Cassia Enjoys Hawaii's Marine Life

Whales, Dolphins, Swimming with Manta Rays & Snorkelling Vibrant Coral Reefs

Cassia Enjoys Hawaii's Marine Life

08 June, 2017

Hawaii certainly is a hot destination for travellers from New Zealand and Australia at the moment. There's so much more to this tropical archipelago than just the highrises and crowded beaches of Waikiki. Choose to explore the more remote islands and enjoy a quieter pace of life than the concrete jungle of Honolulu.

Marine life abounds around Hawaii's lesser known islands. Sailing through Marine Wildlife sanctuaries during the whale watching season of November to March ensures spectacular humpback whale sightings. We had only pulled out about 20 metres from Molokai's port before we were treated to whales tails and cocktails (this was a luxury cruise after all!) on the bow of the ship. Whale sightings continued throughout the week and we were lucky enough to have an Expedition Leader who was also a marine biologist. This meant he knew the best places and times to spot whales, and hearing them sing through his hydrophone before surfacing mere metres away was an experience that I will never forget.

Throughout the week long cruise we were treated to Spinner Dolphins, Short Fin Pilot Whales, Pan tropical Spotted Dolphins and Bottle Nose Dolphins cruising in the wake of our Zodiacs or ship.

There was also plenty of time to enjoy the marine life below the sea. We always felt in safe hands with the Safari Explorer's crew who truly did their best to ensure that we felt comfortable and safe at all times. This meant that the majority of the group enjoyed watersports such as sea kayaking, stand up paddleboarding or snorkelling.

Hawaii's deep blue waters and vibrant coral provided excellent snorkelling opportunities. We followed the brightly coloured small fish that call the thriving coral reefs home. We also snorkelled a sunken pier that attracts magnificent green turtles to it daily. But the real highlight was the opportunity to snorkel with some of the most mesmerising creatures of the sea, the majestic (and harmless) manta rays, at night. After some trepidation we entered the water and snorkelled above our own personal ballet performance put on by these large and graceful creatures. Our nervousness dissipated as we were treated to a truly hypnotic experience!

Visit https://flic.kr/s/aHsm5EnQ8r to see an album of images from the cruise.

The team at Wild Earth are happy to chat with you about options to cruise the Hawaiian Islands by small ship, just give us a call on 0800 945 3327 (NZ) or 1800 107 715 (AU) for us to find you your perfect holiday.

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