Perfect Days #10 - #11 -- Ocean Activities from Ma’alaea

With so many snorkeling, diving, sunset sailing, whalewatching and sportfishing choices leaving from Ma’alaea Harbor, consider spending more than just one Perfect Day enjoying these ocean activities. Stay at a vacation rental in Ma’alaea and spend a couple of days on various ocean excursions, enjoy beach walks or jogs out your front door and walk to and from Ma’alaea’s harbor, its marine activities and local restaurants (no designated driver required). Daytrips are easy up the West Coast to Olowalu and Lahaina, south to Kihei and Wailea and north to Wailuku and Kula.

Magical Molokini

Molokini is in a legendary category all of its own for snorkeling and diving. So much so that expectations for Molokini may have become a bit unreal, but this fantastic snorkeling spot does deserve all of the raves that it gets as one of only three ocean-filled calderas in the world. Dozens of snorkeling excursion boats head for the crater every day, but it’s a big place and can hold all of them comfortably.  Molokini excursions leave from Ma’alaea Harbor, Kihei Small Boat Ramp and a few depart from Lahaina pier. Plan your Perfect Day around an early departure for Molokini and continental breakfast and maybe lunch on board the boat.

First-timers, beginners and advanced snorkelers or visitors who just want a beautiful trip along the Maui coast will really enjoy Molokini. . Inside the crater you’ll see lots of parrotfish, butterfly fish, Moorish idols, triggerfish and hopefully an eel or two. With a choice of boats, food, snorkeling, diving or snuba, coaching help or not and deep blue water with excellent visibility, there’s a Molokini excursion for just about everyone (See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/kini.html)

Sail, Snorkel & Scuba

Just bring your bathing suit, shorts, sandals and sunscreen. Snorkel, snuba and scuba trips out of Ma’alaea provide a continental breakfast, deli-style lunch, snacks and softdrinks during the day, all equipment, instruction and orientation to the marvelous marine life that you’ll see at Molokini Marine Reserve with more than 250 species of tropical fish. On board you’ll also find out more about Olowalu and Coral Gardens, Turtle Town and other exceptional snorkeling, snuba and diving spots that may be part of your sailing itinerary.

• The 50’ Columbia Ocean Sailing Yacht from Cinderella Snorkel Sail heads for snorkeling at a beautiful coastal coral reef on an ocean trip that can be customized from hours to a day.

• Morning or afternoon snorkel trips to Molokini and Coral Gardens on the 50’ Maxi Catamaran Lani Kai include a waterslide, small glassbottom, showers and a buffet lunch.
• The Four Winds II offers morning and afternoon snorkel trips to Molokini and Coral Gardens on a 55’ catamaran with glassbottom viewing room and onboard waterslide. For a small extra charge take advantage of an onboard photo and video editing service.
• The speedy 47’ Paragon catamaran spends five hours on a morning snorkel trip to Molokini, three hours in the afternoon at Coral Gardens and features hot and cold showers for passenger comfort.
• Board the 65’ maxi catamaran Pride of Maui for a morning and afternoon of snorkeling, snuba and scuba at Molokini and Coral Gardens, deep-sea fishing along the way, plus a tasty hot BBQ lunch.
• The 65’ catamaran Wailea Kai provides a deluxe lunch for its snorkel passengers to Molokini.
• The 55’ catamaran Frogman II and the 44’ catamaran Blue Dolphin offer one-tank introductory or certified dives along with snorkeling at Molokini.
• The 58’ catamaran Mahana Na’ia leaves early and, besides expert snorkeling instruction, provides fishing gear for the trip to Molokini, provides a fresh tropical breakfast and BBQ for lunch plus a choice of cold beer.
• One of Maui’s largest boats, the 92’ Gulf Craft Prince Kuhio has an air-conditioned main cabin and open topside viewing, serves continental breakfast and deli-style lunch, provides a full bar and its 2½ hour snorkeling cruise includes a return trip along the backside of Molokini and the Makena and Kihei coastlines.
• The 45’ monohull Leilani provides a snuba option (for an additional fee) on its 7am-1pm snorkel sail that includes both Molokini to Olowalu.
• The 65’ power catamaran Maka Kai provides a live “Marine Creature Show” and guarantees 1½ hours of snorkeling and swimming on its Molokini trips.
• The Pacific Whale Foundation’s 65’ double deck power catamaran Ocean Spirit (powered by environmentally-friendly  “Maui Biofeul” --  recycled cooking fats and oils, not diesel) sails on snorkeling trips to Molokini and Turtle Arches that is known for its diversity of colorful fish, coral, Hawaiian green sea turtles and whale sightings in season.
• The 38’ Wilson powerboat Maui Diamond II leaves with no more than six certified divers for one- and two-tank morning and afternoon dives at Molokini and other sites.
• The 50’ sailing sloop Cinderella takes only six people at a time on Molokini snorkeling trips and does an equally good job with sunset and whalewatching cruises.

(See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/diving_maui.html, 
http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/kini.html,
http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/snorkeling_maui.html and
http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/sunset_cruise_maui.html)

Whalewatching Cruises

• Join the 44’ catamaran Blue Dolphin for two hours of whalewatching Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons including narration by a marine naturalist.
• Ocean Activities Center offers 2-hours of whalewatching or 3-hours of whalewatching plus snorkeling at Coral Gardens on 65’ power catamarans (with English and Japanese narration).
• The Leilaniprovides 2-hours of whalewatching twice in the afternoon on a 50’ motor yacht with a naturalist narrating and hydrophones provided for listening to whales’ “singing” and “conversation.”
• Watch whales from the upper deck of the 92’ Gulf Craft Prince Kuhio, daily 12:30-2:30pm, while listening to a marine naturalist tell whale facts, history and stories.
• The Pacific Whale Foundation’s 41’ Ocean Odyssey and the 65’ Ocean Spirit double-deck power catamarans provide 2-hour whalewatching cruises all day starting at 8am, with the last cruise from 5:15-7:15pm.

(See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/whales_maui.html)

Sportfishing

• Leave Ma’alaea Harbor early in the morning with no more than five other fishermen to troll for dolphin fish, wahoo and tuna on ¾- and full-day trips aboard the No Ka Oi III.
• Rascal Charters’ 40’ Hatteras Sportfishing Yacht provides private and shared half-, ¾- and full-day charters that fish for Pacific Blue, Stripped and Short Billed Marlin, Ahi, and Ono.
• Piper– a 43 ‘Bertram Sport Fisherman – includes a marlin tower, shaded observation deck, 2 showers, 2 heads and an air-conditioned cabin for the comfort of six passengers.
• The 65’ Power Catamaran Maka Kai is certified for 143 passengers but carries and provides dinner for only 15 anglers, their friends and family transported to sunset bottom fishing (and anglers can keep the fish that they catch).

(See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/sport_fishing.html)