The excursion today took us to the other side of the isthmus by bus to board the Pacific Whale Foundation catamaran. The PWF is dedicated to education and conservation about marine life and their habitat in the Hawaiian islands. We had a brief intro on the bus and it was off to board the catamaran to begin our adventure!
The Molokini crater is a crescent shaped coral reef about 9 miles offshore. The trip took over an hour. The diesel fumes, malodorous head and the choppy seas left us both with queasy stomachs. The crew was prepared with candied ginger that provided quick relief.
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| Molokini Crater |
Once we donned our masks and fins it was into the water to explore the reef and fish. It was awesome with many colourful fish that swam within arms reach. Some snorkelers even saw a small shark!
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| Dwight in wetsuit |
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| Marilyn on the desk of the catamaran |
Next we returned to the shore to see the green sea turtles. These protected turtles are native to the Hawaiian islands. The come up to breath every 15 minutes but can stay under for 5 hours if threatened. Offshore there are lava fingers that have small grottos and caves that the turtles hide in. Marilyn and I first saw a female one about 4 feet long. She was directly under us and came up to breathe about 10 feet away. She was as curious about us as we were of her. We also saw a smaller female but not as closely.
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| Off to see the green sea turtles |
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| Beautiful resorts along the Maui coast |
When we got back to the ship Marilyn went to made a nut necklace at a free class, while I cleaned up for dinner. We dined at Little Italy on the stern of the ship as we left Maui. A quick rain shower chased us inside. After a magic show in the theater it was off to bed tired but happy.
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