Let's see...turtles, dolphins, whales oh my...

So, we gather from the lack of comments that everyone already hates us, but this post probably won't help things out too much. So it's March 5th now, and we've been here for 4 days, and lots has happened so far! I'll detail it as best I can.

After our room mixup on checking in, we went out to Lahaina the next day and checked out front street and had breakfast at a great little bakery (where we made the first post, since there was internet there). After that we went to get some groceries and checked out some shopping places. Immediately after putting our groceries in the car we found that the car would not start! I had to phone Alamo (more like...suck-a-mo) and they charged me $50 to send someone out to jump the car, who took an hour to get there. Good times on our first day in Maui!

After getting back to the condo, we went and checked out the beach, and got Michelle in the water for some Maui snorkelling. She wasn't too keen on the abundant sea life and rocky reef at first, but once the green sea turtle ("hano") came out to play, she warmed up to it. He was pretty cool.... some nasty tourists eventually chased him away by grabbing onto him (we found out later that that's illegal in Hawaii...)

Later that day I tried starting the car again and it wouldn't, so I phoned Alamo (Suckamo) back and had them tow me a new car, and refund my fifty bones. Our new car came complete with 4-doors, no sunroof, and someone's nasty apple rolling around under the seat. What a bunch of noobs.

Next day: we went to Maui Ocean center, which was in Maalea. Very cool (but touristy) but it got us all up on our fish knowledge. There was a hammerhead shark tank and you can go diving in it if you want. Meanwhile, our rooms were switched and we arrived back and could get into the owner's locker and get another set of snorkel gear, which prompted more snorkelling. No turtle this time, but some puffer fish and trumpet fish.

Sunday: Michelle did her first three open water dives! We spent all morning shore diving and getting her skills done... listening to whales sing the entire time!! They were less than a mile out in the channel, and it was unbelievable. I don't know anyone else who's ever certified with that kind of music playing. That night, we watched countless whales breach and spout in front of the bay.

... so...is it still snowing there?

HAH HA HA. Ah ha..*koff*. Ok, so today, we got up at 5:00AM to go out on the boat with Extended Horizons, a trusted diving operation here in Lahaina. They took us on two dives off the island of Lana'i, the first one of the day turned Michelle into a certified open water diver! Oh and we saw an octopus, that squirted ink at us after changing colors twice to throw us off. Oh, and a moray eel. Oh, also, we were escorted out to the dive site by bottlenose dolphins playing in the bow wake of the boat, and whales jumping a couple hundred yards off. DOLPHINS. SRSLY. Oh P.S., for some reason Michelle loves diving now. Too bad we can never take her diving again, since it'll be like chasing the dragon.

The second dive today was at a famous site called the Cathedrals, specifically we were at the Second Cathedral. Beautiful.. 100 foot visibility, arches, fishes, black corals (rare), etc. etc. Then the dolphins and whales escorted us home again.

Next up on our list: the Road to Hana. Which involves borrowing a random dog for the trip with the purchase of a picnic lunch. I think we'll name him "Baron von Woofstaus."

Soooo, here's some pictures! Leave some comments! We miss you all and wish you could be here!


Puffer while snorkelling


Cauliflower coral


Michelle on her fourth open water dive!


Michelle in the Cathedral on her fifth open water dive.


Morgan: "It was THIS big!" - The barracuda we saw the dive before was actually twice that big!

We're fixing some of the other photos and will upload more when we can!