2018-2-20  Snorkeling Maluaka and Wailea Beach

Woke up to another beautiful day!  Even the surf was cooperating!  According to www.thesnorkelstore.com, snorkeling at both the South and North beaches got a rating of an 8.  That's the highest rating I remember seeing yet.  So snorkeling was definitely in order.  So after I cooked up the last of the eggs for breakfast, we headed out.

It's been a few years since I've snorkeled at Ulua, Maluaka or Wailea Beach---usually they're pretty rough.  So we decided to check them out.  Ulua's parking lot was full, so we continued on.  Maluaka had availability.  I mentioned in a previous post that they did away with the  upper parking lot; I was wrong.  It's still there, the one I noticed the other day is the one for the boat workers and construction vehicles.  So we were able to get a parking spot way up the hill.
Maluaka

 Looking towards the snorkel area.

Feb. 25, 2015--Maluaka, Ioa Valley:

The snorkel website said the South side had moderate visibility again today.  So I suggested we head back to Maluaka. 
On our way there, I admired the scenery of Wailea.  Sure wish our bike routes back home were this scenic (our Katy trail is pretty, but it's not paved).

a peek-a-boo view of the ocean along the way

Feb.18, 2015---Maluaka Beach:

We're settling into Hawaii time.  Didn't get out of the condo until about 10 again.  Went in search of breakfast---for the first time since we got on Maui.  We had gone to Kihei Café 2 years ago with good friends, so thought we'd try them again.  It certainly is an interesting and very busy place.  It's all outside seating, but first you go in and order your food.  Then find a table outside, help yourself to water if that's what you're drinking, then in a short wait, they bring your food---which is very good.

 After eating, we headed South to a beach.  This time we decided to check out Maluaka  by the Maui Prince hotel.  It's not the easiest beach to find, no sign for the beach and the sign that is on the side street says, "Dead End", or something like that.  But we eventually found it.  It is as beautiful as I remembered.

March 5, 2013:Maluaka---

Last full day!  Can't believe time has gone by so quickly!!!  One last chance to snorkel for a long long time!  So we were up early, had a quick bowl of cereal, and were out the door about 8:30.  Headed to Maluaka Beach (where we tried to go with Bill and Sue the last day they were here, but couldn't get parking).  It was our lucky day, again, and we got the first non-handicapped parking spot.  The water looked really inviting---rather calm and beautiful blue from the sunny skies.  The south surge was down today.

 Even the water was clearer today.  Here's another lei triggerfish.

 Still the only place we snorkeled around Maui where I've seen these guys---lagoon triggerfish.

 More sailfin tangs

 more schools of these tiny fish.  Can't get a close up of them.

 We headed way to the south around the point and all the way to Oneuli Black Sand Beach.  Snorkeling was great!  Couldn't get a good picture of these guys (soldier fish), they hide fast! 

 saw more trumpet fish, including this nicely marked one.

 Also had a turtle swim by me trying to get away from a flock of snorkelers from a nearby boat snorkel tour.

 Came across this little area where air was coming through the rocks.  Thought at first there was a diver below, but there was no cave for a diver to be in!  Reminded me of a mini version of Champagne Reef at Dominica in the Caribbean. 

 Another first for Maui---a spotfin squirrelfish.  I was lucky to get a picture of him.  They're another hider.

 Just liked the unusual color of this coral.

After about 2 1/2 hours, we sat on shore for a bit and regrouped, then headed the other direction---almost to Mekena Landing.

a school of bandtail goatfish.

 yellowfin surgeonfish.

 A big school of yellowfin surgeonfish.  Really cool!

 another school of goatfish.

 The neat little church near Makena Landing.

 Looking towards Makena Landing.  By now it was after 1 and the surf was picking up.

 One of the few chubs we've seen on Maui.  There are lots of them around Kauai, especially at Poipu.

 juvenile yellowtail coris

 Mr. Bill!------couldn't resist!  (Hope it's not against the celebrity privacy act that just passed here last night brought on by Steven Tyler---I guess the picture I took of him the other night was the last straw!) There were actually several little starfish in the sand near shore---this was by far the largest.

About 2:30 we decided we'd had enough snorkeling.  Must be time to leave---this is the first time in the 2+ weeks that I'm feeling the swaying of the water when I'm no longer in the water!  Bye bye Maluaka Beach!

 We decided to head down the southern coast and get one last look it for awhile.
This is  somewhere around LaParouse Bay.

 I took the cinder trail along the coast there to see what was there.

 More of the trail.

 Love that someone made this for me!

 sort of reminded me of the Big Island beaches.

 We headed back to the condo then and started eating the leftovers---kalua pork, bagels, toast, pizza, cookies, BEER, ... .  About 6 we left for sunset.  This time we headed to the south end of Kalama Park.

 Another one without much color.

 zoomed in to see the colors.

 I'm sure I'll be wishing I was watching another lack luster sunset tomorrow night while I'm sitting on a plane all night!  Have no idea what we'll do tomorrow, but the snorkel gear is packed!  Our flight is scheduled to leave at about 5:55 pm tomorrow night.  Get home about 8:30am on Thursday.

Feb. 21: Just another windy Thursday---

Up early again.  This time we took a walk on the beach across from our resort (Kamaole I, I think?).  It was a beautiful morning.

Lots of blue skies and clear blue water. 

Love the view of the distant windmills.

After walking the beach and sitting on the beach for over an hour, we decided snorkeling was in order.  So back to the condo we went, stopping to take a picture of one of my favorite flowers---- hibiscus.

Soon we were in the car heading south to Maluaka Beach.  I had snorkeled there last May and knew it was great.   Here's a view as we were walking to the beach from the parking lot. 

After snorkeling Honolua yesterday, I wasn't quite as impressed here, but still was pretty happy.  The water wasn't as clear and the coral wasn't as healthy, but there was still plenty to see.  These guys greated us as soon as we got in---right by the shore.

I knew the healthier reef was a ways out so headed straight there.  It was clearer there.

Even spied this zebra eel.  It was about to come completely out of it's hiding place when 2 kids went splashing by.  That was the last I saw of the eel.

I've seen lots of these 4 spot butterflyfish on Kauai, but not in terrain this nice.

Haven't seen any of these guys around Kauai, so I'm including another picture of him.

As I was slowly snorkeling around, this big turtle decided to come up and get a breath of air.

I love triggerfish and don't see many of these Lagoon triggerfish.

After about 1 1/2-2 hours, we were getting chilled so we decided to get out and sit in the sun for awhile.  That is until it totally clouded over!  Plus it was quite windy, as shown by these palm trees.  So we decided breakfast/lunch was in order.

This beach definitely isn't the easiest place to find!  I guess that's why we were able to get a parking spot!  The only clue that we were on the right road was the "road ends" sign.  There was a bit of a walk to the beach, but not bad.  Along the way there is a construction barrier covered with palm branches.  I thought that was an ingenious way to camaflouge the construction tarp. 

I also marveled at all the huge cacti growing by the parking lot.

After driving around doing the "what do you want" conversation again, I said how about Zippy's.  We really enjoyed it on Oahu and noticed they had one in Kahului.  So I punched Zippy's into our Garmin and away we went.  Being somewhat wet, we went to the counter side of the restaurant instead of the sit down side.  I really like that they offer both options.

My mini mahi-mahi meal wasn't bad, either.  Ken enjoyed his burger, too.

While we were in Kahalui, it poured down rain.  But I was on a mission to find lilikoi dessert.  Garmin said there were 3 bakeries in the area.  We tried a couple, but the employees there just looked at me funny.  The 3rd one Garmin took us to was actually a residence!  I decided Garmin didn't know what he was doing and we gave up the hunt.  But at least we were treated to another beautiful rainbow.

Back in Kihei, we decided to drive around and see where it took us.  We ended up at Waipuilani Park.  I was surprised to see it so vacant!  It really is a beautiful spot.  The water was calm and I noticed there were lots of rocky areas near shore.  I wonder if it would be good for snorkeling?  But for today, I just walked the beach while hubby called people back home and checked on the winter storm going through there right now.

As we were leaving the park, I made hubby stop so I could take a picture of the really cool concrete wall along the road.

Also love all the bougainvillea hedges all around Hawaii.  We don't see that back home!

We gave up on sunset because of all the clouds.  Instead we hit the resort jacuzzi.  Love these flowers they have planted around the pool area.

Love the pool and jacuzzi, too.  The pool is even heated.  Our resort on Kauai does not have a heated pool and pools even in Hawaii get really cold in the winter!  This one even has waterfalls.

After dark, we again wondered where we should go for dinner.  I guess I'm going to quit trying to give hubby a chance to decide so we don't have to have the "what do you want" conversation all the time!  I decided we should give Peggy Sue's a try tonight.  It is a cute little diner.  My pineapple milkshake and chicken teriyaki was very good.  Ken enjoyed his bacon cheese burger, too.   Loved the decor, too!

 That pretty much finished off our 3rd full day here.  Hopefully this wind will end soon!  Not only do we have winds, but now we have flash flood warnings, too.  After the floods on Kauai last year while we were there, I'm hoping this doesn't continue much longer.