 |
You will find many varieties of exotic fish at Hanauma bayBefore I go into the specifics of Hanauma Bay, I have to give you the safety precautions that few people remember to pass on. The biggest danger: The Surf Since Hawaii is situated in the middle of the Pacific ocean, the water has ample time to build up some nasty surfs. If the surf is high and you are relatively new to being around high surfs, Stay out of the water! Hawaii holds the disreputable title as the drowning capital of the U.S. and you would do well to keep your children (and yourself) out of the water if the surf picks up. Rogue waves and rip tides Even though Hanauma bay, Waikiki Beach and many other Hawaiian beaches may have days where the water is smooth or the surf is really low, you still must be prepared for rogue waves or rip tides. If you hear about any storms out on the sea, there is a good chance that you will see some nasty waves coming ashore. Stay out of the water on these days and let the professional surfers provide your entertainment for you. Safety tips Never, ever, turn your back on the ocean. This is the first and most important thought that you must stress to your kids if they are going to play in the water. Watch the water conditions and be aware of any changes in the tide or surf. Don't let your kids swim alone, stay away from water that looks like it is disturbed. Even at Hanauma bay which has lifeguards on duty, you should always keep your eyes on your kids and not let them swim unsupervised. Okay with that said, let's talk about Hanauma bay. Contrary to 
popular belief, the water is not crystal clear. We found the water to be a little cloudy when you went to lower depths, however, for snorkeling we did think Hanauma Bay was perfect. Because the bay is shaped like a crescent that is protected from some of the larger waves, Hanauma seems to be a very safe place to swim. This is mostly true, especially since there are lifeguards on duty, however because of the large numbers of people who frequent this bay, Hanauma bay has held the undistinguished title of the drowning capital of Oahu.
If you are planning to go snorkeling or scuba diving in Hanauma bay on your Hawaii family vacation getaway you will need to do some planning. First you need to get there. Many adventure companies on the island offer free transportation out to Hanauma if you plan to scuba dive or snorkel with their equipment and instructor. If you plan to go on your own, you will need to pay $5 a person and $1 a car. Then you will need to watch a video on conservation and taking care of the local habitat. When you are through with the preliminaries you can enter Hanauma bay. Remember, the bay closes 6 p.m. (it opens at 6 a.m.), so you need to plan accordingly. Also make sure that you arrive early in the morning, preferably before 9 a.m. The parking lot fills up fast and you don't want to deal with finding a parking spot when your kids are chomping at the bit to get in the water. You can, however, stay until 10 p.m. on Saturdays and do some night snorkeling. We recommend this since many of the crowds are gone by then and you can have the place virtually to yourself. Be forwarned to stay away from Hanauma bay or Waikiki beach waters within a week after a full moon. For some reason, box jellyfish seem to migrate to these places after a full moon. These jellyfish pack a punch in their sting and you would be best advised to just stay out of the water until the little critters go away. Many families who frequent Hanauma Bay come because they want to take advantage of the great snorkeling and scuba diving. You can rent your gear at the beach, but you would be better off hooking up with an adventure company in Waikiki first and letting them provide all the gear for you.
If you plan to scuba dive, then you should definately book your dive through an adventure company. You will get transportation, gear and instruction all taken care of. If your children have sensitive ears (don't like flying because their ears cause too much pain when they pop), then it isn't recommended you take them scuba-diving. My wife has sensitive ears and when she went scuba diving, she blew out her left ear drum and it caused her significant discomfort on the plane ride home and the whole time she was diving. That being said, if you don't have these kind of problems, Hanauma bay is an ideal place to go scuba-diving for the first time. The water is usually pretty calm and the large reef gives you many opportunities to see the huge variety of tropical fish. We were surprised to see as many octopus as we did. If you scare one, they will spray their ink and live you in a murky cloud! We highly recommend a visit to Hanauma bay on your Hawaii family vacation getaway. Even though the bay may get crowded, you will find that your family will love spending a day here.
|
We recommend buying snorkeling gear before you even go to Hawaii and carrying it in your luggage. Be sure to spend a little extra on good goggles that form a complete seal around your face. Nothing is more annoying than a leaking goggle!
