Today started with a 2:45am alarm. We were off to see the sunrise at Haleakala National Park, the highest point on Maui. Early along the way we saw one the sugarcane fields that was set on fire. Pretty amazing sight for 3:00am in the morning. The road to Haleakala was a long, windy, steep and cold drive up but well worth it. The sunrise was breathtaking but even more exciting for me was getting to see silversword, a species of plant found only high on Haleakela. In addition, there were several conservation programs for migratory birds in the area. All in all, a wonderful morning for a conservation biologist.
On the way back, Paul and I stopped at Kula Lodge for a fantastic breakfast that included pancakes covered in macadamia nuts and coconut syrup. The beautiful botanical gardens that surrounded the lodge were amazing as well. Once back home, it was snorkel time. With the snorkels we were able to go out much further and see a lot more. We saw many fish and were lucky enough to see a sea tortoise and a spotted eagle ray. That night it was back to Leilani’s for an organic Caesar salad with local fish. Of course the lava flow cocktails were pretty tasty as well.
