8-19-16---Snorkel time!!!! Off to the Dumps!

I did wake up at 4 am!  But unlike at home where it would have been 10 am, I went back to sleep.  But was up for good by about 6.  Probably could have gone back to sleep, but was anxious to get our Maui vacation started!  Was even able to get a couple sunrise pictures from our condo (looking West).  We even have a tiny view of the ocean.  Plus it was a full moon. 

 Too bad it's showing in the morning instead of at sunset!

By 8 Ken was up and ready to go, too.  So off we went.  Had to stop at Snorkel Bob's along the way to get more snorkel defogger drops since we forgot to bring them.  It's a great $3 investment!  It really does work and Snorkel Bob's refills the bottle for free.  Then we were back on the road heading South.

 Part of the Ahihi Reserve, The Dumps is a great snorkel place!  There is a bit of a walk over the lava, but it's a well marked path.

 There's not really a beach here.  The trail gets rougher when you get closer to the water.  I even bought special rubber bottomed fin liners to help make it a little easier for me to walk into the water.  But the pain is worth it!

 Doesn't look that rocky, but my feet think it is. 

 A founder just feet from the shoreline

lots of rocks covered with corals.

 a large Jack

 one of the 2 turtles I saw.

Sailfin Tang

female Redlip Parrotfish

 Lots of schools of fish--like these Yellow Tangs,

 and these Soldierfish.

 there are lots of very large Peacock Groupers.

 Ornate Butterflyfish

 a Cushion Star

the only Moorish Idol I saw there.

 school of yellow stripe goatfish

Achilles tang

whitecheek surgeonfish

large Emperor

 Emperor swimming away

male Bullethead Parrotfish

 another school of Yellowfin Goatfish

We snorkeled about 2 hours.  By now the wind was picking up and we were getting hungry.  So we headed straight to 808 Deli.  I don't think there's anything on their menu that I wouldn't want to try! 

We took our lunch and went across the street to one of the Kamaole Parks and had a picnic with a view.

 Today I got the Kula Strawberry salad.  It was very good!

Even had entertainment while we ate.  

I walked around a bit and took some more pictures.  I don't remember seeing pink spider lilies before.

A reminder of Florida ---- a Cattle Egret!

 Just some more interesting foliage.

 Looks like a place we should try snorkeling one of these days!

We tried to go to our pool, but it was closed.  Apparently some kid got sick and they thought they should clean it.  No pool today!  Did sit in the hottub for a bit, but it was hot.  Speaking of hot----I'm really surprised how much cooler 89 degrees here feels then it does in Georgia!!!!  We spent a couple hours back in the condo---Ken napping and me working on my blog.Then we took off to dinner.  We discovered Beach Bums in the Maalaea Marina last time we were here and loved it.  So we decided to head there.  We were surprised to see there are now parking meters along the marina.  So we parked in the free parking for the shops and walked down to the restaurant.  But first I took a couple pictures from the 2nd lever stairway above the entrance to the restaurant.  Here a tour boat is returning and Haleakala is in the distance.

 another view of the marina

 On to dinner.  We shared a rack of baby back ribs, pineapple slaw, cornbread and fries.  It was still great and we will be back.

 Loved their "employees parking lot"!

 After dinner I took a walk along the marina.

 There's even a Coast Guard station there.

 There where a ton of people fishing along the docks.  I just happened by when this little guy caught a fish (a racoon butterflyfish!)  He was so excited that I asked if I could take his picture and his parents said yes.

 Continuing on my walk.

Then i had the bright idea that we should head West to see if we could quickly drive to a place where we could see the sun set over the ocean instead of Lanai.  

 It was stop and go through the tunnel, then we turned around as soon as we had a chance.  Saw several ambulances go that direction, so I assume something happened to slow traffic.  But I do love the views as we rode through the high pass.

 We stopped at the high overlook in the pass.  There we waited for sunset.

 Sun going into the clouds.

 It was another pretty nice sunset. 

By now quite a crowd turned up.  So I used them as my "trees".

 Looking back towards the marina.

The sunset cruises coming back in.   Note the pink in the sky---clouds, well, yes, but of smoke!

We saw the smoke from this fire when we were at the marina.  But it wasn't until after sunset that we could see the flames.  Hope it burns itself out soon.  The news mentioned the fire but didn't know how it started.  They did say roads were shut down.

We even stopped at McDonalds on the way to the condo for dessert---they make a pretty good sundae!  Great way to end a great day!