Makena Landing, Sunday 07/25/2010 Only 3 of us bowlegged women showed up. The honu were everywhere and the little Morish Idols were just idoling along. I saw the biggest barracuda ever. amazing.

Kapalua Bay

Kapalua Bay on Maui’s north shore is a prime snorkeling spot during the summer months when the south shores are experiencing frequent ocean swells and increased wave action. In the winter the reverse is generally true though good snorkeling conditions can occur at Kapalua Bay even then. The bay is protected by rocky outcrops on both sides which help break the ocean waves and provide a good environment for reef fish to congregate. The beach is a sandy crescent with lots of room for sunbathing. It is bordered by a grassy area with palm trees that provide a modest amount of shade. Behind the beach are the Ritz Carlton Club and Residences, adding to the general beauty of the bay area.

Snorkeling
Entry into the water can be made from any point on the beach, but is best at either end of the crescent. There is a rock shelf running along the center of the beach just into the water making getting in or out of the water slippery and generally difficult. The best snorkeling is along the rocks on both sides of the bay. The bay provides a relatively safe environment for beginners to enjoy the water and the beautiful tropical fish while improving their skills. You will see a variety of reef fish in the bay and may even see a squid family hovering near the surface. During my last swim in the bay, I saw a small barracuda and an orange and black juvenile wrasse that resembles a clown fish.

Facilities
There are outdoor showers at the south end of the beach and a hose at the north end. Also at the north end is an ocean activities vendor with beach rentals including snorkeling equipment. Restrooms and outdoor showers are located at the parking lot entrance to the beach. Since this is Kapalua, there is also an upscale restaurant located at the beach’s south end on the point overlooking the sea. Bring plenty of money if you go there after your swim.

Life Guards
There are no life guards at this beach. Remember to swim with a buddy.
Skill Level:Beginner to Advanced

Parking
There is a medium capacity parking lot located behind the south end of the beach. Parking is first come, first serve and fills up fast. Come early to get a spot. If the lot is full, you can park along the roadside on Lower Honoapiilani Rd., just outside the entrance to the parking lot.

Location and Driving Directions
Kapalua Bay is located on the north shore of the west Maui promontory. It is across from the Kapalua Golf Course, off the Lower Honoapiilani Hwy. To reach the beach, enter the parking lot and locate the restrooms. To the right and a little in front of the restroom building, there are stairs down to a walkway. Take the stairs to the walkway and continue through the pedestrian tunnel to the beach.

Driving Directions from Kapalua, HI to Kapalua Bay, about 1 mi – about 5 minutes
Drive southeast on the Lower Honoapiilani Hwy to Kapalua Bay, a mile or less depending on your starting point. Landmarks are the Kapalua sign on at the south entrance and the Napili Kai Resort.

Driving Directions from Lahaina Wharf in Lahaina, HI to Kapalua Bay
9.8 miles – about 20 minutes
Head northwest on Front Street for 243 feet; turn right at Dickenson Street for .3 miles. Take the 3rd left onto Honoapiilani Hwy/ State Hwy 30 and proceed for 8.3 miles. Turn left onto Napilihau St. for .3 miles. Turn right at Lower Honoapiilani Rd for .9 miles. Turn left into Kapalua Bay public parking lot immediately after the Napilii Kai Resort.

Driving Directions from Azeka Shopping Center in Kihei, HI to Kapalua Bay
31 miles – about 53 minutes
Head north on South Kihei Road for 2.5 miles. Turn left at the traffic light onto N. Kihei Road and proceed for 3.4 miles. Turn left onto Honoapiilani Hwy/ State Hwy 30 and proceed for 23.8 miles. Turn left onto Napilihau St. for .3 miles. Turn right at Lower Honoapiilani Rd for .9 miles. Turn left into Kapalua Bay public parking lot immediately after the Napilii Kai Resort.

Interesting Stuff
The Kapalua Coastal Trail access starts at the entrance to the Kapalua Bay. “The Kapalua Coastal Trail stretches 3.5 miles along the West Maui coastline. It links existing public shoreline access points and facilities into a continuous, linear trail, thereby greatly increasing lateral public shoreline access. Connected coastal recreational areas include: Kapalua Bay, Oneloa Bay, D.T. Fleming Beach Park, Mokule‘ia Bay, and Honolua Bay. Two spur trails allow trail users to detour off the main route to experience unique places, such as Hawea Point and Namalu Bay, and an arboretum of Hawaiian plants…
Rewards for Kapalua Coastal Trail users include dramatic vistas of the shoreline and neighboring
islands, and exposure to important aspects of Hawaiian culture, geology, and plant and animal
life.” 2007 APA Awards Program Hawaii Chapter, award announcement

Yesterday, I had a glorious swim at "Canoe Beach". The bowlegged women were not in full force and the primary focus was the canoe regatta. Suzanne and Lea were both competing with their respective crews and divisions. Paula, Lea and myself met at the beach around 10:30. The canoe races had been underway for a couple of hours and the first announcement that greeted us was that there were a school of ten dolphins swimming with the competing canoes in the race lane. They could easily have won the gold medal had they not been distracted with their juvenile antics of leaping out of the water and "spinning"! Guess that is what spinner dolphins DO. We entered the water and swam to the left. The water was crystal clear and there were big boulders on the bottom to provide glorious nooks and crannies for a myriad of reef fish. The colors were awesome as the sunlight shone through the clear water------purples, blues, greens, yellows, reds, oranges. A big turtle swam up to check us out early on and glided along for a few yards with us before he swam on his merry way. It was a great swim followed by a fun day at the beach watching the races and "talking story" with friends! This is our LIFE and I appreciate every moment and realize what a blessing it is. Thanks bowlegged women! Lynn

The Women at MM 14

Hanaka'o'o (Canoe) Beach Lahaina

Today the "Women" snorkeled Hanaka'o'o Beach aka: Canoe Beach in Lahaina. Lea and Suzy paddled in a regatta hosted by the Lahaina Canoe Club and the rest of us came along for a swim and a picnic and to celebrate Lynn's birthday. Happy Birthday Lynnie!!!!

Lahaina’s Hanaka’o’o Beach is a beautiful sandy, crescent beach extending for several hundred feet to the west of the entrance. There is a grassy beach park rimming the beach with picnic tables and outdoor grills.

Snorkeling
A small sandy beach to the south of the entrance is the snorkeling entry point. This can be a hard entry into the water depending on the wave action (I know from personal experience). Be careful of submerged rocks a few feet into the water. Once you’ve cleared the beach, turn left and the snorkeling is fine. Snorkeling is best and safest along the rocks that line the shoreline to the south of the beach entry. You will find turtles of all sizes swimming along this shore. Today two medium-sized turtles found us as we were swimming back to shore. They checked us out and went on their way. Common fish in this area include Moorish Idols and Coronet Fish and wrasses of all kinds. Suzie saw her favorite fish today, the juvenile of a common wrasse, blue, yellow and fuschia with irridescent spots, beautiful.

Facilities
A restroom sits at the end of the beach nearest the highway, including an outdoor shower.

Life Guards
Yes. This beach is guarded by Maui County Life Guards from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily.

Skill Level:Intermediate to Advanced Swimmer

Parking
The beach has ample parking in the lot behind the restrooms, along the access road and at the cemetery across the access road. If these are full, go south on the highway about two blocks and turn right into the parking lot for the north end of the Wahikuli Beach Park. Park your car, then walk along the water’s edge back to the beach.

Location and Driving Directions
The Hanaka’o’o Beach Park is located off the Honoapiilani Highway, just south of Kaanapali Parkway. You can most easily find it by looking for a cemetery on the makai (ocean) side of the highway. There is a left turn lane on the highway to help you enter the beach drive.

Driving Directions from Kapalua, HI to Hanaka’o’o Beach, Lahaina, HI 7.5 miles – about 15 minutes
Take Honoapiilani Hwy/ State Hwy 30 southwest for 6.4 miles (past Kaanapali Parkway) and turn right into Hanaka’o’o Beach.

Driving Directions from Lahaina Wharf to Hanakao’o Beach, Lahaina, HI
3.4 miles – about 10 minutes
Head northwest on Front Street for 243 feet; turn right at Dickenson Street for .3 miles. Take the 3rd left onto Honoapiilani Hwy/ State Hwy 30 and proceed for 3 miles to Hanaka’o’o Beach.

Driving Directions from Azeka Shopping Center, Kihei, HI to Hanaka’o’o Beach, Lahaina, HI25 miles – about 45 minutes
Head north on South Kihei Road for 2.5 miles. Turn left at the traffic light onto N. Kihei Road and proceed for 3.4 miles. Turn left onto Honoapiilani Hwy/ State Hwy 30 and proceed for 18.7 miles to Hanaka’o’o Beach.

Interesting Stuff
The Lahaina Canoe Club is a member of the Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Club Association. The Association members are non-profit organizations dedicated to the preservation of the ancient Hawaiian tradition of outrigger canoe racing and passing the art of canoe paddling to the next generations. The Lahaina Canoe Club owns The Lehia, the last ocean-worthy outrigger racing canoe made from a single piece of koa wood. Three times a season, in June and July, the Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association holds its Saturday regatta at Canoe Beach. The canoe clubs race almost every Saturday during the summer season at various venues around the island. The events last all day and feature canoe races, food and lots of local color. To get a schedule of the races, visit http://mauipaddlers.homestead.com/mchca.html

Title Song

Here are the lyrics to the song "I Love to Go Swimmin' with Bowlegged Women". This song is really old. There are rag-time versions of it on the web and I'm trying to find an audio file to put on this blog. To get an idea of the tune, think of "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man" but less grating.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, IIIIIIIIII...Love to go swimmin' with bow legged women, I do, I do, I do...!
I love to go swimmin' with bow legged women, don't you, don't you, don't you...!

CHORUS: I love to go swimmin'...I do, I do...with bow legged women, don't you, don't you...I love to go swimming with bow legged women I do, I do I dooooo...!
****OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...IIIIIIIIIIIIIII...>>>>>

2. Love to go swimmin', with bow legged women and swim between their legs...! I love to go swimming with bow legged women and swim between their legs...!

CHORUS: I love to go swimmin'...I do, I do...with bow legged women, don't you, don't you...I love to go swimming with bow legged women I do, I do I dooooo...!

An Insider's Guide to Snorkeling on Maui

I’ve lived and snorkeled in Maui for 9 years. During this time, I’ve been fortunate to have friends whose lives revolve around the ocean as paddlers, swimmers and snorkelers. They own kayaks and one-man canoes. They’ve paddled out to whale watch and canoed the rough waters of the Molokai’i Channel. Their experience of the ocean is vast and they are generous with their information and advice. They are the Bowlegged Women with whom I’ve been swimmin’ and they’ve changed my life. They are Suzy, Paula, Lynn, Lea and Marian; I hope you'll add your two-cents worth to these posts.

This blog is dedicated to snorkeling in Maui waters and sharing what we know about the water and our snorkeling experiences. I hope it will inspire people to take part in the fun, help them increase their enjoyment and stay safe. Some of the beaches described in this book are off the beaten path and not often described in other sources. Some of them are unguarded beaches and you are on your own. Remember you’re playing in the powerful and awesome Pacific Ocean-always respect it. Never turn your back on the ocean and don’t assume that you are safe. Take safety precautions and prepare yourself adequately for the activity you are about to enjoy.

Safety Tips
Never snorkel alone; go with a buddy. Never turn your back on the ocean: there is such a thing as a freak wave. At Waimea Bay on the Oahu North Shore, five people were washed out to sea and drowned by a wave that swept them off the beach as they took a nighttime stroll.

Check ocean conditions before you go out. Your hotel may provide information on ocean tides and surf. The local TV stations’ weather reports include ocean, surf and wind conditions for the day. You can also get important information from The Weather Underground at www.wunderground.com by entering the appropriate zip code for the beach location.

Kihei / Wailea /Makena 96753
Lahaina / Kapalua /Kaanapali 96761

Best Time to Snorkel
Swim in the morning. The fish and other wildlife are more active then and weather conditions are usually better. In the afternoon, the wind tends to come up and makes snorkeling conditions less than optimum. The wind creates waves that stir up the sandy bottom, reducing visibility. The wind generated waves can also cause difficult swimming conditions.

If you get stuck off shore in a high wind, don’t panic, take your time and swim at a comfortable pace back to shore. You will make it. It will just take longer. Snorkel around some kind of structure-that’s where the fish congregate. Open stretches of sand won’t contain any reef fish and may contain faster, larger creatures, such as rays and reef sharks.

Equipment
Good snorkel equipment will make the difference between an enjoyable experience and an annoying one. Check your equipment before entering the water to swim. Your mask should be snug but not too tight. Make sure there are no pieces of hair or other debris in the mask seal. The snorkel should have a flexible mouth piece and fit comfortably in your mouth. Be sure the snorkel has a water drain. Position your snorkel at a ninety degree angle to the back of your head. Fins are a must for ocean swimming. Get fins that fit comfortably and don’t put a strain on your back.

Personal Comfort
Many Maui beaches are pristine and far from conveniences such as stores and restaurants. So, bring what you need to be comfortable. Pack a cooler with plenty of water and the food you’ll want during your outing. You can buy ready- made sandwiches and drinks at the ABC Stores all over the island or many other convenience stores and groceries.
Don’t forget the sunscreen and make it waterproof. Remember you are closer to the equator here than anywhere on the mainland US and the sun is stronger because you are closer to it. Be careful with your exposure, re-apply sunscreen after swimming and consider sitting in the shade for part of the day. That’s what the locals do and they’re experts!

Respect the Reef
The reefs of Hawaii are one of our most important assets and a treasure for all who visit them. We have a responsibility to care for them. Reefs are living creatures and should not be damaged by standing on them or breaking off pieces of them. They may look like rocks but they are really animals and can be killed by careless injury.

Wildlife
Snorkeling is a fun and relaxing activity. You will see many beautiful reef fish during your snorkel. You may also see the Hawaiian green turtle, a graceful swimmer and a joy to watch. The green turtle seems to like humans, too. They will tolerate your approach and stay while you are in the area. They may be a little too tolerant of us and Hawaii has laws for their protection. You mustn’t touch a turtle or swim above it. Like humans, the turtles breath air and have to get to the surface periodically, so don’t block their access.

Hawaiian waters are home to other creatures and you might see a few. There are Hawaiian monk seals that frequent some of the beaches we snorkel. If you are lucky enough to see a monk seal, enjoy the experience but don’t go too close. The seals are very friendly and like people but they are very large, up to 600 pounds, and could easily injure you inadvertently. There was a recent case of male seal that frequented the swimming beaches in Kihei and liked to hug female swimmers-it got to be kind of creepy. The authorities had to relocate the seal after a few of his amorous advances were reported.

You may also see a manta ray or an eagle ray or a reef shark if you’re lucky. These animals are largely harmless and are likely just passing by. I checked a few web sources on the frequency of shark attacks in Maui waters and got the statistics. According to The Maui Goodness website “Your chances are near to none (of being attacked by a shark in Hawaii. You’re more likely to win the lottery than be attacked by a shark. The following statistics come from over 125 years of reports. … Maui has seen 36 unprovoked shark attacks in the last 125 years, of which only 3 were fatal. Of the billions of people to visit our islands in the last century, the number of attacks becomes dwarfed leaving your chances of being attacked by a shark near to nothing.

Still, if you’re eager to not be the one in a million attacked by a shark, here are a few things to remember when in the ocean.
Sharks are more likely to attack:
• At night or when the sun is setting or coming up. (Sharks feed primarily at night.)
• Snorkelers and Surfers (Sharks like to attack objects at the surface.)
• Near stream and river outlets. (The murky water attracts smaller fish that they like.)
• Near a shoreline after or during heavy rains.
• Around heavy fishing areas. (Stay out of the water when fisherman are chumming.)
• People with open-wounds. (If you’re bleeding, don’t go swimming.)
• Further out in the ocean in deeper waters.
• People with little respect for the ocean.
Even if you do everything possible to attract sharks, you’re still not likely to be bit. Sharks don’t like to eat humans, and they usually only attack by mistake.”