Monday was an early start day. Earlier than what we had already been doing. Monday was the day we were going on a snorkeling and dolphin watching cruise. All of us were jonesin' to snorkel, and to date we had not had much success in finding "the spot" to get it done. So I logged on and booked a trip for 4 on the Pacific Whale Foundation boat. They had a great deal, a 6 hour cruise with breakfast and lunch, along with an open bar. They guaranteed dolphins, and because they are a non-profit group with a focus on learning about and protecting sealife, I felt that we would get a great trip. And I was not dissapointed.
We had to be at their storefront in Lahaina at 7:15. We checked in and made our way across the street to the dock for boarding. The boat was catamaran style, with 2 decks. There was only 49 people total onboard, so we had a lot of room to move. After leaving the dock at 8, we set out over the ocean toward Lana'i. All I could think about was...."I'm on a boat!!" On the way over, the captain and several crew members provided commentary on stuff. They also served a breakfast of muffins, bagels, fruit and drink. Simple, yet tasty.
When we got close to Lana'i, we saw a huge pod of Spinner Dolphins. The boat slowed and came along side them as they dived and jumped all around us. Apparently, they are nocturnal, so they were not as active as they usually are, because they were resting. But it was still pretty cool. The only drawback was that since we were going so slow, the boat was rocking pretty hard. People were getting ill, some to the point of vomiting. All of us felt a bit queasy. Eventually we started back up and continued to the snorkel area.
The spot was pretty awesome. Sharkfin Bay. Rugged, rocky cliffs all around. ESPN has a Cliff Diving event at this location, which should give you an idea of how high these cliffs were. After dropping anchor, we pulled on our gear and got ready to go. I actually was the first one in, opting to jump off the boat vs. going down the stairs. Once we were all in, it was snorkeling time. The water was around 30 to 40 feet in depth. There was a lot of coral below and the number of fish, of all variety, was pretty amazing. I wish I had invested in a waterproof case for my camera. We spent 1.5 hours here, which was just the right amount of time. Most everyone had left the water long before that, leaving just a couple of us till the end. The crew made every effort to keep things safe, with one in the water on a kayak, watching over the group the whole time. Plus they made sure there was not an "Open Water - Part 2" moment, counting everyone before leaving.
Once we were back onboard, the lunch came out, along with the bar. I thought we were going to get a BBQ lunch, but it was just coldcuts and salads. It was tasty, but not what I expected. Apparently they had to change up boats at the last minute, so BBQ was not an option on this boat. I have to say though, that with the motion of the boat, combined with all the seawater ingested, eating a big meal was not a great option. On the way back we caught up with the same pod of Spinner Dolphins, cruising the other way. We watched them for a bit and then headed back toward Maui and Lahaina Harbor.
Once back on land, we headed back to the PWF store, where the kids received free posters. Nothing too special, but still a nice souvenir of their trip. Then we headed down the street to Local Boyz Shave Ice. This is the place for shave ice in Lahaina. You get 3 flavors, plus if you want, ice cream on the bottom. I suggest going that route because as you make your way down to the ice cream, the flavors are amazing. And don't pass on the Kuala Cream. It is a sweet cream that they pour over the top and it to is awesome. We all got some, and we all loved what we got. We are going back again before we leave. That is for certain. After all that, we headed back to the condo.
After a nap, Megan, Jo and I headed back out to Slaughterhouse Beach for some boogie boarding. Unfortunately, the tide was not in our favor and the waves were weak. We only stayed for an hour or so, and then headed back in. We decided to call it a day, watching the sun set from our balcony. After all, tomorrow was another big day.
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