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| Kay and I waiting to board Trilogy II |
Kay and I were up bright and early to catch the Trilogy II Discover Molokini Snorkeling Tour which was leaving Maalaea Harbor at 8:00 AM. Clear blue skies and calm waters were a welcoming sight as we pulled into the harbor at Buzz's Wharf and parked as close as we could to slip 62.
While we waited to board we met Eve, a woman from Tracy, California, who told us that it was not only her first trip to Maui, but that it also would be her first time snorkeling.
Captain Chris checked us in and we knew right away by his friendly and fun repartee, that this was to be an adventure to remember. Crew members Cynthia, Frank, Rebecca and second Captain Brett greeted us warmly as we boarded Trilogy II, a 55' sloop rigged Sailing Catamaran, custom built in 2010, especially for Molokini Tours.
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| A warm welcome from Marine Biologist Cynthia Matzke |
After the captain had given us a short safety briefing, interrupted by friendly bantering between him and Brett, we left the harbor and our
Molokini Snorkel Tour had begun.
The seating on the catamaran, was very thoughtfully designed so that everyone could face the water and experience the day's events in comfort. No sooner had Kay, Eve and I settled on a bench, when Brett offered us yummy warm home made cinnamon buns, followed closely behind by Rebecca, who offered us a wonderful assortment of tropical fruit. We were intermittently distracted from eating by many excited calls that whales had been sighted close by.
Captain Chris would stop the ship, the required 100 yards away, and we were treated with displays of breaching, fin slapping and awesome flukes disappearing below the surface of the water. Dec to April is the season for whale watching in Maui, because the humpbacks have made the 1500 mile journey down from Alaska to mate and have their babies.
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| Captain Chris at the helm |
As we were to discover, Marine biologist Cynthia Matzke was unbelievably knowledgeable about every aspect of marine life native to the Hawaiian islands, and began by telling us fascinating information about the humpback whales. For example did you know that the design on the underside of a whale's flute is unique to each individual, kind of like our finger prints? This feature allows marine biologists to track them on their long journey back and forth to Alaska as well as helping them do an accurate count of the whale population, among other things. An astounding 8000 to 10,000 whales visit waters surrounding the Hawaiian islands each year. Another interesting fact we learned about the humpbacks is that they literally starve for the 5 or so months they are in Maui waters because there is no food for them here. Miraculously, the krill and small fish from their Alaska feeding grounds, converts into enough blubber, which allows them to survive the return trip, as well as mating and giving birth in the warm tropical waters of Hawaii.
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| A whale breaching |
On one occasion the captain stopped the ship for another reason, which was to pick up garbage that was floating on the surface of the ocean. We found out that Trilogy is dedicated to cleaning up Maui's reefs and oceans and play a leading role in the Blue'aina Reef Clean up Campaign.
On board was a microphone system that was playing back the whales' songs from the ocean around us. Cynthia told us researchers have discovered that each song goes on for about 20 minutes, and the male singer is always close by to a mother and calf. The amazing thing is that whales do not have vocal chords so it is still a mystery as to just how they produce their plaintiff melodies.
On the way out to Molokini, Frank invited anyone who wanted to try "snuba" to go to the aft of the ship for a lesson. The crew made sure that everyone had snorkels, masks, fins and wet suits and before long we were approaching Molokini, our first snorkel site.
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| Rebecca handing out wet suits |
After Captain Chris had stopped the ship and lines had been secured, he gave a snorkel lesson to people who either had never snorkeled before, or needed a refresher course. I was impressed that snorkel equipment and wet suit jackets were supplied to everyone on board, and the staff were right there helping you if needed. By this time everyone felt special because the crew already knew each of us by name. I loved it that only 34 to 40 people could go on this tour because it was so much more personal than other larger vessels I have been on in the past. Captain Chris told me that he has been with Trilogy since he was 16 years old, some 34 years ago, and that the first of the fleet, named Trilogy was built by two brothers from Alaska and christened in 1971. Are we ever glad that they settled in Maui. You can read more about this interesting history on the
Trilogy website . They now boast the largest fleet of catamarans in the Hawaiian Islands.
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| Captain Chris demonstrates how to put on your mask |
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| Kay and Eve set to snorkel |
The snorkeling at Molokini was excellent. To quote Eve: "I loved the contained crystal clear waters, pretty coral and the abundant variety of fish. I also appreciated the extra attention the staff gave me both in the water and out, as a first time snorkeler." As we swam over the reef we saw people doing snuba, and both agreed that next time we would give it a try. Snuba is a shallow water diving system which doesn't require certification, as does scuba. In snuba you breathe through a simple to use regulator while your air supply floats on a raft at the surface of the water.
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| Snuba |
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| Cynthia gives us a talk about the marine life we were seeing |
Kay and I both felt a little chilly after the snorkel, and no sooner had we sat down when Rebecca came by and offered us hot chocolate, the perfect remedy for our shivers.
We were soon underway again to the second snorkeling site which was at Turtle Town just off from Makena Beach on Maui's south side.
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| Turtle Town - Our second snorkeling site |
Here Kay and I snorkeled with a large turtle until it was time to go back to the ship. Honu, the hawaiian name for turtle means luck and we both were feeling very fortunate that we had chosen Trilogy II for our snorkeling adventure.
While we were swimming with the turtles, Captain Chris had been busy preparing BBQ'd teriyaki chicken for our lunch. It was served with rice, salad and a bun, along with a varity of choices of soft drinks, and juice, followed by delicious icecream and topping.
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| Captain Chris preparing lunch |
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| Service with a smile from Captain Brett |
On the way back to Maalaea harbor, the captain stopped the boat so that they could hoist the sails.
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| Hoisting the sails |
Winds were perfect for the peaceful sail home and we were treated to the sight of some large sea turtles off the bow of the ship. What a lucky day this had been! Captain Chris even let me have a go at steering.
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| Me at the wheel |
We also saw more whales and babies breaching off the Maui coast as we approached the harbor.
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| Back in Maalaea Harbor |
It was a perfect Maui experience and we recommend the Trilogy II, Discover Molokini Tour for the following reasons.
1. The staff was fun, friendly and extremely knowledgeable.
2. Because numbers are limited we received personal attention both in the water and out.
3. A delicious breakfast and lunch was served to us by the staff.
4. The catamaran was comfortable and the seating gave everyone a great view of the ocean.
5. The snorkeling was amazing, and the two sites offered a variety of marine life.
6. A portion of your ticket goes to non profit programs such as the
Blue Aina Reef Cleanup Program.
7. It was a whale watch, sailing and snorkeling trip rolled into one.
Many Mahalos to the captain and crew of Trilogy II for giving us an unforttable Maui memory!!!!! Visit the website of Trilogy for more information on
Maui Snorkeling Tours
We found out that Trilogy has a fleet of 8 catamarans offering many different tours that leave from both Maalaea Harbor, and the beach at Kaanapali.
