Orange Pincushion (non native )
Nene, rare Hawaiian Goose
Jackson's Chameleon (male has 3 horns, female has none) non-native
Rainbow over our resortMaui
After retirement in 2006, we headed to Maui. Five years later we were back. We drove to the top of Haleakala and hiked into the crater. We finished our hike before the clouds moved in and filled the crater. We also tried to hike in the nearby state park but it was closed due to damage from heavy rains in January. One morning we got up very early and took a Pacific Whale Foundation trip to Molokini. On the trip out we saw two of the few remaining humpback whales (mother and baby) still in the area. They winter and give birth in the warm Hawaiian waters and most leave for Alaska in April. Molokini is an off shore crater, known for its clear water and great snorkeling. It is usually very crowded with boats packed with people. Fortunately our boat was one of the first to arrive and we could enjoy the fish without being disturbed by hordes of snorkelers. From here we sailed to Turtle Town, a location where turtle frequently go to get cleaned by fish. We only saw two turtles here, but on the return trip we saw at least a dozen turtles resting on the surface of the water. It was not a good day to leave my camera in the car.
We wanted to snorkel at the Sheraton’s Black Rock, the best beachfront snorkeling on the island. Since parking access is limited to a dozen or so vehicles, we went on a cool, windy and rainy day and had no problem getting in. The snorkeling was still good despite the weather. This weather continued for our last few days on the island - not exactly beach weather! It did make it easier to leave. We arrived back in Albuquerque on Mother’s Day and picked up our RV from storage.
After retirement in 2006, we headed to Maui. Five years later we were back. We drove to the top of Haleakala and hiked into the crater. We finished our hike before the clouds moved in and filled the crater. We also tried to hike in the nearby state park but it was closed due to damage from heavy rains in January. One morning we got up very early and took a Pacific Whale Foundation trip to Molokini. On the trip out we saw two of the few remaining humpback whales (mother and baby) still in the area. They winter and give birth in the warm Hawaiian waters and most leave for Alaska in April. Molokini is an off shore crater, known for its clear water and great snorkeling. It is usually very crowded with boats packed with people. Fortunately our boat was one of the first to arrive and we could enjoy the fish without being disturbed by hordes of snorkelers. From here we sailed to Turtle Town, a location where turtle frequently go to get cleaned by fish. We only saw two turtles here, but on the return trip we saw at least a dozen turtles resting on the surface of the water. It was not a good day to leave my camera in the car.
We wanted to snorkel at the Sheraton’s Black Rock, the best beachfront snorkeling on the island. Since parking access is limited to a dozen or so vehicles, we went on a cool, windy and rainy day and had no problem getting in. The snorkeling was still good despite the weather. This weather continued for our last few days on the island - not exactly beach weather! It did make it easier to leave. We arrived back in Albuquerque on Mother’s Day and picked up our RV from storage.
No comments:
Post a Comment