the time when the humpback whales are here. The whales arrive in the Hawaiian islands in December and leave Maui in April every year, so peak whale season is really January through March.

Humpback whales migrate from Alaska, where they spend the summer eating and storing energy as blubber. They swim thousands of miles to the Hawaiian island chain, where there is no food for them to eat, just so that their calves have a safe and sheltered ocean where they can learn to swim. The newborn humpback whale must breathe every three minutes. Because they are born without any body fat, the parents must assist newborn calves in getting to the surface. This is much easier to do in the 300 foot deep ocean around the Hawaiian islands instead of in the open ocean which is much deeper.

Mother and baby whale are often seen around Maui swimming together and accompanied by a male escort, who protects the female from other male suitors. Competition pods are seen around Maui quite often. This is usually comprised of one female whale and multiple male whales who perform spectacular breeching feats and compete for the attention of the female whale. These whale activities make the Hawaiian islands a spectacular place to whale watch, you wouldn't see anything as amazing at their summer home in Alaska.

Bring bincoculars to the beach to whale waImage via Wikipediatch there. In fact, if you are an avid whale watcher you can bring your binoculars everywhere with you. You will see people pulled over on the side of the road watching whales that are swimming just offshore. You will often see "spouts" of water and this is a sign that there is a whale nearby. If you are out in the open ocean in a kayak, or in a boat which has cut the motor, you can even hear the whales blowing and look for them that way. You will almost surely see whales anytime you are on a boat around Maui during whale season.

Please respect these gentle giants as they are endangered and, even so, they are still hunted by a few countries in the world. U.S. Coast Guard regulations state that all people must stay 100 yards away from the whales at all times and they issue fines for violation. Most boat captains will approach the whales within a safe distance then cut the motor. Because the whales are curious about us too, they often swim up to the side of the boat to get a good look at us. This is allowed if the whale approaches you but you are never allowed to approach the whale.

Snorkeling in Maui

• The funnest and safest way to swim with the fishes

Snorkeling is an excellent vacation activity both on and around Maui. Things that affect how much you enjoy snorkeling are the fit of the mask and fins, the quality of the snorkel, and the tranquility and visibility of the water. The mask fits well if you can hold it up to your face, inhale through your nose, and get the mask to stick. Fins made of soft rubber tend to rub less against the skin. Good snorkels have a reservoir at the bottom of the tube below your mouth (where it makes the U shape) to catch water that goes in. Some snorkels come with a wave guard which can prevent salt water intake as well. Generally, if there are white-caps on the water it won't be good for snorkeling. There are lots of great places on and around Maui to snorkel.

MOLOKINI is a crescent-shaped island off the coast of Maui that can be reached by boat or kayak. Molokini is a wildlife preserve and is a protected area, so people are not allowed on shore. The reef here is a unique ecosystem and a very popular snorkel destination. Reef sharks, which are very small, are often seen here as well.

LANA'I is a destination island with a few very high-end resorts and beautiful beaches. Snorkeling trips from Maui often frequent popular Lanai'i snorkel sites, some of which have large coral formations with beautiful swimmable channels.

OLUWALU is very shallow and calm and a great place to teach kids to snorkel, however the reef offshore has been largely destroyed. The better snorkeling at Oluwalu is when it is approached by boat.
Image by Rtoodetoo via Flickr
TURTLE REEF is often included in snorkel sails but can be reached from the shore by the Maui Prince Hotel in Makena. The snorkeling here is great but you must be a good swimmer because the reef is a ways off shore. There are lots of turtles here, like the name suggests

ULUA is a good beach with great snorkeling offshore to the right side, Turtles are very commonly seen here also. Reef-safe sunscreen is provided free at the information desk.

HONOLUA BAY has great snorkeling with huge coral formations, eels, reef sharks, sting rays, turtles at the point off to the right hand side, and an amazing quantity of fish. There are rocks instead of sand here and water shoes would be a good idea, although it's not terrible without them.

AHIHI has good snorkeling but it only starts getting good pretty far off shore so again you should be a strong swimmer. Turtles are commonly seen here, and the red and black sea urchins make the coral landscape spectacular.

AIRPORT BEACH has plentiful coral and a very diverse selection of fish. This beach is located in Kaanapali by the new Westin Ocean Villas. If you go to the public beach park the best snorkeling is to the right. Turtles are common here too.

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