Whale watching March 2011- Then Turtle town Wailea

 

Unusually calm winds made for a spectacular morning out on the water. Lots of Whales!

Spinner dolphins off Lanai

Turtle Town

Afternoon snorkeling adventure in Makena. A beautiful spring day. We drive past the old Maui Prince and then turned back toward it to park on the south side of the Prince. To the far left of the beach is a large kamani tree which provides nice shade. If you swim straight out you come to a small reef which has great live coral. lots of reef fish and big red pencil urchins. There resting at the base of a large brain type coral head. may bee 10 feet in diameter and 5 feet high was a green sea turtle. She eventually surfaced for a few breaths and just hung there flippers dangling straight down. Then she took her front flippers and folded them against her belly. Very cool. Then down to her resting spot. She was very habituated and didn't seem to be afraid at all.

Whale Watch - Maalaea

A gorgeous morning out on the water. As we drove down the hill at 6:45 am I was pleased to see the smoke from the Puunene sugar mill going nearly straight up. Yeah!No wind!We were booked on Pacific Whale Foundations 65 foot catamaran. Departing with a full boat of 80 we headed out. Across the horizon there were numerous spouts. We saw many pods and listen with a hydrophone for a few minutes. Fun!

Sunset prior to incoming cold front

Mooo evening

When Maui Land and Pine got out of Pineapple recently we were all sad there would be no more "Maui Gold Pineapple". I could not ever imagine not being able to get fresh pineapple at any time of the year. It was unthinkable. Fortunately 4 former Maui Pine managers got together and with the Ulupalakua Ranch manager Pardee Erdmann they formed Hailimaili Pineapple. They leases 1,000 acres and have kept "Maui Gold" growing and available. What about the fields I had the privilege of riding in behind my house? The pineapple field which has been behind my house since I purchased my property in 1988 has been made into a pasture. 400 acres are now cross fenced for the Ulupalakua cattle which were starving this year. The sever drought had left the ranch with little grass. The worst drought anyone had seen in a long time. The cattle now over look the house and freak out the horses. sometimes at night I can see their ghostly outlines and inquisitive ears framing them as they line the fence checking us out.

Lucky to Live in Paradise

Beautiful warm days, no wind and a bright blue sky. To the beach! as I approached baby beach cars were lined down the normally deserted street. Obviously the ocean was calling many. A work day at noon! The outer reef had a 8-10 foot break creating a over reef wave with a current in the normal swimming area. The water was a bit cold but nice after the intial plunge. The dogs loved it! Hunny, Q and Leila :) Q is a swimming marvel with her own lifevest!