In Hawai‘i we have a funny name for one of our largest crabs – it’s called a Seven-Eleven crab. Unrelated to the eponymus convenience store, the name comes instead from the number of spots – and their location – on the crab’s carapace (shell). If you look at the crab from the top-front (as in the photo above) it appears …
Rice coral spawning – what is that scent in the air?
During a few days in summer Maui is abuzz with people near the ocean asking “Can you smell that? What is it?” or asking on social media “Does anyone know what that smell is in the air?” Many people assume it is just the normal scent of the ocean. Others think there has been some kind of chemical sprayed nearby. …
A Memorial Day remembrance of the servicemen who trained on Maui during WWII
During WWII 200,000 soldiers, marines and sailors participated in various training exercises on Maui before heading into combat in the Pacific. At the time they outnumbered Maui residents 4:1 and were an impactful presence on the island. One of the main exercises was rehearsing amphibious assaults. In this photo from that era the Wailea and Makena coastline can be seen …
Triton’s trumpet rescue – how long can a Triton’s trumpet live without eating?
Divers have so many questions about the other-worldly things we see underwater, but “How long can a Triton’s trumpet live without eating?” was a question that I had never asked myself. A few days ago, however, we were given an “at least this long” answer without even asking. The Triton’s trumpet (Charonia tritonis) is one of the largest sea snails …
Masked Boobies at Molokini – First Verified Sighting
Last August we reported the first verified sighting of Red-footed boobies at Molokini. During the 20 years prior to that the only large seabirds that we had seen roosting on Molokini were Great frigatebirds, so it was very exciting to see the Redfoots. They stayed for about two weeks and then were gone. The frigatebirds too left for the winter. …
Is it true that the Navy is planning to detonate old ordnance in the Molokini Marine Life Conservation District in July 2020? The record shows how devastating this was after detonations at Molokini in the 1970s and 1980s.
Molokini Marine Life Conservation District has been a protected sanctuary for marine life for over 43 years. It is open to anyone lucky enough to have a boat or kayak or outrigger canoe. No anchoring is allowed. A permit is required to operate a commercial vessel there. And all visitors, snorkelers, and divers must read and sign a 300-word acknowledgment …
Keawakapu Artificial Reef Was Begun With Junked Cars, Parts Of Which Can Still Be Seen by Divers
If not for automobiles, a popular artificial reef in waters off of Kihei, Maui would not exist. If you’ve been to the Keawakapu artificial reef, you know that this site is made up of about 2,000 automobile tire modules. These modules were constructed by putting 8 tires next to each other on edge and setting them in a concrete base. …
Yellow Boxfish (Ostracion cubicus) Sighted off of Maui, Hawai‘i
With only TWO sightings of a Yellow Boxfish (Ostracion cubicus) ever previously recorded in Hawai‘i, last week’s sighting off of Makena, Maui makes it one of the rarest fish a diver could see here. Experienced Maui dive guide Dave Fuller was diving on a WWII amphibious tank in 60 feet of water on Dec. 7, 2019 when something he’d never …
Red-footed Boobies at Molokini Islet – First Verified Sighting
The beautiful coral-red feet and legs were tricky to see from the boat, but through the camera lens we could make them out. Our captain, Andy Schwanke, had spotted a group of large white birds perched on a shrub on the inner slope of Molokini about a hundred feet above sea level. They were Red-footed boobies (Sula sula) and they …
Ahupua‘a signs now installed in South Maui
Have you seen the beautiful new ahupua‘a signs appearing along South Maui roadways (South Kihei Road, Pi‘ilani Hwy and Mokulele Hwy) during the last six months? These are not the plain state or county signs telling drivers to do this/don’t do that, but handsome signs in rich colors with Hawaiian words and pictures of plants and animals from the land …