2012 Maui Sisters' trip:

May 28-June 4, 2012:

When my sister suggested we take another sister's trip, I immediately thought of where we should go----Maui!  I had Hawaiian airlines miles which were about to expire and  I had lots of Wyndham points left over after getting our Kauai weeks this past Feb. for half off.   So I called Wyndham and had them place a Wyndham week into Trading Places for me in exchange for a 2 bedroom condo in Maui from May 28 - June 4th.   All I had to do was pay for my flights to/from STL-PDX. 
The day finally came and I was on my way to PDX.  My sister, Carolyn, picked me up and we headed back to Dallas, Oregon, for a couple days.  Then we spent the night before our Maui flight in a hotel by the airport.  On the 28th (Memorial Day), we were on our way bright and early (to me!) to catch our 10:30 flight to OGG.  Since Ken and I usually travel to Hawaii from STL all in one day with a couple stops and long layovers, this travel day seemed to go fairly quickly.  Only long part was the 2 1/2 hour layover in Honolulu.  Originally we were suppose to fly non-stop to Maui---one of the big reasons why we picked Maui over Kauai, but Hawaiian decided to eliminate that flight and keep an extra 8000 of my miles that I used to book the non-stop instead of a connector flight---I was not too happy about that, but Hawaiian was!  The only good things about it were the views of Honolulu and Maui county as we flew over them.

2012-5-28 PDX-HNL-OGG and Maui Hill Resort:

2012-5-29--to Iao Valley and riding around S. Maui

 2012-5-30  Kapalua:

2012-5-31  to the up country:

2012-6-1  Ulua beach and Lahaina:

2012-6-2  Molokini and sunset at Kameoli:

2012-6-3 Maluaka beach and sunset cruise:

2012-6-4 time to go home:

 It was a great trip.  Possibly the best "sisters'" trip we've done yet!  Wonder where our next sisters' trip will be?!



2012-6-4 time to go home:

The next morning, June 4th, we had to get up and get out.  I don't know what was going on that day, but the airport security line was extemely long.  Good thing we were there 2 hours early!  There were quite a few people who were fretting whether or not they would make their planes.  The smart ones cut to the front.  But our flight was uneventfull and scenic.  Here is the North East side of Maui shortly after take off.

I believe this was part of Molokai, but I'm not positive.  Looks like more great snorkeling!

 And we're back at Honolulu.

 A final good bye to Hanauma Bay---one of the first places I snorkeled and would love to go back to again.  Although last time I was there it had become pretty commercialized with a required film on reefs as well as an entrance fee.  They even regulate how many people they let in there now.  All of this is good since I've seen numerous people destroy coral over the years with their careless kicking and standing on it, but it still takes away from the excitement for an experienced snorkeler.  Hopefully Hanauma Bay will return to the ourstanding beach I remember it to be on my first Hawaii trip back in 1999.

It isn't often (maybe ever), that I've left Hawaii during the daytime.  It was rather nice.  But we got into PDX about 11 pm and my flight to STL wasn't until 10:35 am the next morning.  So I used Hotwire and got a great rate on a room at the Clarion for the night (something like $58).

2012-6-3 Maluaka beach and sunset cruise:

Our days passed by too quickly.  We were finally on our last full day here.  I was up pretty early again, so I decided to take a walk instead of sitting on the lanai.  I decided to check out the path that leads down to Kihei road from Maui Hill and then over to the small marina in Kihei---enjoying more flowers on the Maui Hill property.

Once I reached the marina I was surprised to find a walking path along the ocean.  I went towards the little marina and found this neat little swimming area by the marina.

I continued south along the path.

I came up on the Kihei Surfside.  It looked like a great place to go for sunset---perhaps next Feb., since this trip we took a sunset cruise on our last night.

By the time I got back from my walk, Carolyn was up.  We decided to hit another beach.  So we headed south again.  This time to Maluaka Beach by the Maui Prince Hotel.  The snorkel book mentioned this was another good beginner snorkeling area with excellent snorkeling.  There was also a fair amount of parking, although there was a bit of a walk getting to the beach from the parking lot.

It was another beautiful beach!  We found a shady spot to the far left and set up our beach chairs.  Then Carolyn surprised me by saying she was getting in the water.

She elected not to try snorkeling, but there was plenty of sandy ocean floor along this beach.  So we bounced in the waves for quite some time.  She even claimed to have a really good time and couldn't believe she hadn't gotten into the water sooner.  I couldn't believe it either!   

When she's had enough of the water, I headed out to check out the snorkeling here.

I thought this was a triggerfish, but my fish index shows it to be a Barred Filefish.  

 

 I believe this is a Bullethead Parrotfish.  I've seen juvenile ones at Anini on Kauai, but this is the first time I've seen an adult one.

 Another first for me were the Oval Butterflyfish.

 I also found a couple of these large Spotted Pufferfish.  I've seen them before, but never so puffed out.

 I spotted this unusual Zebra Moray Eel a little too late to get the whole thing.  I waited hoping it would continue it's foraging, but it remained hidden in the coral.

 And another triggerfish!  This is the kind I saw on the Big Island over 10 years ago and hadn't seen another one in my 14 Hawaii vacations since then until this Feb. on Kauai.  Now I know they're on Maui, too.  My book says this is a Lagoon Triggerfish. 


 I was really surprised at how great the snorkeling was here!  It doesn't look like there's much of a reef from the shore, but to the right of this picture is a reef that goes out to sea and is very extensive and healthy.  If I weren't out there by myself I would have stayed there a lot longer! 

In fact, I believe this is the beach we were anchored off of when I went on the Molokini/Turtle town snorkel excursion.  I think this is the catamaran that was next to us that kept going into shore (to the Maui Prince Hotel?) and picking up passengers to take out to the location in the photo (Turtle Town?).

By 3 we decided we needed to get going so we could clean up and get ready for our sunset cruise.  I had won a free sunset cruise at the island orientation earlier in the week.  We didn't do the dinner part of the cruise, just the appetizers and drinks.  So by 5pm we were on our way from the condo to the Marina.

Sunset wasn't fabulous, again a lack of clouds other then at the horizon, but we still enjoyed the cruise.

Right after the sunset, I happened to look inland and noticed the full moon rising over Haleakala.  I actually found that more fascinating then the sunset.  Even the captain announced that it is an unusual occurance to see this so well.

 

2012-6-2  Molokini and sunset at Kameoli: 

 This morning started really early for us.  As an avid snorkeler, I've heard about Molokini and have always wanted to go there.  Carolyn said she'd be happy to drop me off and entertain herself for the 5 or 6 hours I'd be gone.  So I paid my $60 and went on the early morning excursion.  If I remember correctly, we were on the road to the marina by 6:30 am.

Here's a view of Molokini from the catamaran I was on.  On our ride out, they almost had me scared into renting a wet suit.  They emphasized that the water would be much colder being so far off shore and the majority of the snorkelers paid the extra $10@ for the wet suits.  I'm glad I didn't.  The water was great!  Certainly warmer than Kauai in Feb. and it wasn't noticably colder to me then the shore snorkeling I did earlier or later.

I was disappointed in how crowded the little crater was.  By the time we got there there were probably already 8-10 boats there.  We anchored even with the rest and were told not to go farther then the boats directly on either side of us.  That pretty much limited our area to about a 10' width!  I loved snorkeling there, but not the limitations.  I probably won't do another excursion there, either. 

But the snorkeling and coral life was abundant and the water was very clear.  There to greet us as soon as we got in the water were schools of Black Triggerfish.  There were also a few Pennant Fish amoungst them, but they were so far away I couldn't get a good picture of those tiny white and yellow fish.

The water was really clear

 and there was lots of colorful coral

 as well as colorful fish

 a pink tail triggerfish

A saddle wrasse

This is an Achilles Tang.  I was excited to see some of them here since I'd only seen one once before (on Kauai) and didn't get a good picture of it.

Sparse on Kauai, too, are the Yellow Tangs.  I saw lots of these guys on the Big Island, but I've heard they're being illegally fished out of the Hawaiian waters and sold to Aquarium stores.  I'm happy to say I saw quite a few of them around Maui.

As I was swimming back to the boat, this large eel took off across the bottom some 40-60' below. 

Our excursion also took us to "Turtle Town".  Here is one of the 3 turtles I saw there.

I was surprised how close we were to shore.  In fact the coral extended all the way to shore.

Snorkeling here was really good, too.

 Lots of fish and lots of coral

and close enough to shore that you don't need a catamaran to get to it.

Got back to the marina about noon.  Carolyn came and picked me up. Too bad it wasn't in this truck!

 Around sunset, we headed to the beach again. 

 looked somewhat promising

 We hung out at one of the Kihei beaches.

 Got a little color, but there really weren't many clouds left by the time the sun set.  Did get a full moon, though.

At least I watched the sunset.  Carolyn sat with her back to the sun and wrote in her journal.

sunset was pretty lack luster, but the palm trees helped it out.

 and that's a wrap.