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Molokini
is traditionally one of the finest snorkeling and diving areas in Maui
county. Most of the boat tour operators go to Molokini.
The trip is a 20 minute boat ride from Ma'alaea
Harbor and a 40 minute boat ride from Lahaina Harbor. During the humpback
whale season the ride is almost as fun as the diving.
The depth at Molokini ranges from a few feet to
about 60 feet in the north, outside edge of the crater. The depth outside
the crater ranges from about 200 to 300 feet.
Molokini is a reserve. There is no fishing (and
no walking on the island, it is a bird sanctuary), so the schools of fish
are large and plentiful. It is not uncommon to see reef sharks, trumpet
fish, tangs, surgeon fish, parrot fish, moorish idols, angelfish, and
several different moray eels.
During the whale season, humpback whales have
been known to move around and through the crater. There is even an
occasional siting of whale sharks, manta rays, and a rare fish called a
flying gunnard.
The Diving
Backside Molokini is excellent. Diving
Molokini Crater is generally good, but crowded. There can be over 400
snorkelers above you, with 20 or more boats, all crammed into a crater
barely 400 feet across. You may also find yourself diving with several
dive groups in the same general area at the same time. This can sometimes
be confusing. It is not uncommon for a snorkeler or diver to accidently
get mixed up with the wrong group and end up on the wrong boat!
The
best diving around Molokini is the "Backside
Molokini Dive". This dive is a drift dive and is for divers with
an Advanced Diver rating. It is an easy dive, sometimes fast due to the
current. The real excitement comes if a large manta or shark swims over to
look at your group.
A typical dive excursion
When
people come to Maui, many take a trip to Molokini. The Island is a Marine
Preserve under water and a seabird sanctuary above the water. Being a
preserve, Molokini has a plethora of fish, eels, turtles, and even
humpback whales. A trip to Maui just isn't complete without a trip to this
little Island.
Where To Start To
begin, you must book a tour or charter to Molokini. The Island is too far
to swim or paddle to (for most folks), too small and rocky to land a
helicopter on (it is illegal to walk on the Island unless you are stranded
there), but is only a 15 minute boat ride from the Kihei boat ramp or
about 30 minutes from Ma'alaea Harbor. There are many tour operators that
will happily charter their boat to you. You can charter inflateables,
sailboats, or powered boats out of Ma'alaea Harbor. Some operations with
small to medium sized boats can launch from the Kihei boat ramp, many of
the scuba diving tours launch from Kihei. There is also now a restriction
on the number of operators that can utilize Molokini, this is a
conservation measure due to the increased activity at Molokini over the
past 10 years.
What Can We Do Once We Get There Now
that you're here, what is there to do? Molokini's bay is generally very
calm, swimming and snorkeling can be enjoyed, or if you're a little more
adventurous, try a little scuba diving. Be careful though, Molokini is so
popular that at times there are more than 30 boats in the bay. Be aware of
what's going on around you as you splash around the bay.
If you aren't a swimmer, then you might like to
just lay on deck and soak in some sun and listen to the water. The views
of the surrounding Islands are incredible, and there's always a chance to
see whales (when in season).
Many of the tours offer more than just a jaunt to
Molokini. There are packages available that take you to a variety of
other, lesser known, but just as wonderous, dive and snorkel locations.
Snorkeling Molokini
is undoubtedly one of the finest snorkeling areas in Maui county. Most of
the snorkel tour operators go to Molokini. The
depth at Molokini ranges from a few feet to about 60 feet in the middle of
the crater. Many of the above mentioned sights can also be seen snorkeling.
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