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Posts Tagged ‘whale sharks’
Harlequin Shrimp
Maui seems to get more popular every year, and for good reason. The number of direct flights from the mainland is on the rise, as is the availability of amenities and comforts on this tiny Hawaiian island. But make no mistake – this green gem’s influx of visitors hasn’t dulled its appeal. This tropical paradise continues to delight with beauty both above, and below the waves.
You may very well find yourself here without a thought to the many underwater opportunities, but now that your husband/wife/significant other/kids/friends/etc. have gotten you to the sandy fringes, why not check out the opportunities in the depths?
Maui diving can loosely be broken out into four related but unique diving experiences: Molokini, Southwest Maui, North Maui and Lanai. You won’t be diving any unchartered territory here, but there’s a good reason divers come back year after year to experience what Maui’s waters have to offer.
Molokini
Molokini is a small islet formed by an extinct volcano lying 3 miles off the south Maui coastline. Molokini Crater, is a marine reserve below water and bird sanctuary above. Molokini consists of several dive sites all around the islet ranging from anchor dives to drift dives.
The visibility on this reef system averages 100+ feet and provides a panoramic view of the marine ecosystem. Frequently, manta rays, white tip reef sharks, amberjacks and moray eels are sighted. Harlequin shrimp take residence around coral heads and Triton’s trumpets and nudibranchs are found nestled in crevices. Hawaiian garden eels, masked angelfish, long-nose hawk fish and many more fish endemic to the Hawaiian Islands can also be found here.
Did I mention that Molokini is also located inside the Maui Whale Sanctuary? Between the end of December and the end of April this trip affords a great opportunity to see humpback whales on the boat ride to and from the dive sites. Molokini has also seen visits from whale sharks, oceanic white tip reef sharks, and tiger sharks. Dive sites include: Reefs End, Reefs End Drift, Enenu’i, and Molokini Backwall.
Reefs End – An excellent dive at multiple depths. The top of the finger lies just below the waterline and drops down in terraces to hundreds of feet of water. If you go inside the crater you can find the Garden Eels and the Center Reef just beyond. The dive can also be done as a drift around to the backside of Molokini.
Molokini Back Wall – An amazing topography consisting of ledges and walls dropping down to over 200 feet of depth. 100+ of visibility is normal here. Currents run along the wall so the dive is done as a drift dive. You can see sharks, jacks, schools of butterflyfish, squirrelfish, and much more on this dive.
Whales, manta rays, and ocean white tip sharks have been seen here passing by.
South & West Maui
Southwest Maui scuba diving includes many different dive sites from La Perouse Bay in the south to Ma’alaea Bay in the North. Many consider Molokini a part of this dive site grouping, but I think the Crater warrants its own discussion, so it has been omitted here. That doesn’t mean, however, that there is nothing else to see in the south as well as the west. Wreck dive sites include: the St Anthonys wreck, the Landing Craft off the Maui Prince, the Tank and Landing Craft off Big Beach, The WWII Helldiver, the PB4Y out in deep water, and as of yet undiscovered WWII wrecks. For reef diving, fantastic options include: La Perouse Bay, Red Hill, White Rock, Wailea Point, 5 Graves, the 85′ and 110′ Pinnacles, the De-Gausing Station and more.
La Perouse Bay – This bay is a recent creation in Maui’s geologic history, formed when the last lava flowed on Maui about 200 years ago. This dive has an amazing variety of fish for its size – perhaps greater than any other site in the south. A lava rock pinnacle provides the basis for this protective habitat. All four species of Hawaii’s common angelfish can be found here, as well as many Hawaiian endemics.
Tank and Landing Craft – Remnants of World War II, these two wrecks are in 60 feet of crystal clear water off the coast of the Makena Golf and Beach Resort. Still recognizable after 60+ years underwater, eels have taken up residency in the pipes and barrels. A strange mix of weaponry and old ammunition are interspersed with a plethora of sea life. Schools of goat fish swim around the wreck, and octopus are regularly found here. The short swim from one wreck to the other over a sandy bottom offers an opportunity to find shells and sea biscuits.
St Anthony Wreck – In 1997 the St. Anthony, a 65 foot longliner fishing boat, was sunk off Mokapu Beach in Wailea, to a depth of 60-70 ft.to become part of Maui’s only official artificial reef. Along with the deposit of hundreds of concrete weighted tires in which over 50 species of fish have taken up residence, the marine animals have taken up residence, the area has become home to over 50 species of fish. A number of Green Sea Turtles also call the St. Anthony their home. They tuck under the hull, inside the holds and rest in all kinds of humorous positions on the cabin, using the vertical and horizontal bars to hang from and wedge themselves between. Two frog fish live on the deck, nicknamed “The Captain” and “Little Buddy”.
North Shore
Are you the more adventurous type? North Shore is for you. There’s not as much here, but it’s harder to get to so the crowds are absent but the fish are in abundance. There are lots of unnamed sites, but a few warrant citations here:
Turtle Caves – Half a dozen lava pinnacles rise from 70 ft. to about 10 ft. below the surface. Some pinnacles are hollow, some have caves, and some form canyons. They are covered with healthy hard and soft corals and house many sea creatures (including turtles).
Hidden Pinnacle – The Kahakuloa side of Maui has many hard-to-get-to adventure dive sites. This is one of them: a pinnacle that rises from a 120-ft. bottom to the surface. It’s covered with soft corals and sponge seldom seen on the leeward side of Maui. Swarms of plankton-feeding fish rise in the water column as the current, which is sometimes strong, brings new supply of food.
Lanai
The Cathedrals and more than 20 other dive sites at Lanai offer opportunities to enjoy the unique formations made when molten lava cools in the Pacific Ocean. Tubes, caverns, ledges and walls of lava make excellent backdrops for underwater photography and magnificent mazes for exploration. Reticulated butterfly fish, gold rim surgeon fish and flame angelfish are just a few varieties of the rare fish seen in Lanai’s waters. Turtles are found on many dive sites around Lanai and the plankton-rich waters frequently attract manta rays.
As a bonus, it is not uncommon to be escorted to and from the dive sites by spinner dolphins riding the bow wave. In season, roughly from the end of December to the end of April, this trip also offers an excellent opportunity to see Humpback whales.
Below is a listing of dive operators to check out if you are considering diving in Maui and don’t want to go searching all over the internet. I have personally dove with some of them, but not all, so I am not recommending one vs. the other. I also receive no benefit, monetary or otherwise, if you click on their link or dive with them. Happy Diving!
http://www.mauidiveshop.com
http://www.lahainadivers.com
http://www.bbscuba.com/
http://www.prodivermaui.com/
http://mauiunderwater.com Makena Coast Dive Charters
http://www.mauiscuba.com/ Ed Robinson’s Diving Adventures
http://www.scubashack.com/map.php3
http://www.mikesevernsdiving.com/
http://www.mauidiving.com/divespots.html
http://www.scubadivemaui.com/
http://mauidreamsdiveco.com/
http://mauisundivers.com/scuba/index.php
Yap Manta Ray
Nomadic in nature and notoriously bubble-shy, Manta Rays are undoubtedly one of the most appreciated underwater sightings once you finally find one. There are, however, a few places in the world that can almost guarantee a manta sighting on any given dive.
Yap, Micronesia – This tiny Pacific island just north of the equator houses a resident colony of manta rays, a rare living situation for the animals. Check out Yap Diver’s blog that highlights pics from “Manta Fest” including one dive trip accompanied by a pod of Orcas. As a bonus, visitors to the island also get a unique top side cultural experience that frequently includes grass skirts, loincloths, and the use of huge wheels of stone money for barter.
Kona, Hawaii – This manta experience is decidedly more manmade, but no less exciting. Dive operators and hotels light up the waters off the Kona Coast at night, attracting swarms of plankton that, in turn, attract the manta rays. Divers and snorkelers alike hover in the water column, watching the giants glide and swoop as they feed. Check out Kona Honu Diver’s page for a cool video of what the dive actually looks like.
Atlanta, Georgia – On this trip you have a 100% chance of seeing not one manta, but two. If you buy tickets to the aquarium, that is. Whether you agree with the idea of aquariums or not, you have to admit that this place really has it all when it comes to sea life. The two mantas swim in a six million gallon exhibit next to four whale sharks, a handful of hammerheads, and a ton of other fish. Rumor has it that one of the rays likes to do flips out of the water at the surface, a rare treat for people on the Behind the Scenes tours.
When I heard that Hurricane Jimena, currently a category 4 storm and the tenth storm of the season in the Pacific, was barreling down on Baja California, I thought I hope it won’t hurt the scuba diving there. Then I realized I had no clue what kind of diving was there. After a little research I now hope more than ever that Jimena decides she wants an authentic tamale and veers significantly to the right into a low-population area.
The Baja peninsula actually has an amazing array of diving opportunities, from the rocky kelp forests in the north on the Pacific coast near San Diego to the only live coral reef on the western side of North America, Cabo Pulmo, on the Sea of Cortez between La Paz and Cabo San Lucas. The indigenous sea life is insane, including great white sharks, hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, marlin, Humboldt squid, octopus, and whales. In some spots divers encounter sea lions frequently eager to play or gnaw the end of your fin.
I can’t wait to book my next trip: the Baja Peninsula has moved up to #1 on my “to dive” list. I’ll just wait until Jimena checks out of the hotel.