Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ose dolphins, eagle rays, manta rays, and whale sharks have been known to occur on an
intermittent basis. The captain and crew aboard Trilogy's catamaran were born and raised
on Lana'i, and if you snorkel close to one of the crew members, there's a good chance they
can find you an elusive
tako
(octopus). If there's wind to sail on the way back to Manele,
the crew will hoist the sails. The views afforded of the coastal cliffs make this the best way
for exploring the southwestern coastline.
During whale season, Trilogy also offers two-hour long
mammal searches
which de-
part from Manele Harbor on a jet-propelled inflatable raft for a high-paced marine safari
focused on finding humpback whales, green sea turtles, the occasional Hawaiian monk
seal, and various species of resident dolphins. The high-speed cruise of the coastline alone
is worth the trip, and the crew on this trip are some of the friendliest and most knowledge-
able in the industry.
Those familiar with Hawai'i diving will know that Lana'i has some of the best diving
in the state. While there are no fewer than 14 named dive sites along the southwestern
coastline, the two which make Lana'i famous are
First and Second Cathedrals.
At First
Cathedral, just offshore from Manele Harbor, the cavern entrance sits at 58 feet. Inside,
beams of sunlight filter down through the ceiling looking exactly like light passing through
a stained glass window. There have even been a few underwater weddings here. The best
way to exit the cathedral is via a hole in the wall known locally as The Shotgun, where
divers place their hands on the sides of the cathedral and allow the current to wash through
a narrow opening. In addition to the main cathedral there are a number of other swim-
throughs and arches where you can catch a glimpse of spiny lobsters, frogfish, colorful
parrotfish, and if you're lucky, a pod of spinner dolphins passing overhead.
Down the coast at Second Cathedral, the underwater dome is about the same size but in-
tersected by so many openings it looks like Swiss cheese. Divers can pass in and out of the
cathedral from a variety of different entry points. The highlight of the dive is a rare black
coral tree that dangles from the cathedral ceiling. Large schools of
ta'ape
(blue striped
snapper) congregate on the back side of the cathedral, and you can swim through a school
that numbers in the hundreds. Visibility at both of these sites regularly stretches 80-120
feet, and the water can often be so clear that you see most of the dive site just standing on
the pontoon of the dive boat.
