Maui and Molokai day 4: Molokini with Seafire!

Let me say at the start: Seafire is wonderful!  Hands down they were the best Molokini tour I've had!

Happy Father's Day to J and my dad in FL!

We had a 7:15 date at the Kihei Boat ramp.  Good thing we were still getting up early.  It was a nice rosy morning.

My trusty blue IKEA bag was full and ready to go.  The lower parking lot at the boat ramp was already full.  We checked in and paid (cash), ate a couple of mini cinnamon rolls and got the run down.  Captain Don put in the shiny new boat and away we were off!

The ride to Molokini was smooth and we got to see a clear view of Haleakela.

The crew worked hard to gear up everyone, and even made sure the masks were clear.  Some mask  even got the toothpaste treatment like mine.

There were several boats already at Molokini but it wasn't crowded at all.  We parked at the west side.

I love this color!

In we go!  The water was very clear and though there wern't a ton of fish, there was plenty if you float for a while and just look around.  I didn't bring my fish book (most condos seem to have one) but I'll try to list them.  Some photos are R's.

Butterflies: Threadfin, ornate, teardrop

Cornet in two colors

Yellow tang

Saddle wrasse

I think it's an Achilles Tang.

No Humus but there were some trigger fish of some kind.

Black triggerfish? There were tons of them and they don't seem shy of getting near.

Another wrasse?

Finally we were called back to the boat but we had the option of doing a drift swim to the drop off of the caldera.  Dana lead us and the boat parallel  (from a distance).  It was a little wild with lots of people swimming fast in the open water.  I lost track of R so I stayed in the back looking for him. Didn't find him but I saw J back a ways who is not a strong swimmer. I saw the boat nearby and he got picked up.  

I hauled fin back to the pack. That's when it got wild in a very strong current.  I've never been in one.  It felt so crazy and then it broke.  We went over the edge of the sunken caldera and it was way cool!  J was able to get off the boat and experience it too.  R was up in the front but I never saw him until we got on the boat.

Lots of smiles as we got aboard with lots of pineapple, muffins and drinks.  Dana noticed R was shivering and moved him to he sun and wrapped him up in a fleece blanket.  Such service!

Here's when my Lumix gave up the ghost.  It went all foggy which means water got in. Salt water and electronics don't mix too well. It seems I get a few trips out of underwater cameras no matter how much I baby them.  Good thing we had R's until I could get to Costco. The SD card was fine so I got the photos.

The next stop (short) was at St Anthony's, a purposefully sunken boat that is now an artificial reef.  It's down a ways down but the water is so clear so you can get a good view by free diving a bit.

As we neared the boat ramp, Vicki let birds eat bits of muffins out of our hands (I passed).  Then we stopped at a turtle cleaning station.  It seemed like a hotel with spa since ther were SO many honu!  There were kind of indentations in the reef where the honu lounged.  I saw one big one chased out another one so he could get his spot.

Such a good day and there was a lot left.  J suggested we go to Pa'ia for lunch at Flatbread Pizza. No complaints there!  It was a nice drive but once you get to town it's full of tourists (not us, we're temporary residents lol!). The parking was overflowing so we ended up a ways up Baldwin.  Didn't take too long to the restaurant and there was a nice breeze.  

Got seated right away at Flatbread.  Good beer on tap and we ordered 2 large pies, a pepperoni/mushroom and a sausage.  Very tasty (even the leftovers for lunch the next day).  R said it was a hippie place.

Ono Gelato was on the way back to the car so we stopped.  It lives up to it's name.

Everyone took a nap when we got back.  J drove to Safeway for steak, Ono and other dinner fixings.  He grilled and I did the rest.  We went back to our devices.

And the sun was about done for the day

Then we were inundated with some flying bugs!  We had one light on and somehow these things got in and were all over the wall and ceiling by this light!  They kept coming!  I didn't want to turnoff the light because who knows where they would go.  I closed up the condo and turned on the AC. I turned down that light and we all retreated to our bedrooms.  The next morning they were mostly gone or dead on our floor.  It hasn't repeated tonight but that light isn't on!

It was a full day!

Kim