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Maui has plenty of great snorkeling all over the island, but some of the best can be found in the four marine preserves. Because of the laws protecting these areas there is an abundance of life in these underwater wonderlands. Go and feast with your eyes and take a lot of pictures, but remember that neither fishing nor collecting is allowed. Please do your part to protect these pristine reefs. Never walk or stand on coral; it is a living animal that could be killed or injured even with a whack of a flipper. Fish feeding has also been shown to be detrimental to the reef ecosystem because it encourages more aggressive fish species to proliferate, while crowding out the non-aggressive species. Plus, you'll see plenty of fish without feeding them! The four preserves are Honolua Bay, Ahihi Bay, part of La Perouse Bay, and Molokini Crater. All but Molokini can be reached by car. Honolua Bay is just north of Kapalua on route 30. Look for a narrow dirt road on the left as you travel north, it will take you to an old boat ramp and a very small beach. The snorkeling at Honolua is best in the summer, when the ocean is at its calmest; the winter swells offer conditions better suited to surfing than snorkeling. Ahihi Marine Preserve is located just south of Makena Big Beach and offers something for everyone. If you have little children who are too small to snorkel they can toss bits of bread or fish food into the water from the small ramp and be treated to a rare view; the water will begin to swirl with color as the tropical fish come to enjoy the tidbits. Just to the south of the Ahihi Marine Preserve is La Perouse Bay, another opportunity for primo snorkeling. In 1786, the French navigator, Jean de Francois La Perouse became the first westerner to set foot on Maui. His view of the area was very different from what we see today; Haleakala erupted four years after his arrival. The lava flows that surround the bay around are a testimony to the power of a volcano. Over 200 years later the land is still barren, but just offshore is a show of ocean life that is well-worth seeing. As you go in the water to explore the reefs in the area, be very careful as sea urchins abound. Their sting is very painful and should be treated with vinegar. |
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