Tag Archives: green sea turtles

Turtle Reef – Even Better Than Turtle Town

Posted on by Chris Murray
Lots of turtles at Turtle Reef

Lots of turtles at Turtle Reef

The commercial snorkeling boats don’t stop at Turtle Reef located 300-400 yards off Kalama Park in Kihei. Perhaps the water is too shallow or there is too much going on in the vicinity – like surfing and stand-up paddle boarding. Maybe it’s too “urban.” (We’re talking south/central Kihei here, not pristine Makena landing.) For whatever reason the big boats don’t go, don’t let it stop you from visiting Turtle Reef.

There are several great ways to get there. (Unless you are a VERY strong swimmer, swimming from shore isn’t one of them.) We’ve been there by stand-up paddle board and kayak. Others use a surf board. You can rent any of these from Maui Wave Riders (across the street from the south end of Kalama Park) or other nearby outfits.

The reef is large and there are turtles everywhere – especially in the morning when the turtles like to feed and the water is calm. As you can see from the map, Turtle Reef is close to our condo at Maui Vista. We launched our kayak at Charley Young Beach and paddled over.

Turtle Reef Map

If at first you don’t see turtles, keep looking. When you get in the right spot you’ll see them everywhere. I’ve counted as many at 12 turtle heads out of the water near my stand-up paddle board at a time. They get so close they may bump into you.

Turtle reef 6

Despite the temptation, please don’t touch the turtles – bad karma. If you like, bring snorkel gear to get an even better view!

Two youngsters and a baby turtle

Two youngsters and a baby turtle

While Turtle Reef is terrific, Turtle Town is great as well. click here to see our post on Turtle Town.

Dale Zarrella discovers mermaid in tree trunk

Posted on by Chris Murray

Mermaid 1Maui artist and Maui Vista neighbor, Dale Zarrella, finished his Damien sculpture last winter. (Click here to learn more about Zarrella’s life-size koa wood sculpture of Father/Saint Damien.)

After carving a green sea turtle out of a koa remnant from the Damien statue, Zarella decided to turn his hand to something a little larger…

This five thousand pound stump from an old monkey pod tree sat in his outdoor studio at the north end of Charley Young Beach when we arrived in early April.

The outline emerges

The outline emerges

By the middle of the month, the outlines of Zarrella’s latest work began to emerge. This is the chainsaw and power tool stage. Progressively finer carving tools – and ultimately – 2000 grit sandpaper are used later.

By the end of April the mermaid’s form was readily apparent. In addition, large sea turtles began to appear below her body and tail.

This large sculpture is the latest in a series of Mermaids Zarrella has carved. Two of his life-sized mermaids can be seen in the lobby of the Makena Golf and Beach Resort. Click here to learn about Zarrella’s artist tour that takes place every Wednesday evening at the resort.

Mermaid 2Notice the void in the stump above the mermaid’s left arm and hand. The three rocks holding down papers on the scaffold were lodged in the crevice and the tree grew around them. They must have been placed there a long time ago!

Stay tuned for more.

West Maui Snorkeling – Black Rock

Posted on by Chris Murray

Black Rock with Moloka’i in the distance

In front of the Sheraton Maui at Ka’anapoli is Black Rock, a popular and easy snorkel. Ka’anapoli Beach is a large and fabulous stretch of white sand that can be very busy in the high season when the big hotels are full. It’s worth a visit all by itself.

If the waves are calm, you can snorkel out and around the point. Strong swimmers can even snorkel north to the next beach. The best viewing, however, is on the south side and at the end of the point. There’s not much coral and, for that matter, not a lot of fish. But we’ve seen green sea turtles near the shore and multiple spotted rays at the point in beautifully clear deep water.

Black Rock with Lana’i in the distance

To get to Black Rock, take the first entrance into Ka’anapoli and continue circling to the right. Look for the small sign for Beach Access after you pass Whaler’s Village. There are two small free parking areas. The Sheraton has 20 spaces in a corner of their parking garage. Just to the south there are 10 or so outdoor parking spaces that can be reached via the next driveway to the south. Getting a parking space can be a challenge. Go early or late or around lunch when people are leaving.

Sea Kayaking in South Maui

Posted on by Chris Murray

Kayaking off Charley Young Beach

There’s nothing like being on the water. In Maui you can use a paddle board, surfboard, boogie board or – to travel in style – you can rent a kayak. The nearest kayak rentals are at Maui Wave Riders, a few blocks north of Maui Vista on South Kihei Road. In May 2012, two hour rentals for a two-person kayak were $35; all day rentals $50. Since the best (and safest) kayaking is in the morning before the winds pick up, you may be able to get by with the two hour rental if you’re efficient with your time and don’t travel far. On the other hand, most days have at least four hours of reasonably calm seas, so a $50 rental may be worth the extra bucks. At Maui Wave Riders the price includes pads and tie-downs so you can take your kayak just about anywhere. Start early in the day to have the  most fun.

Almost all the kayaks you see on Maui are one-piece hollow molded plastic boats. You might get your bottom wet from splashed water but, without taking an axe to the hull, they are virtually unsinkable. That said, be aware that kayaks will roll when sideways to the waves, so be cautious. If you don’t know what you’re doing, think about signing up for a group kayaking tour before going out on your own. They provide guides, give instruction, and, if there is a problem, someone is there to help. It’s no joke to be out on the ocean when the seas get rough and the winds are against you.

Our favorite place to kayak is Makena Landing. If you’re at the Landing in the morning you’ll see lots of kayak tours starting from there. Many of these tours are combined kayak/snorkel groups. You paddle out to a good snorkel spot then roll out of your boat into the water. The tour guide secures the kayaks so they don’t float away while you’re snorkeling. I’ve never tried it but I think it’s probably a lot easier to roll out of a kayak in deep water than to get back in.

A turtle swimming past our kayak

The reason why so many kayak tours start at Makena Landing is why we like it too – green sea turtles! From the beach it’s a short paddle to the area the big snorkel boats call “turtle town.” When the snorkel boats are there it’s easy to find. If they’re not, paddle out from the cove and keep to the right. There are two long fingers of lava jutting out under the water from the end of the point. Float over these and look for caves in the lava tubes. That’s were the turtles are – including big adults that can weigh hundreds of pounds! Listen for their hiss when they surface and exhale. We had to pull our paddles out of the water to avoid bumping the beauty in the picture above.  They get that close.

There are turtles to the south of Makena Landing as well. Avoid the obvious rocks, and those that are barely submerged, but keep reasonably close to shore while you float over coral formations and look for turtles and fish. As you head south you’ll pass an old stone church and then come to a large sandy beach and resort. Kayaking further south toward the cinder cone is fun too.

As you may have noticed, green sea turtles aren’t actually green – at least on the outside. From what I’ve read, it’s the meat inside that’s green. Perhaps the color comes from their diet of sea grass and algae. Despite what sounds like an unappetizing color, green sea turtle was a delicacy for whalers and others before it became a protected specie.

Even when the waves are small, landing a kayak can be difficult. The trick is to keep the boat perpendicular to the surf. Move slowly toward the shore while looking over your shoulder to time the waves. Paddle quickly just before the break and glide in. It’s best if the person in back jumps out and holds the handle/rope at the stern to keep the kayak from turning while the person in front gets out. If you do get sideways, you’re going to get wet. That’s why you wear a bathing suit and leave those valuables behind. If you want to take pictures, keep your camera in a secure water-proof container when not in use.

If you want to get close to turtles but don’t want to rent a kayak, see our post titled South Maui Snorkeling – Makena Landing.

South Maui Snorkeling – Makena Landing, AKA Turtle Town!

Posted on by Chris Murray

This is the place to SWIM WITH TURTLES! The cutoff to Makena landing is six miles south of Maui Vista. Watch for the sign on the right-hand side of the road to Makena. It’s hard to miss. Head downhill and turn right as you get to the ocean. There’s on-street parking as well as a small county park with additional parking, restrooms and showers a little farther on. The beaches are sandy well out into the water – an easy put-in for snorkeling.

There’s no guarantee, but you may see turtles just about anywhere at Makena Landing. In fact, around the bend (to the right of Makena Landing as you face the water) is what the snorkel boats call “Turtle Town.” You’ll see boat after boat tie up to underwater buoys during the morning. They’re stopping near two underwater lava tubes extending perpendicular from the shore. There are caves in these tubes where the turtles like to rest. Every now and again they come up for air.

Turtle Town is a long swim from shore but it’s not necessary to go that far to see turtles. You can often see them near the shore in both directions from Makena Landing. In fact, if you stay on the high ground near the parking lot, you may see them swimming just below you. You don’t even have to get wet!

If you’re a good swimmer and accomplished snorkeler, the coral between Makena Landing and Maluaka Beach is very nice. You’ll see plenty of fish and I’ve literally had to keep out of the way of turtles feeding on the rocks in some of the coves between the Landing and the Beach. It’s a long swim. If you don’t want to do it twice, you can walk back by the road.

The south end of Maluaka Beach has good snorkeling as well. I’ve only seen a few turtles there, but the coral is nice.

Parking for Maluaka Beach is opposite the old stone church (you can’t miss it). You’ll find restrooms and an outdoor shower there as well. It’s a short walk to the beach and the old stone church (established 1832!) is worth a visit. Click here to read more about the old stone church.

Remember, the turtles are not afraid of people and it’s sometimes possible to get quite close to them. They are gentle creatures and they won’t hurt you, but please DON’T TOUCH THE TURTLES or HARRASS THEM IN ANY WAY. Sadly, you may see some of them infected with parasites. The growths look like tumors. That’s not the fault of humans (as far as I know) but it is usually fatal.

For a little extra sigthseeing as you leave Makena Landing, head north on the road you drove in on. It will take you through a very swank neighborhood and back to the main road. Rumor has it that behind one of those gates on the Makai (i.e. “toward the ocean”) side is one of Tiger Wood’s homes. Another is said to belong to Jennifer Aniston. Ho hum, celebrities everywhere.