Maui Ocean Center Revisited

Posted on December 8, 2016December 8, 2016 by Dusty Roads

Vacation was nearing its inevitable conclusion. Time was running out.

Kathy had leave the next day. It seemed suitable to attend a Luau for her last evening on Maui but we needed to keep busy until then.

First stop was Lahina to pick up some souvenirs.

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A pair of grass skirts and coconut bras for the little grand girls would be perfect.

From there we made our way to the Maui Ocean Center. I know we told you about our previous visit but Kathy hadn’t arrived then. It was time to show our cuz the cute aquarium.

It’s taken a quarter of a century for the aquarium to grow to its current size. Maui Ocean Center isn’t just an aquarium, it focuses on the flora and fauna of the oceans surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Many of the species are found no other place on earth.

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All of the exhibits faithfully replicate the natural environment. Its one of the only aquariums that specialize in caring for live corals. In the living reef building all of the corals are alive, not imitations.

The official sate fish of Hawaii is the reef triggerfish.

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Its Hawaiian name is Humuhumu-nukunuku-a-pua’a. It means trigger fish with snout like pig. Now That’s a mouthful!

The Maui Ocean Center takes part in the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle Educational Loan Program. They host baby sea turtles from hatchlings up to 2 years old when they are released into the ocean.

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That’s just touching on the Aquarium, from surge zone to ocean depths it’s all here for you to see and experience.

Under the Sea

Posted on December 5, 2016December 5, 2016 by Dusty Roads

I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’ garden in the shade

After my solo adventure you’d think I’d have had enough of being underwater but no. I love the ocean with all the fish. I miss scuba diving. I think it is much easier than snorkeling. I forget that I have to keep the snorkel tip above the water in order to get air. I’m just so used to being able to breathe easily through a regulator!

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Anyway, we scheduled a ride on a submarine and it was today! Sandy’s willing to go “Under the Sea” as long as she doesn’t get wet. Kathy said she had been on a submarine before so she stayed behind.

We’ll be going more than 100 ft below the surface. That means entering a blue world as colors will slowly filter out as we descend.

To get to the submarine we boarded a smaller boat to cruise out to the dive site.

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Once there, the surface support boat let the Atlantis know that the next group had arrived.

Roxie, the surface support boat

Pretty soon we could see a ghostly outline as the gleaming white sub rose toward the surface.

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Then there was bubbling and rushing water as it broke the surface.

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Hatches were opened and the previous group transferred from the sub to our boat. Then it was our turn to board the sub.

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Inside seats run down the center of the sub facing the portholes.

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There’s room for 2 people per window.

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There was a map on the wall between the port holes of our undersea cruise. I forget if there were 4 or 5 stops before we had to surface. At one point the depth gauge read 127 ft.

My favorite was the artificial reef called the Carthaginian. This ship was scuttled in 2005 and it hasn’t taken long for the fish in the area to take up residence.

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As long as we were on or near a reef, there was plenty of activity. We saw a huge puffer fish, some reef sharks and even some spotted eagle rays.

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Lots of reef fish schooled around but the minute we left a reef and headed over the sandy bottom we left the fish behind.

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Our 50 minutes under the sea passed quickly. Too soon we were the ones making an exit so the next tour could board.

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Going down! Dive, Dive Dive!

Some Final Thoughts on The Road to Hana

Posted on November 26, 2016November 26, 2016 by Dusty Roads

Early on in our drive we stopped at a park. I wish I had written down the name for you. Sandy and I had found it the week before in our explorations. It’s on the left as you travel toward Hana. If you like big waves, this is a spot to check out. When we first found it, it was so wild that there weren’t any surfers but the waves were mesmerizing.

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It was a calmer day when we stopped with the tour and surfers were out in force. Some were very young.

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There were also vendors with things like jewelry and souvenirs on display.

We made a stop at a red sand beach. It gets its color from the iron in the sand. It rusts!

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The little coral church we stopped at is Palapala Ho’omau Church, built in 1857, it’s known as the burial ground of prominent aviator, inventor, explorer, author and activist Charles Lindbergh.

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Forty-one years after his infamous non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, Charles moved to Maui and settled in the remote area of Kipahulu, seeking privacy, beauty and simplicity. You can find the grave of both Charles and his wife under the shade of a Java plum tree at the limestone coral church.

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A small choral group was practicing when we arrived. It was beautiful. We all stood respectfully while they sang Amazing Grace.

047 Our guide skipped the Garden of Eden stop which surprised me. I’d heard a lot about this attraction. Maybe he skipped it because there is a fee.

Garden Of Eden Arboretum

“It’s worth paying to enjoy walking the grounds, which are immaculately kept up and offer all kinds of photo opportunities. Here you can see an 100 year-old mango tree, bamboo, ocean views and Puohokamoa Falls.”

You can find a list of stops online and many shops sell ‘Guided tour” CD’s but everything takes time.

Our guide did as best he could with the amount of time allowed. The 8 hour tour ended up being 12 hours so I’d have to say we got our money’s worth.

An Event of a Lifetime

Posted on November 16, 2016November 16, 2016 by Dusty Roads

I had my sister and me booked for an event that was billed as “The Event of a Lifetime”.

Located at the foot of the West Maui Mountains is the show Na Lio.

Promptly at 5 pm 2 shuttle buses would pull up to the front of the resort to take us to the ranch. But which resort? I still had not met our coordinator. All communication had been by phone, text or an itinerary left for me at the front desk.

I finally got an actual address but them I couldn’t find it. Driving around I spotted a post man. Surely he will know where this address is located.

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Turns out he did and the “Pink Pyramid” strikes again. The address I’d been searching for belongs to that big pink resort right next to the Ka’anapali Beach Shores! Once inside we found the ping pong tables and settled in to wait. It wasn’t long.

After being given a lei and the courtesy photo we all climbed aboard for the short ride to the location where tables were all ready set up and waiting for us.

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After an excellent dinner the show began. Slack Key artist, George Kakumoku, Jr started the action off .

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The show is the story of horses in Hawaii.

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The story is told in song and dance (Hula)

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and with the horses. The 2nd story line is the story of young love that triumphs in the end.

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I’m not sure which was more amazing, the dancers or the horses.

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At the end of the show the riders brought their mounts to the edge of the stage and we were invited to meet them and say hello to the horses. We were given carrots to feed the horses.

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One of the horses liked my lei better than the carrots. He got a big bite of it before I could get it out of his reach. As it was just flowers there was no harm done and the rider and the others standing with me joined me in a good laugh.

Then it was back on the shuttle buses for the return to the resort.

Maui Ocean Center

Posted on November 14, 2016November 14, 2016 by Dusty Roads

One of the “perks” of attending the resort orientations is that they gave nice discounts if you sign up that day.

We knew we wanted to go to the Maui Aquarium so when they gave us a 2 for 1 price and it was valid for a week we jumped at it. Plus they gave us coupons for a gift at the aquarium. With passes in hand we hopped in the car and headed down RT 30. The Aquarium is right on RT 30 next to the Coast Guard station.

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This Aquarium has the world’s largest collections of live Pacific corals. There is a mix of indoor and outdoor displays covering such diverse animals as sharks, turtles, stingrays and other rare marine life found nowhere else in the world.

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Outside there was live entertainment while we looking at the outdoor exhibits and later enjoyed some ice water from the refreshment stand.

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We plan on going back when Kathy gets here but this will be a preview.

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Inside there are great exhibits, from the octopus to the white and black tip reef sharks.

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There are benches strategically placed where you can sit in front of the huge viewing window and relax.

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As we turned one corner we found a crowd sitting in bleachers. They were watching a diver and another employee was narrating. It was really geared to the children who were sitting mesmerized. But as an adult I can say I enjoyed it too.

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Then it was on to the “Tunnel” which is just a big plastic tube running through the huge tank. Fish, sharks and rays along with the colorful little fish swim over you under you and beside you.

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