Nichols Family Maui Vacation!

Nichols Family Maui Vacation

Day 3 (Thursday)

Sarah's Birthday! (Aug 1) She became a teenager today! We started off with a birthday celebration for Sarah in our room having muffins with candles. It was special. We took a drive to the travel agency in Lahaina to pick up our plane tickets for our upcoming Oahu trip. Then back to the resort for a mid-morning departure on a sailing and snorkeling cruise aboard a 55-foot catamaran. Breakfast of coffee cakes, breads, fresh fruit (the best!), and delicious guava juice were served as we motored upwind around the west end of the island to the northwestern corner and moored to some anchored cables in Honolua Bay. Very scenic to see the island and it's neighbors from a different perspective out on the water. And of course, like usual, it's another beautiful day of sunshine.

The bay is calm, and there are a couple of other catamarans and some boats anchored nearby. After a short verbal lesson on snorkeling, we join the rest of those who have been filing down the ladder and into the water. We're in about 25' of water and there are many coral heads below with lots of fish. One species comes right up to us, looking for food, we later find out. We saw many different varieties, and I got to see an eel for a few moments before it swam into a crevice. Also saw a group of divers way down at the bottom on the other side of the catamaran meandering along and taking in the sights. They looked really far down, but I estimate it was about 40' there, and it demonstrated to me how clear this water is. The girls had already returned, but when I did, people were feeding those friendly fish and I had to swim through a school of a couple hundred to reach the catamaran's ladder. Cool!

After a lunch of cold cuts and mai-tai's, we departed the bay under sail for our return trip. The first tack was an exciting cross-wind run with lots of speed and crashing waves and spray over the twin bows. Quite exhilarating Especially for the kids riding out front in the nets. We came about once and sailed downwind for a relaxing sail back to the resort. Gently rocking, warm sun and breeze in your hair; perfect for a nap. It doesn't get much better than this! Again, the islands were beautiful, but now, the water was an absolutely incredible deep and bright blue. I can't ever remember seeing water color like this, and I hope these pictures convey just how spectacular it looked. Upon our arrival, the captain pulled the "cat" in close, and the girls swam and rode the waves in to shore with some of the others. We rode the launch in with our gear.

Back to our room to clean up and change, and then off to the lua near the beach at our resort. This was nice. Delicious food including various fish dishes, salads, beef, and the traditional pig cooked in the underground oven. I understand there was some poi as well, but we "missed" that. The food was served buffet-style, but each table had a waiter or waitress who kept the mai-tai's or beverage of your choice coming. After dinner, the girls joined many others on stage for a hula dancing lesson, followed by the show with culture and costumes from around Polynesia. Lots of great music and dancing capped by an awesome fire twirling act that leaves you, well......in awe.

Early to bed again, but this time it's because we're getting up early tomorrow to spend the day in Honolulu.

Go on to Day 4

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