Maui Snorkeling Trips

If you invest the time, money and effort on a Maui vacation, you should be sure to experience some of the amazing wildlife and scenery the islands have to offer. Sitting poolside is nice, but you can do that virtually anywhere. Part of the appeal of a tropical destination is that you have the opportunity to experience nature in a way that can’t be replicated on the mainland.

Taking a daytrip to one of the Islands’ legendary volcanoes or parks is an ideal way to spend an afternoon. But personally, I’m more interested with what’s going on beneath the water’s surface. Even if you’re less than enthused about venturing into the ocean, Molokini snorkeling is an absolute must for your trip. Be sure to charter a tour to ensure you go to areas thriving with underwater life.

When I was little, I knew that I wanted to plan every aspect of my wedding.  So although it is still months before the special day, I have been organizing the event so that it comes out perfectly.  Rather than pay for a wedding planner, I want this day to be personalized with touches that I pick out rather than someone who does it for dozens of weddings a year.

Instead of the traditional church venue, my fiancé and I opted for a beach wedding in Hawaii. Since we realize the trip is somewhat pricey, we’ve trimmed the guest list considerably and are using the funds for our honeymoon to help some of our friends make the trip. Some people have told me that having a wedding in Hawaii is cliché—but who cares? Maui wedding receptions are a surefire hit, and I know we won’t mind taking are nuptials on white sand beaches with pristine blue waters as the backdrop.

Growing up, my family visited the Hawaiian Islands at least once a year—sometimes more. In fact, it was the only place we every really went on vacation. I mean, it had everything you could want in a vacation destination—tropical weather, immaculate beaches, fine dining, and, best of all, we didn’t even have the leave the U.S.

Over the years I’ve experienced much of what the Islands have to offer, but the one activity I never neglected was Maui Hawaii snorkeling. If you have never been before, you would be amazed at the profusion of wildlife you can find just a few hundred feet from the shore. From exotic eels and rays to massive sea turtles, the coral around the Islands is a hotbed for aquatic wildlife. And while you can’t go wrong simply venturing off the coast, a charter will ensure you have the opportunity to see a cornucopia of creatures.

Every summer I take my family on a vacation to some exotic local around the world. This Christmas, our trip brought us to the Maui, Hawaii. While my wife and I had no problem diving right into the pristine waters, my kids were constantly complaining about the cold ocean water.

After our first afternoon at the beach, it was evident that we would have to have to find some solution to this conundrum. We visited a local surf shop and were able to find some small kid’s wetsuits. That day we took a prolonged Maui snorkeling charter, which exposed us to some fascinating marine life. The rest of the trip my kids were constantly begging to go to the beach and enjoy the snorkel and surf, which my wife and I didn’t mind.

Most people are familiar with snorkeling and SCUBA diving, but few people are aware of a hybrid of the two: snuba. Snuba utilizes a diving mask, fins, weights and a regulator, just like SCUBA diving. Instead of carrying an air take on your back, however, the air is kept onboard a watercraft. A hose is then connected to the regulator, allowing for more comfortable underwater exploration.

On my last trip to Hawaii, I had the opportunity to snuba Maui for a few hours. Having both snorkeled and dived in Hawaii before, I have to say that snuba is a happy medium. While I didn’t have the freedom I was accustomed to with my SCUBA equipment, I was able to explore creatures well below the surface. And it was a great opportunity to experience the underwater life with my finance, who isn’t diving certified.

As the second biggest island in the Hawaiian china, Maui is home to some of the most spectacular sights on Earth.  Some of the animals that reside on Maui do no exist anywhere else, providing a one-of-a-kind nature experience. They are completely native species that have developed an independent strain of characteristics.  To see these beautiful animals in the wild is not a problem while on the island.

Just ask a local tour guide where you can go and how to get there and he can show you the way, but don’t think that all of the wildlife is found on the shore. In Maui—and in other locales around the globe—much of the diversity of wildlife is found under the sea. On your trip to Maui, make an effort to go snorkeling or take a Maui whale watching tour so that you can get the complete experience.

Some couples like to spend their vacation lounging by the pool or the beach and gorging themselves on fine cuisine—but not my wife and me. In our opinion, you should make the most of every minute you are on vacation. This typically means that we put a good deal of planning into the trip before we arrive at the destination to maximize every day there.

On a recent trip to Maui, for example, we only had four days at our disposal, so time was of the essence. In time strapped scenarios like this, we like to multi-task and seek out tourist activities that incorporate fine dining and sightseeing. Our last night there we were able to go on a Maui dinner cruise, which allowed us to see a wealth of marine life, view an idyllic sunset and enjoy a delectable meal.

Hawaii is the location of a natural hot spot underneath the earth’s crust, and because of this, the island is home to several volcanoes. In fact, the present day ‘big island’ in Hawaii was once not so big, in fact, it started out as the smallest island! The big island is referred to as such because it is the largest; however, this is due to the big island being right above the hot spot. In several thousand years, the big island will sink back into the ocean, as other islands form; it’s a fascinating process.

Hawaii’s volcanoes are what make it such a unique location, and the rich volcanic soil combined with the tropical climate has created some of the most breathtaking landscapes and seascapes in the world. One of the best ways to witness these amazing geological spectacles firsthand is with a Hawaii snorkeling charter.

Artwork Courtesy Mike Ogata©

Researchers tell us that fifty million years ago our whales’ ancestors walked on land, ate meat and possibly grasses, and headed into water when volcanoes activity began to take out much of land-based life forms.  It wasn’t until about thirty million years ago that baleen whales began to evolve.  What an amazing beginning to the ocean’s largest of predators!

The above picture of a humpback calf resting reminds us of how fragile and delicate species can be.  There is much talk of releasing the hunting ban on humpback whales.  It was Jacques Cousteau who said “a world without whales is unthinkable.” and I feel most of us agree.  To insure they remain for future generations is going to take a combined effort, but they can be saved.

Watching whales has been proven to be way more lucrative than whale hunting.  Even though one whale is worth one million dollars to the companies who still insist on this type of hunting, once the whales are gone the income will cease.  To keep these animals around just makes good business sense.

Whale watching in Hawaii has been on the rise, with more companies joining in an effort to keep up with the demands of whale watchers.  Keep loving them everyone!  December will be here before we know it and our wonderful humpbacks will return.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.  It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin

Humpback season in Hawaii is winding down and animals are slowly becoming scarce.  Where did the months go?  It seems like just a few days ago it was early January and the season was fresh.

Today’s excursion involved a mom with escort and a really new baby.  How new?  He still had fetal folds!  While mom rested he breached, tail slapped, rolled around on the surface, and a couple of times he rested on top of mom’s head.  We observed mom rolling on her side, half of her tail sticking out in a nursing posture while the calf dove down for about two minutes before bursting through the surface for air.

Tomorrow is our last trip for this season.  We will journey out with excitement and eagerness, our expectations high and cameras ready for whatever comes our way.  Hopefully the summer will fly by as quickly as this winter has and our dear humpbacks will be back in Hawaii’s waters as eager whale watchers who love them climb on vessels and venture out, hopes high and hearts ready to be filled.