Hi everyone, we hope you enjoyed our last post. Here is #2 of our trip.
In addition to Black Rock, we went on an outstanding snorkeling trip with Maui Adventure Cruises. It was great heading to Lanai and being surrounded by Dolphins. We never saw dolphins in the wild before this. There was a lot. Apparently, the boat moves in the same direction because they swim next to the boat to get a drag from the boat and make it easier for them to move. It was awesome.
Of course we couldn’t go on the island of Lanai because it is owned by Larry Ellison but it was previously known as the Pineapple Island where Dole produced their pineapples. Please take a moment and read the History of Lanai as it shows how the island has changed through the years and unfortunately, how the area is being overtaken by those with money. It started with James Dole who purchased the island in 1922 for $1.1 million. . The next big change in the history of Lanai came in 1922, when a man named James Dole purchased the entire island for around $1.1 million. Now as of 2012, Lanai is 98% owned by Larry Ellison. According to the website, you can stay there but getting there is not easy. Anyhow, the snorkeling trip was great and we got to snorkel off the island. (By the way, we found a great way to keep your mask from fogging – use baby shampoo and water! Before we were told to use dish soap but the guy on the boat said to use baby shampoo since it won’t sting your eyes. Nice to know!)
Love this underwater picture of the surf that Mike took. What an awesome view.
This is Sweetheart Rock. Standing 80 feet tall and officially known as Puu Pehe is it Lanai’s most recognizable landmarks and the setting for one of Hawaii’s most enduring legends. You can read the details the link but in summary: A young princess from Maui was captured by a young warrior who confined her to the sea cave (below) so others wouldn’t see her beauty. Eventually she drowned and he climbed to the rock where he buried her. He then leaped to his death.
As mentioned, our snorkeling trip ended at the Mala Wharf in Lahaina. Here is an old picture and a current picture wharf which was taken out by Hurricane Iniki. Already in disrepair when the Hurricane hit, this collapsed it more. It is known as the best scuba diving area. (Next time we are in Maui, we are going to try to get to this place from the beach but were warned by the boat captain that the surf can be tough.)
At the bottom of the ocean sits a concrete pad where we saw more than 12 turtles laying there, While we were there, many came up for air. All of us had to dodge them when they came up since it is illegal to touch them. The first picture is showing one of them on the concrete pad.
