Whale Watching in Maui

For Jon and my 4th wedding anniversary (and 3rd anniversary living on Maui), we cashed in a gift certificate for a this 6 hour Captain Steve's Dolphin and Whale Watch Lanai Snorkel Cruise. We had been waiting for a special occasion to use this certificate and wanted to use it during whale season in hopes to see some whales!

A morning wake-up call of 5:30am was no fun, we even questioned if it was worth it... um yes it was. At 6:30am, the 3-person crew took about 10 of us out on a large zodiac-style motor boat. The beauty of these smaller boats, rather than a large catamaran or yacht, is that they can maneuver into hard to reach places, and they can get closer to the whales! In Hawaii, it is illegal to approach a whale closer than 100 yards. If a whale just so happens to pop up next to a motorized boat, they must kill the engine or put it in neutral until the whale is safely 100 yards away. Whales are more likely to be comfortable around a smaller boat than a big catamaran, something I soon found out.

Another thing about a small boat though... is it's a lot harder for us motion-sick prone people (Jon and I). It’s all fun and games until the captain stops the boat and we sit and 

ROCK 

back~and~forth

back~and~forth

I had been on a few whale watches before, but usually on a larger catamaran where the passengers can’t feel the motion as much, and the tours were only a few hours, not 6. 

yes we got sick....

BUT it was worth it! Once the boat would start moving again we'd feel better :D Then worst when we stop.... then better! Oh my gosh, what annoying customers we were, I'm sure. We tried to keep quiet and sit in very uncomfortable sea-sick silence, but I'm sure we were the reason the boat didn't go to certain areas. 

Whale season is during our winter and early spring, beginning in November or December.The whales are in the process of migrating through the Hawaiian Islands during this time. They just came from feeding in the North and pass through Hawaii to breed, birth, nurse, and raise their young. It is not uncommon to see whale tails and fins splashing about off the coast of the beach. These active splashes are usually babies playing around, with their mom not more than a body's length behind. You'll still see whale breaches and splashes of mom, but mostly of her potential suitors showing off. Most common are the whale spouts. That's when you know to keep watching, they might put on a show for you, or dive down and disappear into their underwater life. 

We saw plenty of whale spouts, fins, small breaches, and a few whale tails. But the most amazing part of our trip included a mama and calf that swam up TO us, maybe 20 feet away. The tour guides believed the mama wanted to allow the calf a teaching moment about boats (us). The mama whale was huge- imagine a 45 foot whale weighing 40 tons compared to our boat which was half the size! The calf cruised along looking at us, and the mama even seemed to push the calf to swim closer towards us.

"-See honey, now this is a boat

-They seem small but are dangerous

-Never swim in front of them

-They are loud and annoying, but they won't hurt you if you're careful

-Come on, get a closer look"

“this is funnnn!”

~~That’s how I imagined their conversation going under the surface~~

We stuck our waterproof camera underwater: check out this jaw dropping footage!

The ride over to the neighbor island Lanai included most of the whale watching. Then we hung out at a few stops to snorkel along the cliffs, where you can’t get to unless you have a boat. My favorite snorkel spot was Manele Bay alongside the harbor. It is a marine sanctuary so fishing is prohibited and ocean safety and protection is well regulated to harbor a larger fish population and allow the reef to be more abundant and organically grow (although I’m sure the amount of boats at this spot doesn't help the reef).

Sea sickness is hard on a long tour. We felt so stuck. If the boat would anchor for a snorkel spot, we’d feel queasy on the boat because of the rocking, so we’d get in the water. But the water is moving plenty just like the boat, and the sickness feeling would come back! So we’d get back on the boat and feel that rocking again. All we wanted was land, or to continue to keep moving forever. Neither happened for 6 hours. 

But the beauty of the serene and majestic sea was so heart-warming. While cruising on the high powered motor boat across the sea, the ocean appears so untouched, unbothered. Its glassy and continuous, until a break in the surface from a whale fin or tail J We would love to be ocean people. To buy a boat and sail around the world, but our bodies cannot handle… Maybe it’s all God’s plan because if we didn’t get so sea sick, then we would sail off into the sunset-- into the extremely dangerous sea. God’s just trying to keep us alive.

The view on the way back to our island from Lanai

The very helpful, informative, professionally FUN crew at Captain Steve's Snorkel Adventure

Overall, this year's wedding anniversary was pretty unforgettable, for various reasons! Afterwards we jumped off the boat, kissed the ground, tried to recover from our sea legs, and walked off the queasy feeling before getting right back into another moving vehicle to drive home. We got some food and had a nice dinner at home-- Jon cooked of course, the dinner wouldn't have been so nice if I did :)

Oh the perks  of living in paradise... During whale season you can get free or discounted hook ups for whale watching trips, or other fun excursions on Maui. But whale watching isn't only viewed off of a $150 whale watch boat, you can see them right from the shoreline. We live on the 6th floor ocean view of our condominium and see whale splashes and breaches all day long, or while we walk along the boardwalk, or while sitting on the beach. We love whale season! Reminds us that these is more going on in life than our own little lives.

Maui No Ka Oi

Friends are our Island Family

I realize that it is already February, but I have left you in the dark about how holidays go around here...

Well first, a holiday Christmas party goes a little differently. Instead of the ugly Christmas sweater parties and bundled up white elephant games, we go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather God made possible for us on our warm island. When I first moved here, and still, these Christmas festivities still don't quite feel like Christmas, because I connect holiday spirit with time of cold, rain, fog, iciness, and my immediate family, none of which I see here on Maui. But I try as I may to accept that it is already the end of the year and truly Christmas time.


Pineapple Grill's Christmas party was on the beach. With potluck style local grinds (food), swim suits, football throwing, bonfires, snorkeling, kayak racing, random hikes, and beehive viewing. I apologize for the lack of photos from this day, all I have is a picture of a 3 foot beehive we spotted on a 20 foot high limb off of a tree.

Hula Grill took the staff up to the Kapalua ziplines for unlimited ziplining, free yummy food prepared by our chefs, a small amount of alcohol, a sound system playing local beats, a dance competition, random other games, and a good time with the staff. The after party continued at Flemmings Beach with lots of rainbows, dancing, and playing around.

Pre-party

Van ride up to the zipline

It was as if we were zipping straight into the ocean! 

Action Shot. Tandem line

Too much fun

The highest, tallest, and steepest we were allowed to go on

"Look how pretty :)"

Messing around

Ride back

After party

And see! I wasn't lying about the rainbows

Leading the dance party in some Zumba shaking

I co-hosted a Christmas themed Zumba party. I made some Christmas routines to Santa Baby, Little Saint Nick, and Mele Kalikimaka, handed out Candy Canes with Fitness motivational quotes, and wore Christmas gear. There was a great turnout and lots of sweaty fun!

My festive outfit

To get in the spirit, Jon bought me "Ninja Bread" cookies cutters and a Gingerbread house making kit to start our own little Christmas morning tradition after exchanging small gifts. Also, my best friend Toni and her boyfriend Bradley, and Jon and I went out to continue a little tradition we partook in last year called "elfing." We "elf'd" up people's houses by bringing Christmas to their doorstep-- sparkling garlands, tinsel, ribbons, bows, make-shift fake snow,popcorn strings, and a bag of "reindeer poop" created by sticking some snickers bars together :) The night was madness of course, with memories that will last forever.

The materials

Jon made a nice dinner first

The elves hard at work to prepare

Snickers did the trick

We got caught at the first house we went to... but got invited in for a drink... um yes please!

On actual Christmas Day, most of us are far from our family and traditional get-togethers so most are somber and a little bummed. Us orphans try to get together to have some fun and be a family for each other. This year we hung out and played volleyball at the beach and ended up cooking and having a potluck at my best friend Toni's poolside, we ended up with about 30 people, thinking we were only going to have like 6 people haha.

I took a very quick side trip to meet my parents and brothers and sisters in Disneyland, where they were celebrating Christmas together this year. Here are a few shots from that :)

I Surprised my brother Josh and sister in law Christie and their two girl Sienna and Chloe

The girls getting a princess makeover at the Bippity Boppity Boutique

And a montage of our rides via ride photos:

New Years Eve doesn't involve fireworks, or major flashy parties, just small events put on by different restaurants or house parties. Jon had to work so I spent my night with my really good friends Toni, Bradley, Kristin, Ola, and a little time with Cathy and Bill. Nah, I wasn't the 7th wheel, I was more Toni's date on the dance floor than her boyfriend so it all worked out haha!  There was an awesome live band. Letting loose and enjoying yourself, no matter how the people around you are looking at you funny because of your seemingly outrageously stupid dance moves, was the theme of the night. Toni and I tried to out do each other with stupid dance styles the whole night, she always won. And we got to dance with the oldest cutest couple. I enjoyed a dance with an 80 year old man light on his toes bouncing around with me and Toni swayed a sweet step touch dance with the 80 year old wife next we us. Precious moments.

Cathy's birthday. I thought Toni was also kissing Bill on the cheek, but I was wrong and no one told me hahah

As I've said before, friends are our family during the holidays

Maui No Ka Oi