Vol. 34 No. 1 – Winter 2018
Editor: Christie Stilson
LAHAINA – Maui Nei Authentic Hawaiian Cultural Tours is a fabulous opportunity to walk in the footsteps of old Lahaina. Our tour met at the old Courthouse in Lahaina. This noble landmark is home to an amazing museum (upstairs) which is free and should not be missed.
Our guide, Kalapana, began our morning adventure on the second floor of the Lahaina Courthouse. We learned about the Polynesians who came to the Hawaiian islands using amazing skills to navigate the long distances. The islands are such a small land mass in the middle of the giant Pacific Ocean that it is remarkable that these ocean voyagers found the archipelago. The larger islands were important because they had abundant fresh water. These people brought with them many important food crops including taro (kalo) and breadfruit.
The land on Maui was divided up into ahupua`a’s. These were pie-shaped divisions of land that allowed access to all the benefits of the land from the ocean to the mountain tops. The Lahaina “ahupua`a” is from Black Rock down to Ma`alaea Harbor. Lahaina had the advantage of a natural harbor and today continues to be the location for dozens of tour boats taking hundreds of people on varying adventures offshore each day.
At the time of Cook’s early voyages to the islands it was estimated that there were 400,000 to 500,000 inhabitants throughout the islands. The population decreased to about 40,000 after small pox and measles arrived with the missionaries and sailors from the whaling ships. The native people had no immunity to these diseases and young and old fell ill and died.
The first King of Hawai`i, Kamehameha, was born on the Big Island of Hawai`i in 1819. He was of royal blood and therefore was an ali`i. He proved to be a great leader and united the islands of Hawai`i. While it can only be speculated, it is believed he had at least 25 wives but only one was a spirit wife and her name was Keopuolani. She was much higher ranked in ali`i royalty than Kamehameha so she was an excellent choice. Together they had two sons, Liholiho, who would become Kamehameha II and Kauikeaouli, who would become Kamehameha III. The son of Kamehameha III was Alexander ‘Iolani Liholiho and he would become King Kamehameha IV. Alexander and his wife, Emma, had only one son who died at four years. Having left no heirs his brother, Lot, became King Kamehameha V. King Kamehameha V never married and left no designated individual to succeed him so the dynasty ended upon his death in 1872.
We continued out of the courthouse, stopping under the shade of large trees to learn some points of interest, the importance of water in the islands and the relationship of water to the West Maui mountains. We walked thru the south part of Lahaina which contained many springs (we saw one) and there was a huge aquifer As we walked, topics ranged from foods of the native population to historic structures and Kalapana focused the discussions on our personal interests. (A side note: Kalapana is also a very talented musician!)
The tour ends across from 505 Front Street where efforts have begun to restore Moku`ula . This was the home of King Kamehameha III when Lahaina was the capital (1830-1845). Prior to that it had been used by 16th century Hawaiian Chiefs. The site included a 17-acre pond with a one acre sandbar inland from the ocean. Originally called Loko o Mokuhinia it became a marshy swamp after the Hawaiian capital relocated to O`ahu. The pond became a breeding haven for mosquitoes and in 1917 the site was filled with dirt and became a park. This might have actually preserved and protected this historical site as opposed to construction of a structure that would have destroyed it. Work on reconstructing the historic site has been delayed due to lack of information on the boundaries. Recently a 1916 map was discovered and showed the boundary wall which was confirmed by archeologists. This is fabulous news!
The couple of hours sped by as we strolled thru Lahaina. We found the tour both informative and entertaining. This experience not only provides historical information about West Maui but also teaches respect and admiration for these early Hawaiians and the culture of Hawai`i. There are a variety of tours available for Lahaina and Ka`anapali. Check out Maui Nei Authentic Hawaiian Cultural Tours. This is a non-profit group working toward funding the Moku’ula. (808) 283-4201 or email manager@mauinei.com . www.MauiNei.com
‘Ulalena has been a hit theatrical production on Maui for almost two decades. Offered Monday – Thursday at 5pm, this show displays the history of Hawai`i artistically, rather than just a literal presentation. I saw the show perhaps a decade ago and it has changed a great deal and has some wonderful new additions. It’s similarity to a Cirque du Soleil is no coincidence! You receive a synopsis of scenes as you enter and it is important to study this before the house lights dim. There are eight scenes and a finale during the 90 minute show. Not to ruin the surprises but I especially loved the bamboo forest, the erupting volcano and the ocean waving beneath the moon. `Ulalena is the ancient Hawaiian name for a wind which blows between daylight and night and between times and worlds. One thing that hasn’t changed is the setting on the AC. Be sure to bring a jacket or sweater!
Prices for ‘Ulalena are based on seating location and run $69.99-114.99 for adults and $39.99-74.99 for children. Kids 3-5 years get free seats. A luau dinner is included with the diamond seating along with a soda or water and popcorn at the theater. The dinner is next door in the Aloha room and is a luau style buffet with kalua pork, teriyaki chicken, rice, mac salad, green salad, dessert and soda or water. Also available for those going to the Elvis show at 7:30pm. The live entertainment is terrific and the young hula dancers do an amazing and adorable performance. For reservations you can visit the ticket office at 878 Front Street 10am-8pm or check online at mauitheater.com or by calling (808) 856-7900.
You can’t beat the roof-top dining at Koa 156 (degrees) at 839 Front Street. Whether it is breakfast (9am – 1pm), Lunch 11am – 3pm) or dinner 5pm to closing there is nothing like sitting on top of the beautiful Pacific Ocean. I’d recommend reservations for dinner though! Executive Chef Dan Vesey, formerly the Chef de Cuisine of the award-winning “Riverhorse on Main” from Park City, Utah must be enjoying the fabulous island flavors as he is a tasteful tropical spin on the menu. The dinners are tantalizingly interesting with some really delicious pairings and the presentations are phenomenal. We had the bacon wrapped scallops for an appetizer, which were terrific, and then settled on two entrees. The Kaua`i shrimp are farm-raised and are, surprisingly, not often seen on dinner menus. I was pretty happy to see that they were served with forbidden rice (black), blistered tomatoes, and Thai basil in a mild curry that accented the flavor of the plump sweet shrimp. Deliciously presented too!!! The pan seared chicken might have sounded simple but served with fried zucchini cake, wild mushrooms and goat cheese it was a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Other entrée items include dry aged pork chop, braised short ribs, mac crusted fresh catch and plenty of appetizers and salads. They are starting some renovations in the near future which should really upscale this dining facility to match the quality of their meals. (808) 667-7735 for reservations, especially if you want that top-notch open air view!
I just learned of new owners at Pho Saigon 808 at the Wharf Shopping Center. The new owner also operates a restaurant on the Big Island. Fingers crossed that the quality remains the same! I stopped in just a couple days after the new owner took over and she was cooking in the kitchen. The food was hot and fresh but very bland and needed some adjusting of seasonings. As always, they have a very congenial wait-staff and it is so affordable. For years this has been one of our stops for each island visit and we hope they keep up the good work because we will be back!
Other restaurants in the Wharf Shopping center are Amigo’s (Mexican), Cool Cat Café (music and burgers), Down the Hatch (seafood and bar), India Express (self-explanatory), Maui Island Coffee, Shaka Sushi Maui, and Tiki Tiki Thai Cuisine. You may also find a hot dog cart out back near the bus pickup.
Aloha Mixed Plate has renovated and reopened! They just celebrated their 30-year anniversary. They opened at this location in 1996 where they featured plantation day food. For their new menu they have kept some of their local favorites and included some new. They use many ingredients from their own farm, Na Hoaloha Farms. They’ve updated their serving method with china so no more paper plates. 1285 Front Street www.alohamixedplate.com
The Chef’s tasting menu at Kimo’s is a three course meal for $27 and served 4:45-5:30pm in the main dining room on Front Street. They also have a tasting menu at Hula Grill (at Whalers Village) and Duke’s (north of the old Airport Beach). Entrees selection at Kimo’s offer baked fish, coconut crusted fresh fish, or miso marinated grilled tofu. (Leilani’s is temporarily closed for renovation.)
The Maui Sugar Pop Shop was an organic and gluten free bakery and recently closed.
It looks like the Noodle Bar – Pho – is set to open in the space formerly occupied by Shark Pit and near Foodland Market.
Pioneer Inn at the Lahaina Harbor has a new menu so we checked it out. The burger was pretty ordinary and the fish tacos, while only $11, they were mediocre at best. There were three tacos and there was a nice scoop of sour cream on the side and some salsa that looked fresh but the fish was super seasoned and very spicy. The service was pleasant and it might be a better place for breakfast. It’s too bad because it is a great location. They did have music so perhaps the bar might be a good stop for an evening libation.
I am told often that Pai`a Fish Market is a favorite but I’ve just never fallen in love. I first ate at the one in Pai`a shortly after they opened. It was mediocre and I returned again and couldn’t rave about it. I have been dragging my feet to go to the one in Lahaina so made the jump to give it a try. I shared a plate meal of Opakapaka and we each got a taco. This is my favorite fish and very flakey and moist and has a delicate flavor. They offered it breaded, blackened or grilled but I took sautéed which is always best with this fine fish. The fish came with browned butter and minced garlic spread heavily on the top. It was even fishy tasting. It was accompanied by potatoes which were sort of fried but into a mushy mash that was unpleasant and the Cajun rice was definitely not Cajun spiced. The taco was huge and I was pretty excited until I dug to try and find the fish. There was some at the bottom but it was mostly a lettuce taco (but it is only $5). Generally there are pretty long lines but they move quickly. You order at the counter and food is brought to you at indoor or outdoor picnic tables. The disastrous fish plate I had was about $27 so not cheap. (An aside – I later learned that my daughter and three friends went to Pai`a Fish Market their last visit. One ordered ‘the sauteed’ fish and his comment was it may have been the worst dish he’d ever had anywhere. The others had grilled fish which was delicious. Lesson learned … so spread the word … go grilled!) I still think Coconuts in Kihei has a far better taco and is worth the drive but I will stop by again and try the grilled fish!
NAPILI – Joey’s Kitchen at Napili Plaza is open for lunch 11am–2pm and 4-9pm for dinner. The take out is a great idea for visitors with condos or head to a beach park! The menu at this location is larger than at the Whalers Village and the seating area is nice. Also you can BYOB to the Napili Plaza restaurant. When folks want good food at reasonable prices this is the place! Our group went recently and enjoyed Shanghai style pork lumpia, fried Brussel sprouts, two sides of green papaya salad, kalua pork and furikake seared ahi on a bed of greens. I know that Brussel sprouts are a big deal at restaurants currently and I love to try them at different locations but Joey has nailed it. As he describes them, “a Caesar style with a creamy sauce, topped with parmesan cheese” and cooked al dente. The menu changes but look for basil crusted fresh fish, garlic chicken, and pork knuckle or braised short ribs. DELICIOUS! It was a lot of great food and much less expensive than you will find in town or at resorts. My kalua pork was cooked with cabbage was moist and smoky and came with a chopped tomato garnish, mac salad and rice for $10! I had left overs for lunch! Plenty of free parking too! Call ahead for ‘to go’ or to eat in their cozy dining area. Joey’s can’t be beat. 5095 Napilihau Street (808) 214-5590.
We stopped by Kitchen 5315 one night and expected to find pretty good food. The owners of Café O’Lei have their daughter heading up this restaurant. Currently they have no liquor license so it is a BYOB, at least for now. The appetizers are pretty interesting and includes a cup of tomato bisque, avocado toast, and “KFC” (Korean Fried Chicken) wings $5-12. They have a good selection of burgers and sandwiches which is always a nice dinner option and priced $11-18 they included a kalua pork sandwich, Reuben sandwich, grilled cheese, a mahi burger or beef burger. We tried the KFC wings and they were delicious! Dinner entrees are a nice array but it isn’t a huge menu. There are fand chips, mac crusted mahi, fish tacos or shrimp fettucini $14-23. On Friday and Saturday they have prime rib for $30 and we saw a few plates being served and the beef looked terrific. We tried the mac crusted mahi and it was two large pieces and no complaints. The tacos had HUGE pieces of ono and were flavorful and a bit spicy. The name includes the address and you’ll find them at 5315 Honoapiilani. They serve only dinner at this point Tuesday – Sunday from 5-9pm. For reservations call (808) 442-3700. If they can attract the local residents this restaurant will be keeper. It is worth the drive.
KAPALUA – The fabulous Kapalua Wine & Food Festival is scheduled for June 7-10, 2018 with tickets on sale. Limited kamaaina prices are available.
MA`ALAEA -- I have previously visited the Maui Ocean Center but they are always evolving and improving. This trip I enjoyed a "Behind the Scenes Tour" which was an hour spent with their amazing staff learning more about the center and what it takes to run it. The coral and aquatic animals all come from the Hawaiian waters and many are native to the area. They have a special permit to collect species which are kept in beautiful displays and enjoy the benefits of the seawater which is pumped into the tanks from the ocean. They also have the ability to return animals back to the ocean if they do not adjust well to the aquarium environment. We had the opportunity to feed the young turtles as well as the sharks, barracuda and manta ray in another tank. By summer these green sea turtles will be two years old and big enough to be released back into the ocean. I've often thought that they were not very 'green' and more brown but I discovered it isn't the color of the shell that gives them their name. They are mostly vegetarians and eating all the green sea vegetation causes their fatty tissue to turn a bright green ... hence their name! Another very important aspect of the center is a non-profit which is working to grow coral. Several years ago the ocean was significantly warmer (about 86 degrees) for a prolonged period of time which caused a large die-off of the coral. Since it is the heart of the ocean this could have tragic consequences if it happened again or for a longer period of time. They are growing coral in their back lot and will keep it stored should a die-off happen again and once the program is fully established they will be able to return coral to the ocean. The most fascinating part is that while coral is a living creature (considered an animal) it coexists with single cell algae and they have a perfect symbiotic relationship. They raise brine shrimp (sea monkeys) and we had the opportunity to see coral eat! An important message for all of us visiting or living in the islands is the damage we do to the reef system by wearing sunscreen. One chemical in most sunscreens called oxybenzone damages the coral, and it is suspected to also be dangerous to other ocean creatures. Safer zinc based sunscreens are labeled ‘coral friendly’ or wear rashboard shirts etc. when in the ocean for sun protection.
The Maui Ocean Center has now begun a program to raise a small beautiful reef fish called yellow tang. In the Beyond the Scenes Tour we saw an aquarium with new young fish that were bred in captivity. These beautiful fish are popular for home aquariums and being able to raise them means they can be sustainable. The Ocean Center is a steward for the oceans around Hawai`i. The sea turtles are at danger from garbage in the ocean which is why Maui has banned plastic bags and plastic straws are being replaced by paper. Lots of fishing line and netting are other hazards. The crew at the Maui Ocean Center periodically does ocean clean ups. They showed a tank of some of the items cleaned up from the ocean floor and reefs. Much of it is fishing line and weights along with empty cans of spam and other garbage.
The Behind the Scenes tour needs to be booked in advanced and is currently offered Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 11:30am or 1:30pm. They take a maximum of 12 guests ages five and older.
There is time after the tour to explore more of the center with sixty indoor and outdoor exhibits. One of the coolest is the shark tunnel where you can walk thru the middle of a giant aquarium with fish swimming around, under and above you. A huge sting ray did a swim above us and looked to be smiling! Other exhibits include the Open Ocean and Tunnel, Makai Theater, The Living Reef, and the Tidepool. Some of the exhibits, such as the turtles, may change out as animals grow and are released. Marine naturalists do presentations or feedings at the tide pool, nursery, open ocean, and other locations multiple times a day. Check the schedule for current presentation times.
A small cafe offers some nourishment or you can have a nice sit down lunch at the Seascape restaurant which adjoins the center.
One activity for kids (and adults) is the Keiki Passport that corresponds to stations where you can do petroglyph rubbings. They are all around the park and make for an entertaining treasure hunt. At each location you can add a different rubbing to your passport. I admit to doing it myself and really enjoyed it!!! Another specialty program is diving with the sharks! And they have a very large and interesting gift shop. Check their website for upcoming programing.
Aquarium general admission (tours are extra) is $29.95 for adults, $26.95 for seniors and $19.95 for children. Three day passes are also available. An extra discount is available for 2 adults and 2 children at $87.91. The aquarium is open daily 9am-5pm with last entry at 4:30pm. www.mauioceancenter.com
At the Shops of Ma`alea Friday night is ladies night at Café del Vino which features 50% off tapas from 4pm until closing. Mondays is Cabaret Night with a three course lobster special for $34. And ‘in the news’ a sign saying “Leased” on the restaurant location in the Shops of Ma`alaea means we may be writing about something new soon! (One rumor is Maui each Hotel is opening a restaurant here!)
Thru March 2018 the Kealia Pond National Wildlife refuge will offer a free hour-long guided bird walk at 9am on the first Saturday of the month. The Kealia Pond is that wide open area between Ma`alaea and Kihei at milepost 6 on the Mokulele Highway. The pond is home to over 30 species of birds and there is a coastal boardwalk into this area which is the largest wetland on Maui. The refuge area hours are 7:30am-4pm Monday thru Friday and the Visitor Center hours are 11am–3pm on Mondays and Tuesday thru Friday 9am-3pm. Closed on federal holidays. The boardwalk is open daily from sunrise until 7pm. For more information (808) 875-1582.
WAILEA – The Four Seasons has a new restaurant, the Beachwalk Café, where you can enjoy fresh oysters and adult beverages.
For those of you that are local you might be interested in The Spa Club treatment membership at the Spa Grande. Exclusive benefits for $125 per month. Grandwailea.com/spa
KAHULUI & WAILUKU -- A huge new Safeway will open in Kahului at the Maui Business Park in 2019 replacing the current Safeway. The new store will be enlarged by 17,000 feet to a total of 57,400 square feet. It will also include a gas station.
If you’re hungry for sushi and in Wailuku check out Umi Sushi at 1952 E. Vineyard. Open Wednesday – Saturday 5-9pm.
Who isn’t hungry after a long plane ride so combine your trip to Costco with a stop at the food carts just up the street. A tight parking lot but worth the trouble to find some fun local foods. We had fried poke and the portion was so large it ended up being lunch the next day. Or get some food ‘to go’ as you head to the airport!
KIHEI – Food trucks can be a great opportunity to try some different food at an affordable price. The Kihei Station is located on Pi`ikea Street behind Azeka Mauka. They also have 80 seats in a covered area. The trucks change but you might find Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, Bait & Hook, Gus’ Hawaiian Shave Ice.
HAIKU – The “Food of the Gods” tour is a two hour chocolate experience that requires your participation! You’ll visit a farm where cacao trees have been introduced and learn about the processing of the pods. In addition, there are orchids which produce vanilla bean so that subject is also touched upon. A cacao is a tropical tree that produces a pod. Inside each pod there are enough cocoa beans to make one bar of chocolate. Chocolate (like coffee) finds it is only happy within 20 degrees north and south of the equator. Because of this 40 degree spread, chocolate can vary greatly from one area to another. After checking out a cacao tree and the beautiful orchid vines (they had just been harvested) the real fun begins! You’ll enjoy making a seasoned chocolate drink and even make your own cocoa nips out of a roasted bean. Thru this part of the tour you will learn more about the complexities of chocolate and taste seven chocolates from different parts of the world. I’d visited a chocolate plantation on The Big Island so was able to see lots and lots of trees but this tour’s hand-on experience makes it very special. These small group tours are available two days a week with two tours each day. (Currently Sundays and Thursdays.) You may have visited Melanie Boudar’s shop in Kihei when she previously operated Sweet Paradise Chocolatier in Wailea. (The shop now has new owners but you can count on delicious treats!) Melanie co-owns the Art of Chocolate in New Mexico but was interested in growing cacao trees and her young trees are happily growing in the warm tropical region. I found this tour fascinating and delicious. The hot cocoa (dairy free) was delicious on a chilly Haiku day and it was surprisingly easy to make with mashed up nibs. Also interesting was feeding the nibs thru a meat grinder to extract the oils. One family in our group had visited the previous year and were excited to return and check on the young trees. Not only fun but very educational! The tour is sweet from start to finish and concludes with a truffle from the Sweet Paradise Chocolatier shop. This experience is for chocolate enthusiasts ages 7 and up. You’ll need close toed shoes to walk thru the orchard and be prepared for the possibility of mosquitoes. Tour prices are $59 per adult, $49 for 13-17 years, children 12 and under $25. Private tours also available for 8 or more. (808) 557-5358 hawaiichocolate@gmail.com, website: mauichocolatetour.com
HANA -- They have installed delineators along the road to Hana. That is a fancy term for those plastic tubes that stick up from the ground. The reason for the installation is to eliminate the option for people to (illegally) squeeze their car over on the side of the road so they can walk up to one of the bridges to view a waterfall. This clears congestion along the road making it a much easier and safer drive.
Oheo pools were closed in January 2017 due to a rockslide. A contract has been awarded to remove debris and stabilize the rocks as a precaution for future flooding.
UPCOUNTRY – While I love the big swap meet in Kahului (entry fee is fifty cents) it is mostly big vendors. It is a bit of a drive (and arrive early) to enjoy a totally different experience at the outdoor Pukalani Market on Saturday mornings. These are local folks who have smaller selections but some very interesting items. You’ll also find vendors who sell here with products at half the price of area shops and many items that aren’t available anywhere else. There was an orchid vendor that had gorgeous plants. Because orchids are planted in bark (not dirt) they can be brought home if they are free of bugs on the plant. You can roll a potted orchid up in newspaper and take it as a carry-on. The agricultural inspectors will check it but a friend of mine does it often and has never had a problem. I bought a glass of fresh squeezed sugar cane juice with some lilikoi and ginger added. Yum! Another booth had kombucha so we had to try the sassafras version. I purchased a beautiful mango wood cutting board for my home kitchen and some Hawaiian healing mist which did sooth the pain in my shoulder. Friends stocked up some delicious hot sauces. Vendors sell out and start leaving by 10:30am so get there early. They are across from Long’s Drugstore in Pukalani.
MAKAWAO – Beginning as a food truck, Habibi has moved to a larger permanent facility in Makawao. Michael Worrell is the owner and he serves up traditional Middle Eastern meals updated for the American palate. They have swarma in pita or as a plate and other interesting dishes. However we can’t tell you about them because we gave up after a 40 minute wait for our food. We could see the single cook slowly cooking one meal at a time. I felt the need to hop back into the kitchen area and lend a hand. Instead we asked for a refund (and they didn’t seem very surprised). I did enjoy my kombucha that was on tap though. Open daily 11am – 6pm and Saturday and Sunday breakfast 7am - 11am. 3655 Baldwin Avenue.
MISCELLANEOUS -- Outrigger Canoe rides are available seven days a week in West Maui at the Royal Lahaina Resort and in South Maui at the Andaz in Wailea. Check mauipaddlesports.com (808) 283-9344.
The November visitor reports show that arrivals to Maui were up 9.3 %. Moloka`i were up for November by 16 % had a decline of 2.7 % over the first 11 months to total 51,769 visitors for the year. Lana`i’s arrivals were down 10.6 % in November. But good news for the island’s visitor industry is the increase in airline seat capacity which rose 5 % to 964,993 seats in November!
Treasure Hunt for Kids is a new and very original activity for kids. They promise to show you beautiful scenery while you enjoy an action packed tour with your family. Hiking, a swim in a lagoon and other fun tasks are part of the adventure while you search for a hidden treasure. This experience lasts up to 3 ½ hours including a shuttle ride. You need to be able to hike about two miles. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. They also have a Best of Maui tour to Honolua and a Road to Hana Experience. Stardusthawaii.com (808) 661-8284.
I recently threw out an empty bag of C&H sugar. The familiar pink bag will now be a memory. Sugar has been gone on Maui for a year now and the land is being reborn with new purposes. A&B has 4,500 acres in active ranching and farming. Crops include sweet potato and feedstock crops as well as pongamia. What is pongamia you ask? Well I asked the same question and learned it is one of the few leguminous trees that produce an oilseed. (I also learned it can be invasive!) The oil is satisfactory for conversion to chemicals and biofuels and the trees tolerate both drought and saline conditions and are currently being successfully grown in Florida. Once the oil is removed the seed cake can be used for animal feed. It is a good crop for land that has been stressed as it produces nitrogen. It will take 4-7 years before the trees produce seeds but a single tree can produce 50-100 lbs. of seeds which works out to 600 gallons of “honge” oil for each acre. While it is a wait before harvest, the trees can live for up to 70 years. The trees produce pink, white and purple blooms and are used as ornamental trees in Florida. The nuts are inedible but look similar to an almond. Other plans for the sugar acreage might include non-GMO sorghum for animal feed and energy as well as coffee. The goal is to reduce the amount of water used for irrigation.
I again enjoyed a whale watch with Makai Adventures. This is a power boat which gets whale watchers out to the humpback whale habitat within just a few minutes. Less time traveling means more time watching the whale antics! Again it was a great trip and so informative. I learn something new each time! This year I learned that whale calves drink 100 gallons of milk a day and are fed by their mothers shooting out the thick milk (cottage cheese was the reference given) into the water. The young whales swim thru and take it in along with sea water. The seawater goes thru their system doing no damage and then is excreted. We saw one of the big whale watches with 120 people packed on and were delighted to be on a boat with only 20 passengers. You are able to watch off both sides of the boat which isn’t possible on those big boats. In 1992, Congress created the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. This made the ocean around the islands a protected area for this marine mammal. While 50 years ago the humpback whale, Kohola, was facing extinction. In October 2016 they were removed from the endangered species list. There is plenty still to be learned about these creatures. You can’t beat the experience of being on the water and getting a close look at these majestic creatures. www.makaiadventures.com (808) 495-1001.
Reminder! Check the sunscreen you purchase before you enjoy the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Sunscreen ingredient oxybenzone can cause coral bleaching, deform coral larvae and damage the DNA, kill fish embryos, deform sea urchin larvae and kill shrimp larvae.
Several recent drownings in South Maui have raised concerns about the full face snorkel mask. The cause of death for two visitors in January is being investigated since both had on this snorkeling device.
The Maui Update is available by subscription. The quarterly publication is $10 annually by email or $15 by snail mail. Paradise Publications, 8110 SW Wareham, Portland, OR 97223. Email: Paradyse@comcast.net