On my annual pilgrimage to Maui, I almost met my maker!
We go to Maui every year, when it is cold and raining (i.e. sprinkling in drought years!) in California, and other people's kids are still in school. Kids and me are like my ex and myself -we don't mix!
I'm on the plane to Maui, with my snorkel gear packed, and my snorkel fins sticking out of the top of my carry on luggage at my feet.
We're staying at the Maui Kamaole, a luxury condominium resort complex, a 12 minute walk to the center of Kamaole 3 beach -yes, there is a Kamaole 1 and Kamaole 2 beach, and no it is not named after King Kamaole I, II, and III.
Kamaole 3 is a very popular beach in the center of Kihei. It is not a good snorkeling beach however. Ulua beach, 2 miles south, is one of the premiere snorkel sites in Maui. OK Molokini is prettier with more fish, but now as full of boats as the Spanish Armada! Besides why pay an arm and a leg just to go snorkeling, when you can snorkel right out the door of your hotel!?
I've got on my one way swim pants from the past century, with the elastic gone, held in place by my one way XXL T-shirt, way too big, given to me by me ex wife, one of the few things she's given me, besides white hairs! Both items, the swim pants and the T-shirt, not the ex-wife(!), to remain in Hawaii after I return home.
Snorkeling is best done on sunny days in the morning, as the currents build up and muddy the water with sand particles by mid day.
There's a parking lot for the public right off of South Kihei road, and holds about 80 vehicles. Tuesday it is packed by 10am, restrooms, outdoor showers to remove sand.
If you are coming by car, I store my electronic car key in a Locksack, a heavy duty, water-proof plastic pouch, available at any dive shop or Amazon, and put it in the back zippered pocket of my swim trunks.
You know its going to be crowded, with dozens of condominium complexes right across the street from the beaches, here in South Kihei..
I'm wearing a T-shirt, as the T-shirt prevents sunburn on the back when the sun shines bright, and offers protection from getting scratched on rocks and coral reef.
My wife wears a 0.5 mil light weight wet suit mainly for body warmth, and prescription goggles -that's why she can't rent out snorkel outfits for $10 a week from snorkel bob's!.
She's also wearing my fins, as hers are too long for the carry on luggage. No, I can't fit into her shoes I'm wearing my water and sand proof water shoes, good for snorkeling in calm waters. In rough waters, I'm counting on the wife pulling me out!
We go get on our snorkel mask and breathing tube, wet the mask to seal it, and go in -me forward, and she with the fins backward.
Kamaole 3 is delinated by rocks on the extreme south side facing the Kihei boat dock, and the extreme north facing Kamaole 2 beach.
We swam the south side at 1130am yesterday, and the snorkeling was no good as the waves were too strong. We did encounter a giant turtle almost on the beach -I learned that it is one of 2 giant turtles that permanently reside on this beach.
Today at 915am we head over to the north side rocks, and find a place to get into the water.
We float on top of the water a good 50 feet, past the sandy bottom, and check out the green gray rocks on the bottom. There is a big drop off here, and it is here sheltered by the line of rocks, that we see fish. Schools of fish the farther and deeper you go out. Not as brilliant of color as on Ulua beach.
No brilliantly colored coral reefs like at Ulua, but I do see some brilliant white creatures with suckers on the rocks under the water, along with some bright dark red creatures with tentacles sticking up.
60 minutes later, I'm floating back to shore, when I get between some rocks in the shallow sand area. As I plant my feet, and stick my head up, looking away from the ocean, a powerful wave rolls through, pounding me like a pinball, carting head over into the water into the sands, just missing by a few feet the hard rocks. My ex always said I was hard headed, but not hard enough to go against those rocks!
Two guys come off the beach to see if I'm OK. It was almost Hasta La Vista time, to paraphrase our ex-governor! read more