Maui Dive Sites - The St. Anthony

The St. Anthony is a 65' Louisiana shrimp boat that's now part of an artificial reef off Wailea. Intentionally sunk in 70 feet of water in 1997, the St. Anthony is now a popular South Maui dive site.

The St. Anthony made it's way to Hawaii after the collapse of the shrimping industry to become a long line fisher. She eventually ended up as a derelict in Honolulu. Scheduled to be sunk in deep water, the boat was "rescued" by a group of Maui residents interested in making her part of the reef. After being made environmentally and diver friendly, she was sunk next to the existing tire and cement artificial reef.

Today the reef is home to over 50 species of fish. The addition of the St. Anthony has drawn many green sea turtles to the reef. The turtles are the main attraction for diving the wreck. They wedge themselves all over the wreck and make for great photo opportunities.

If you're diving South Maui you'll find the St. Anthony an interesting dive site. It and the Carthaginian II, which was sunk off Lahaina in 2005, are the only two wreck dives on Maui. We recommend it.

Photo credits: doctorkb at flicker. St. Anthony | Turtle

Molokini Snorkel - Must Do or Overrated?

The travel brochures should read, "Snorkel Molokini with hundreds of people you'll never see again!" It's true, each morning upwards of 12 boats and 600 to 800 snorkelers visit the crater at any one time.

According to Jim Coon the president of the "Ocean Tourism Coalition" and co-owner of Trilogy Excursions there are 42 commercial permits for tour operators to take approximately 1,000 visitors to Molokini each day," almost all in the morning.

So, each morning the tour boats head out of harbors in Ma'alaea and Kihei towards Molokini. Each guest has paid upwards of $100 to visit this Marine Reserve and often for a follow on destination. The morning tours are usually about 5 hours in length.

They've been promised what one site calls, "one of the most popular and exotic snorkel and diving sites in the entire world" and about which another says, "Without question, the Molokini crater tops the list of the world's best destinations for snorkeling and scuba diving.

According to some Maui locals I've talked to, the crater's reef is dying and the fish count is dwindling. At this point it's important to make a distinction between the inside of the crater and the outside. Nearly all tour boats anchor inside the crater and this is the area most affected. By all accounts the diving on the outside wall remains spectacular.

It's been a few years since I've made the trip, so I decided to have another look. Not wanting to part with $100, I chose an afternoon trip for $37. (A word of caution here, most afternoon Molokini trips go elsewhere because of the winds. I waited for a calm day and then asked the crew in advance where we would be going.)

On the way over we were offered a wet suit top rental for $10. My advice is to take it and you'll be able to spend more time in the water snorkeling. We were also offered SNUBA (like SCUBA, but you're fed air from the surface by a hose) for $60. Since I'm a certified diver I passed on this, but many would find it a great experience.

My Impression of Molokini Crater. During my afternoon visit there was only one other boat anchored in the crater, so crowds were not a problem. My impression was that the reef looked tired. The colors were muted and there weren't that many fish. I spent a full hour in the water exploring back and forth along the reef and floating over some of the deeper areas. Other than a few angel fish and a needle fish there wasn't much to see.

To be fair, I've talked to people who've seen turtles, rays and sharks in the crater recently, so perhaps I was just there at a bad time. But I also have to agree with those who feel the crater is suffering from overuse. You just can't have nearly a 1000 people a day visiting a site and not affect it.

Must See or Overrated? Molokini crater is overrated as a snorkel location, but surprisingly, looking at the experience as a whole, the morning Molokini trips are a must do, at least once anyway. The trips are packaged for your enjoyment and safety and are well worth the $100 cost. Five hours on and in the water, seeing things you've probably never seen before, and a meal included, can be unforgettable.

Each boat offers a different experience. In an upcoming article we'll help you pick the one best for you.

Have you been to Molokini? Why not tell us about your experience?

West Maui - Driving Over the Top

Forget the road to Hana, if you want to spice up your Maui driving experience try driving around the "top" of Maui on the Kahekeli Highway. What do we mean by spice it up? We're talking about that feeling you get as you wind your way along a VERY narrow one lane road that's carved into the side of a cliff hoping that no one is coming the other way feeling. If that's not for you, then drive to Hana, there's more to see and you can buy a "I survived the Hana Highway" tee-shirt when it's over.

Here's a few cautions before driving over the top.

• First, check your rental car contract. Some companies prohibit driving sections of this road.
• Second, there really are sections of very narrow road carved into the side of a cliff. If you meet another car here the uphill vehicle is expected to back-up to a wider spot in the road. (Backing up on the side of a cliff not for you? Don't go!)
• Third, there are no services and no cell phone coverage along most of the route. Check your fuel before going.
• Lastly, leave whatever valuables you can't carry with you back at the hotel. Auto break-ins are common on Maui and this is a very isolated area. Our practice is to leave the windows down and the doors unlocked, that way the thief doesn't have to break the window to check the trunk.

Let's get started. We're going to drive from Kapalua towards Wailuku "clockwise" around the top of Maui. We've driven it both ways and believe me it feels better to be on the "inside" lane on those tight cliff-side corners.

Driving west on hwy 30 our first stop, just after the 32 mile marker, is Mokulea Bay, better know as Slaughter House Beach. There's a paved parking area here and concrete steps leading down towards the beach. Driving a bit further to just before the 33 mile marker you'll find another paved parking area and a trail leading to Honolua Bay, a marine preserve. Continue around the corner and up the hill and you'll see a wide dirt road to the left. Down this well traveled road you'll find a great view of Honolua Bay and if the surfs up lots of surfers on the waves below.

Thanks to reader John Carty for pointing out Honolua Bay is being loved to death. See http://www.savehonolua.org/ for more information.

Next is Windmills (Punalau) Beach, 6/10's of a mile past the mile 34 marker. There's a dirt road leading down to the beach. We're glad we chose to park the car at the top and walk down. This is a beautiful sand beach with many trees for shade. The beach is blanked with coral that's washed ashore. There's also plenty of evidence of partying here, so our suggestion is to avoid it on weekends.

Now the real fun begins. You've got about 25 miles of curves and great views ahead of you. A small side point here. While checking out one of these great views a couple of local gentlemen, driving an old Buick with a flat front tire, stopped and inquired if we might be interested in purchasing some of Maui's "other" cash crop. When we declined they happily drove off completly unconcerned with the flat tire.

Which brings us to Honokohau, a small village past mile marker 36. There's a road leading off back into the valley here, but after the look we got from a local chap, we decide to bypass it. Do, however, check out the small beach here, just past the bridge. It's a great photo spot.

At about mile 38.4 you'll see a dirt parking area on the left. A trail starts here and leads about a 1/4 mile down to the Nakalele Blowhole. Here if the ocean's in the right mood you'll see jets of water shooting 30 feet or more into the air from the blowhole. If you don't want to hike down there's some great view's from the bluff above.

The Bellstone, an interesting curiosity, can be found at mile 42.7 on the mountain side of the road. Strike it with another stone and it's supposed to make a metallic sounding clang. (Advice is to strike the mountain side of the stone, if it doesn't clang try another spot.) From the marks on the Bellstone it appears a lot of places have been tried.

Just past the Bellstone you'll find a dirt parking area ocean side and a path leading down to "Olivine Pools" along the shoreline. Some consider them a great place for a swim before getting to the really challenging part of the drive. As always when near the ocean use extreme caution.

The next mile marker you see will be 16. This is because state hwy 30 ends and a county road that will become hwy 340 in a few miles begins here. Now the fun really begins! As the road narrows watch for a little yellow school bus parked oceanside called "Da Smoothie Bus." Pull over here and you'll get a great view of Kahakuloa Town. Watch the traffic comming up the hill towards you, when it looks clear drive on down to the town. The first bad section of road is behind you.

As you drive into the village you'll see a sign for "Lorraine Shave Ice - Banana Bread, Drive to Rear." Drive on back. Ask to try some of her "wood chips." Up the street is "Julia's Best Banana Bread on the Planet." We bought some of her's and some of Lorraine's and did our own taste test. On your way up the hill leaving town there's a turnout with a great view of the village.

When you reach the top of the hill you're in cattle country. Kahakuloa Head and it's sister peak called Pu'u Kahuli-'anapa dominate the view towards the ocean. The road widens and you breath a sigh of relief, you've made it! Not quite brah! A few more miles of narrow winding road are still ahead of you. Just past mile marker 11 is the hairpin turn of all hairpin turns.

By the time you reach Waihee Golf Course you can breath a sigh of relief, you've made it! As you pull into Wailuku there's just one more test ahead of you. The last block of this street is one way, going the other way. We only noticed it because of the arrows on the roadway. A couple of "Do Not Enter" signs would be great here.

And finally here's six minutes of video someone shot as they navigated the road on a motorcycle.

Kahakuloa Head (The Tall Lord)

Kahakuloa Head and it's sister Pu'u Kahuli'anapa dominate West Maui's rugged northern shore. Located near mile 14 on hwy 340 from Wailuku, Kahokuloa Head is 636 feet tall.

Part of the hill is called Kahekili's Leap after an 18th century Maui king named Kahekili. Legend has it that he would climb 200 feet up to the leap and dive into the ocean before breakfast.

There's a trail here, between and it's sister peak from which great views of the head standing above can be found. There are also trails to the top of both hills. The one going up Kahakuloa Head is treacherous near the top. Don't try it unless you know what you're doing.

By the way, to give some prespective as to where Kahakuloa Head is located, as you're driving down the Haleakala Highway towards Kahului you can see it on the right side of West Maui's shore.

Kahakuloa Town - A Friendly Place

Kahakuloa Town is a small isolated community on West Maui's rugged north shore. About 100 people live in this friendly little community. You'll find several road side stands here including the Panini Pua Kea fruit stand, Ululani by the Bay, Lorraine's and Julie's Best Banana Bread on the Planet. You won't find any other services.

We stopped at Lorraine's (the sign says "drive to the back, so we did") and found her to be a wonderfully friendly person. We were there on New Years Day, so I asked, "why are you open today?" She said, "Because I knew you were coming." Be sure and ask to sample her "wood chips." We also stopped at Julie's and found the young lady running the stand that day to be just as pleasant.

Since Julie claims to sell "the best banana bread on the planet" we decided to do a taste test. We bought banana bread from both. Lorraine's loaf ($3.00) is a bit smaller than Julie's ($5.00). Lorraine's bread is light in color, a bit dry, and was good, but seemed a lot like any other banana bread we've eaten. Julie's is dark in color, much more moist and has a wonderful flavor. We think she adds molasses to the recipe. Julie wins. We don't know about being the best on the planet, but it was the best in Kahakuloa. Now, what to do with the rest of this banana bread? :)

Kahakuloa Town is a difficult place to get to. The road is narrow and winding coming from either direction. So, if you come for a visit, take it slow. Coming from either direction into the village you'll find great views from the road above.

West Maui's "Olivine Pools"

Finding a place to enjoy a dip in the ocean along West Maui's rough northern shore can be difficult. One such place is the natural lava pools dubbed "Olivine Pools" by a popular Maui guide book. You'll find them near mile 42.8 on hwy 30 past Kapalua. If you're coming from the Wailuku side they're just past the mile 16 marker. (This is where hwy 30 from Kapalua meets hwy 340 from Wailuka, so the markers change.)

If you're driving around the top of Maui this is a great place to stop and take a dip. The experience is almost surreal. Most Maui visitors will never experience sitting in these calm pools, with waves breaking all around and Maui's volcanic past recorded in the lava cliffs before them.

Look for a dirt parking lot on the ocean side of the road. Since these pools were popularized in Maui Revealed you'll find cars parked here most of the time. The pools are about a 1/4 mile off the road and about 200 feet down.

Just follow the path towards the ocean. You'll soon see the lava finger containing the pools jutting into the sea. There's a bit of scrambling down the loose dirt and lava paths, so be careful.

Once you get to the pools, remember the lava is sharp and the ocean can be unpredictable, so use caution if you decide to take a dip. If the surfs high, stay out! We've heard of people getting tossed around and injured in the pools by waves breaking over them.

You'll find "Olivine Pools" and many other interesting things to see and do on our Maui Travel Map.

Have you ever been to the pools? Why not let us know what you thought of them?

The Bellstone

The Bellstone, an interesting curiosity, can be found at mile 42.7 on on hwy 30 past Kapalua. It's on the mountain side of the road. Drive past it to the parking area on the ocean side and walk back. By the way this is the parking area for a great walk down to some natural lava pools along the ocean.

The story goes that if you strike it in the right spot with another stone it will clang like a bell. The advice we've read is to strike the mountain side of the stone hard with another stone, if it doesn't clang try another spot. Judging from the marks on the Bellstone it appears a lot of places have been tried.

We decided not to scar it any further and will leave it to someone else to test it's qualities.