Maui Snorkeling Trips

Photo Courtesy Dr. John Randall

The pipefish are a cousin to the seahorse.  According to Dr. Randall, they are so closely related that the pipefish is almost like a long seahorse.  Both have their bodies encased with bony rings, instead of a spine like other fish.  The redstripe (above photo) and the bluestripe pipefish have both been observed cleaning other fish, including the mouths of eels!  They have a very small gill opening and are often observed hanging motionless, hovering over reefs.  They eat small crustaceans, such as copepods, with a quick sucking motion.  

Reproduction is very bizarre.  The female deposits the eggs into a ventral pouch on the male.  (”I don’t want to do it, YOU do it!”)  On the pipefish, the pouch can run about 1/3 of the body length, even more.  The male will carry the eggs several weeks until they hatch.  There is no parental care, and the many little ones will most likely drift away on currents.

Finding these odd animals is quite possible while snorkeling in Hawaii.  The SNUBA or snorkeler just needs to be very aware and observant.  The pipefish are seen in Molokini and many other places. Look for splashes of color and hold still.  Become one with the reef.

Photo Courtesy Hawaii.edu/Photo Courtesy John Hoover

The Hawaiian stingray, brown ray, broad ray, or lupe in Hawaiian, is an endemic ray found in shallow or deeper waters.  On O`ahu,  Kane`ohe bay, researchers believe is a ‘pupping’ ground for the rays who have chosen that particular spot, of many, to give birth.  Stingrays, a cousin to the shark, are an elasmobranch.  Since they are bottom dwellers and like to bury in the sand when they rest, nature put their uterus on top, at the base of the body.  A pregnant ray looks like she has a growth on her back.  They are live bearers, giving birth to 1 - 3 pups after gestation of about 1 year.  The little ones come out looking very much like a long burrito, unfurl and take off, miniatures of their moms and completely on their own.

The Hawaiian name lupe, means kite.  In ancient Hawaii, they made kites in four shapes.  Round (sun), crescent (moon), wings on the side (bird), and European styles.  Research could not produce any record of the Hawaiians eating the rays, but it is possible.

This specie of ray seems to prefer shrimp, crabs, gobies, types of fish that bury at night, and polychaete worms.  Divers and avid snorkelers know how to tell if a ray has been feeding in the area.  You look for the large “dimples” in the sea floor.  When the rays excavate they blow, moving great clouds of sand to expose the prey.  According to research they rarely return to the same places for resting.  Hammerhead sharks are known for pursuing and taking down small rays.  The stingrays are not without defense and aptly named.  On top of their tails, about halfway down they have 1 - 3 barbs.  The barbs (made of modified dermal denticles) are covered with a skin-like sheath and underneath the sheath is a neurotoxin.  When frightened, or feeling threatened, they will whip their tail toward the threat.  Should it make contact the barb could break off, the neurotoxin embedded in the victim, and the ray is free to swiftly depart, hopefully safe to live another day.  The barbs, if used, do regrow, but according to researchers it takes quite awhile.  What a magnificent animal this shy one is!  Coming to Hawaii promises many things.  Spending time with your marine life is a must!  See you soon!!

Sponges, also known in scientific communities as poriferans from the combination of Latin words porus or ‘pore’, and ferre ‘to bear,’ are an animal generally found in marine waters and rarely, about one percent of their species, are known to inhabit fresh water.  They proliferate in coral reefs which are perfectly fit to accommodate their lifestyle.  Many species of these porous animals inhabit reefs.  The sponge eats by filtering the water flowing through, which is made nutritious by the other marine life that consumes plants at its most basic ecological level.  The sponges, in turn, provide shelter for fishes, shrimps, crabs, and other small animals.

Sponges are animals with extremely simple physiology.  They have no muscles, nerves or internal organs.  Scientists study the sponge to try to understand how animals evolved from unicellular beings to multi-cellular organisms.  There are over five thousand different species types of sponges that are currently known, but it is not uncommon for a new species to be discovered.  Sponges are integral to the workings of a coral reef and their presence can be felt during a Maui snuba diving trip.

A reef is a shallow underwater community that harbors many types of plant and animal life.  It can be made from a rock or sandbar, but the best known reefs in the world are made from coral.  Artificial reef systems can form from man-made items like sinking ships, but these are not considered to be true reefs.  Coral is one of many biotic reef types, along with oyster reefs, though when it comes to expansive size and wide distribution, coral is king.  Coral however is not dominant in expanding the size of coral reefs.  This special task is taken up by calcareous algae, which grows quickly and makes up for the constant assault by oceanic forces.

Within coral reefs is a variegated ecosystem that contains a great collection of species.  At the head of this ecosystem is the initial energy source of the sun, which is why reefs can be found in shallow water.  Photosynthesis is at the heart of all reef systems.  Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton, algae and other plants convert light energy into chemical energy and create a food source for other animals which include sponges, crabs, octopus, squid, shrimp and mollusks to name a few in the amazingly diverse ranks.  In Hawaii, snorkeling offers a wonderful view of these incredible plants and animals.

Photo Courtesy Dr. John Randall

They are incredibly shy and really cute!  The Hawaiian garden eel ,or Puhi in Hawaiian, is an eel who prefers to hide in sandy substrates 35-175 feet deep.  They are a light, greenish grey with small brownish yellow spots.  Their bodies are extremely elongate and can reach a length of about 2 feet.  These beauties are zooplankton eaters who prefer to feed diurnally.  I have not seen them as a diver but know many divers who have had the pleasure of sneaking up on them while doing the ‘belly crawl’ in order to obtain the valuable photo.  The above picture was taken off Kona, and as you can see, they live in large colonies, but if they become aware of the diver, or SNUBA person, they will quickly retract, tail first and disappear.  According to Dr. Randall these eels may well be endemic to Hawaii.  There is a well known colony that lives outside Molokini, one off Lana’i, and yet another off Olowalu, just to name a few.

So, what eats these eels?  Many types of fish would take the shy ones if given the opportunity.  Hammerhead sharks would certainly welcome this meal as would the stingray.  With these eels large staring eyes and quick reflexes, one can’t help but love them.  Bring your cameras, we’re going in!

Photo Courtesy Hawaiifishes.com

This fish is really adorable!  Research could find no Hawaiian name, but that possibly could be because this fish likes the water deep as it is a sponge eater and sponges do better in waters less turbid, so the ancient Hawaiians may have not caught and eaten this one.  If we’re able to locate any information, it will most certainly be posted.  This fish is ENDEMIC, i.e. lives in Hawaii only.  According to researchers, the fish that created this species are now extinct, making this cute one even more special.

Coming to Hawaii?  The average snorkeler could get to see this fish if they were to keep a watchful eye.  Around some islands it is spotted in shallow reefs.  I love the shiny black eye that blends with the bandit stripe.  They have small mouths with brush-like teeth.  Angelfishes are diurnal.  According to Dr. Randall, some (maybe all), are protogynous hermaphodites, i.e. they begin their mature lives as females then later change to males.  In some species there are dramatic color changes as well.

While snorkeling in Hawaii, camera in hand, try to always remain quiet and calm.  You never know what awaits you around each reef!

Photo Courtesy Dr. Randall; Birds By John Gerrard Keulemans

The ancient Hawaiians gave this fish the name mamo, which is the same name as a Hawaiian honeycreeper bird that had black feathers and yellow above and below the tail.  The bird was a highly prized one used in the choicest featherwork.  The fish was an important food item and was eaten raw, salted and dried, or cooked in a myriad of ways.  The Hawaiian Sergeant is plentiful in Hawaiian waters and can be seen almost anywhere.  When snorkeling out at Molokini, you are most certain to see this cute little face hanging out with friends and curiously peering back at you.

The mamo is in the damselfish family and lives usually in shallow water on coral reefs or rocky substrata.  Most species feed heavily on algae and are very territorial.  It is really interesting to note they will ‘weed’ their territories of undersirable algae, according to Dr. Randall.  Some species of damselfish also feed on zooplankton and may be seen in small schools.  One species will feed on coral polyps.  It is the protective males that will guard the eggs until they hatch.

The damselfish family is one of the most abundant of reef fish in Hawaii.  How wonderful to know that someone is doing so well!  They have a small mouth, and according to Dr. Randall, their teeth are conical or incisiform.  In juvenile form, like with many types of fish, they are more brightly colored than the adults and males generally will show a different pattern of color at spawning time.  Other types of damselfish will be discussed in future postings.  When you come to Hawaii, you will not have any trouble locating these cute little ones.  Let’s get wet!

Scientists estimate that the blue whale has the potential to live up to 80 years, but since records are scanty before the whaling era this will not be confirmed for years yet.  The longest recorded period that a blue whale has been monitored is for 34 years by a scientific team trying to fill in the holes in the knowledge of the life of a blue whale.  The report was done in the north-east Pacific where they found that the only natural predator, other than human beings, is the orca.  The study showed that a quarter of blue whales have scars resulting from orca attacks, though the mortality rate from these attacks is unknown.

The mating season for the blue whale starts in late fall and continues until the end of winter.  It is hard to believe that the mating habits of the biggest animal ever are actually relatively unknown.  Female blue whales tend to give birth once every two to three years and they have a gestation period of ten to twelve months.  When the calf is born, it weighs about two and a half tons and is about 23 feet long.  They are weaned for approximately 6 months, when it doubles in length and learns from its mother how to survive in the wilds of the ocean.  Maturity occurs by age five when they are considered functioning adult members of a pod.  Prince Kuhio offers tours in Maui, which has the only breeding grounds in the United States for the humpback whale.  Whale season starts in December and whale watching trips run daily, weather permitting.

The blue whale is one of the most majestic creatures in the ocean.  At an average of 110 feet and 200 tons, the blue whale is thought to be the biggest animal to have ever existed.  It is a marine animal in the suborder of baleen whales.  As with other baleen whales, the diet of the blue whale consists of crustaceans known as krill, small fist and sometimes squid.  It is the biggest jokes in nature that the biggest animals in the wild have a diet consisting of one of the smallest.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, blue whales were in abundance in all the oceans, able to travel extraordinary distances to complete their breeding cycles.  They truly were the world’s first globetrotter.  Then for a period for 40 years, the blue whales were hunted almost to the point of extinction.  With better regulations, this trend reversed itself, but the blue whale is only at a few percent population of what they once were.  Whale watching in Hawaii is a popular tourist activity.  Some folks come from all over the world just to see the birthing and mating grounds for the 5th largest whale in the world.

Photo Courtesy Dr. Randall & CreationWiki

The Hawaiians called them mo’o lio.  Mo’o is also the Hawaiian name for lizard.  Mary Pukui, author of many Hawaiian language books has no references to the seahorse, which could very well mean the Hawaiians had no uses for this very mysterious and rare animal to find in the Hawaiian Island chain.  These little critters hang out in grassy areas or hang onto corals, live in pairs or alone and certainly would have no food value.

Seahorses have often been written about and another favorite of mine.  Their bodies are composed of bony rings with skin stretched over them creating a type of armor.  Since there are very strong currents in the worlds oceans, nature gave them a tail to hang onto grasses and seaweeds, or open ocean hanging out in the sargassum.  They have a horse shaped head with a coronet on top that is said to be as individual as fingerprints and cute little mouths that they use to suck in their prey, usually consisting of copepods, brine shrimp, zooplankton, and larvae.  Seahorses appear almost like royalty, very erect and regal.  Used for aquarium trade and hunted by China, Taiwan, Thailand, India, Vietnam, and the Philippeans, they are sold by the thousands to be used for medicinal purposes, making this another animal that could go extinct if something isn’t done soon.

A fun fact is the female and male will have a courtship dance before the female deposits her eggs in the males pouch where he will fertilize anywhere from 10 up to 1400 embryos.  The eggs will incubate up to 6 weeks and be fed nutrition by the male in the form of placental fluid.  This monogamous pair will stay together until one dies, which could be up to 5 years.  Every morning they will do a dance together, intertwining tails to start their day.  The male will eventually experience a type of labor, which consists of very heavy pumping and thrusting until all babies are born and on their own.  Some researchers believe this is done only on a full moon and others say the mating is done on a full moon.

The Hippocampus Kuda, or common seahorse, as it is well known, can change color like so many fish.  Usually seen a bright yellow, it can also be found totally black with a grainy texture or creamy with black spots, all which is done to blend with their surroundings.  According to Dr. Randall, females are often seen as the latter.  They are night feeders.  What eats seahorses?  Predatory fish like filefish, triggerfish, jacks, and others.

Will the average snorkeler see the seahorse?  Probably not.  In all the years I’ve snorkeled and dove I have not seen any, nor have I talked with divers who have.  You can watch a little clip HERE, if you wish.  Although this little animal’s whereabouts remain a mystery it is sure fun going out in the ocean to see what awaits.