MONDAY JANUARY 11: IN AND BY THE WATER

MANELE HARBOR

 On the way to breakfast,  a beautiful sunrise. The Captain had sailed us to Manele Harbor overnight.  It has a different look because of the cliff, created by an older collapse of rocks.  There is a slight amount of vog (volcanic smog).

 

After another delicious breakfast we gather on the top deck for instructions in wearing snorkel equipment.

Theresa is a patient instructor; some have not snorkeled before.  I’m happy to learn they will have noodles and waist belts for those of us who are not confident swimmers.  Like me!Because of nearly drowning once (or so I felt), I’m afraid to swim in deep water.  Seeing tropical fish and coral is so wonderful, I would do it without the buoyancy aids, but I’ll be much more relaxed with them.

 

All 28 of us leave the boat in two skiffs.  We use our new safety skills of entering a skiff from the back end of the yacht.  This is really important since they may be rocking in two different rhythms.  I grasp the three helpers’ wrists, one-two-three, then sit quickly on a padded bench, scooting down to the far end.  We’ve slathered ourselves with reef-safe sunscreen so some of us still have white lotion on our faces, looking tribal.  Mesh bags hold our masks, fins, more lotion, and water bottles.  My underwater camera is on a lanyard around my neck.

 

My adrenaline is up cause now it’s time to follow the protocol for entering the water:  first sit at the edge, then put on fins, and then fit the mask on my face with snorkel attached.  Jump, leap or fall into the beautiful blue water.  Theresa says, “Good job,” when I slither in.

 Then I’m in the water, which is 79 degrees and feels just fine.   Students in my “Y” arthritis water exercise class would say it’s too cool  but they’d become quickly engrossed, as I am, by the beautiful sight. 

 

First I see sergeant-majors (small fish with vertical stripes of gold and black) and something yellow-tailed; plus two black sea urchins.  There are many other fish varieties, including some rather large parrot fish.   Two others see turtles.  I hope to see them next time.

Platoon of Goat Fish + Sargent Majors

I’m in the water an hour or more because it’s so beautiful.  Getting out, I climb the boat ladder, glad I’ve got strong arms.  I can’t stop raving about how beautiful it is.  They say, “Just wait; it gets better.”

[Unfortunately the “normal” setting for my inexpensive underwater camera was not the best for underwater.  Odd, right?  So my photos look too green this trip.]

Notes from Theresa’s talk about what we saw: 

    Coral is an animal, getting 90% of its food source and color from algae.  When stressed, they’ll expel the algae and look white. 
    State fish of Hawaii has big blue kissy lips:  Humuhumu-Nukunuku-Apuaa (reef trigger fish).  The good rememberers in the group can recite that without notes.   Parrot fish eat the hard parts of coral and then poop out sand; very useful!
    Black sea urchins are rough on surfers.  Hawaiian women use red- slated pencil urchin for lipstick and blush. 
    Spotted puffer fish are teeny and cute (B&W).  I saw one but couldn’t photograph it well.  Goat fish have two white “whiskers” called barbles which can be tucked away when not in use digging in the sand.  I saw them swimming in a platoon.
    Green sea turtles are likely to be seen in these waters.  They are extremely protected because there are only about 750 breeding females. 

 

LANA'I

After lunch, we take skiffs to the island of Lana’i which is 95% privately owned.  At first cattle were raised there but then Dole bought it for growing pineapple.  Because there was not a hummingbird to pollinate the third round of fruiting, Dole sold the property to the founder of Oracle.  He’s building quite an expensive resort where the rooms will be (rumor) $900/night.  Could that be right?   What could they possibly offer that’s worth $900? 
 

 We visit Lana’i City and their Cultural Center where old poi-pounding stones, wooden pounding boards, and models of out-rigger canoes have been collected.

  It is truly amazing that hundreds of years ago, without machinery (not even a sextant), Polynesian people canoed -- on purpose -- all the way through an empty ocean to Hawaii.  Learning how nautically intelligent their ancestors were has helped the Hawaiian people have much higher self esteem.  High school kids can take a course in outrigger canoeing.  Canoe clubs are active, plentiful and competitive. 

 I walk briefly around part of the town, which is twice as big as Bishop.  Right before I have to board the van, I see a 50% sale at the Hula Shop.  Darn!

Photos of some flowers in town: 

Something Very Rare.  Hibiscus?

Nicely Shaped Fern

 Next:   Hulupoe Bay for the Pu’u Pehe hike.   

The harbor walk is cosy: not long or difficult.  On the right I see picnicking families, surfers, body surfers, and even outrigger canoers.  After speaking with some local guys I learn that larger surf boards are easier to manage than the smaller ones.  One surfer tells me that a local radio station broadcasts when and where the surf is up.

As we walk up the hill, mesquite trees are on the left.  The terrain is very grassy.  

Holes are former sea bird nests; they are empty now because rats and mongooses (mongeese?) were introduced and killed the birds.  Theresa tells us the story of Princess Rock (wait for the movie I’ll make.)

 

While most of our group climbs to the top of the cliff, I walk back to steps down to the bay so I can get up close to some sea life.

As the sun begins to set, surfers are still at it.

Fish flow temporarily into volcanic holes as the seas waft in and out.  I see three kinds of crabs.  

After we arrive at our yacht, the Safari Explorer heads back to Molokai.