After 5 days, land ho!
The Kahului pilot came aboard at 7:15 this morning to help navigate the ship to its pier.
Pam and I were on the 5th deck forward of the bridge to watch Nieuw Amsterdam make her approach to the harbor, cutting through the slot between two long breakwalls.
We were docked at 8:00.
We disembarked for our tour at 8:20, walking a short distance to a bus that took us to Maalaea on the south side of the island, along the way passing an enormous lemon orchard that was once a sugarcane field, before that crop became unsustainable for multiple reasons, including this water consumer and the labor required to harvest it.
When we visited Maui in 2012, the ship docked in Lahaina, a port that would appear in the lower-left of a larger map. It was devastated by a massive wildfire in August 2023. Although severely damaged, its famous 150-year-old banyan tree spanning 1.94 acres is reported to be showing promising signs of survival. The locals have taken this to be a symbol of resilience as they rebuild their community.
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Today's Tour: Molokini Crater & Turtle Snorkel Experience
Join an exciting waterside exploration of Molokini atoll, its reef, and the fantastic marine wildlife that inhabits it.
Molokini, Maui's iconic crescent-shaped islet, is a beautiful reef known for its crystal-clear waters, abundant coral, colorful fish, and resting seabirds. A protected marine conservation area, this volcanic crater is accessible only by boat with a certified tour operator. Turtle Arches offers a bonus snorkel site with its underwater lava formations and frequent turtle sightings.
A continental breakfast is included, and a delicious barbecue lunch is prepared on board.
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The ride took about 50 minutes. During the passage to the island, we saw some humpback whales spouting in the distance.
Up close, the island looked as desolate as it had at a distance. Its stratified appearance reflected its formation from layers of volcanic ash before the ocean surrounded it.
Once the boat was moored at Molokini, splash.
This was the first time that I used a 2025 Christmas present, the Akaso EK7000 camera and its underwater case. I was not sure I would use a GoPro enough to justify the cost. This camera package was priced better. Within its limited range of capabilities (zoom, aperture, etc.), it took respectable pictures.
Back out of the water, we were off to see the sea turtles.
The tour began its transition from good to meh.
It took about 20 minutes to get to the site, but once there, the captain decided there was too much current to snorkel safely, so off we went to another site 45 minutes away. The second site proved windy, with the water surface lumpy and the current strong.
Pam and I got in the water. We found the water deep with no shallower spots in sight. We decided the conditions did not warrant the effort to see nothing up close. We were not alone in making the abort decision. The snorkelers who stayed in the water came back aboard frustrated. No one had seen a turtle.
We gathered our gear and had lunch while the board was headed back to port. The crew did its best to hype the overall experience, but they were flogging a dead (sea)horse.
Once in port, we walked to the rendezvous with the buses, boarded ours, and returned to the ship. The ship was sufficiently far from town that we did not entertain the idea of walking there, instead going back aboard.
The wind had been strong when we were on the tour boat and at the piers. Soon after being back aboard, we noticed the stern-thruster was working hard, holding Nieuw Amsterdam against the pier. Looking forward, a tug was doing the same thing. We subsequently learned that while we were on our tour, winds buffeting the port side of the ship had been 35+ MPH, with gusts to 55 MPH.
The winds were slowly subsiding when the captain announced that we would depart 45 minutes behind schedule to allow them to drop further, making it easier to maneuver the ship in the small harbor.
We departed at the revised time. Outside the harbor, the seas were not bad. The depth of the ocean surrounding these volcanic islands likely helped slow the generation of wind waves from this afternoon's breeze.
Hopefully, tomorrow's post will not begin with a report of a dramatic overnight increase in the sea state and a lively (in a bad way) night.
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