Snorkeling Around Oahu

I just traveled over three hundred miles across and around Oahu seeking out its best snorkeling sites.  No place was more renowned on my list of eleven locations than Hanauma Bay.  It was also the most difficult to visit, requiring lots of preparation: a reserved ticket, a specific entry time, long lines, multiple check-ins, a reef-etiquette lecture, and, finally, an educational/safety video.  While its landscape set within a sunken volcanic crater was breathtakingly beautiful and its extensive reef's marine life magnificent, Hanauma Bay turned out to be much less impressive of a snorkeling spot than Shark's Cove, another spot on my list.

Hanauma Bay on Oahu.

In a snorkeling comparison, another Hawaiian island, Maui, has probably spoiled me.  Its northwestern and southern coastlines contain a multitude of resorts and guest lodgings that front miles of coral reefs laying an easy swim from shore.  Its not uncommon to leave your hotel room with your mask, snorkel, and fins in hand, walk a short distance to the beach, and then dive immediately into the sea.  In Oahu, it seems like almost all the affordable hotel rooms are on crowded Waikiki Beach in Honolulu.  It's a gorgeous setting that accommodates world-class sunbathing and sells lessons in surfing but doesn't offer good snorkeling.  Except for Kaimana Beach, whose adjacent hotel I stayed at by no accidental choice, you have to drive somewhere out of town for decent snorkeling on Oahu.

My research warned me that there was very limited parking at Hanauma Bay so I showed up at the State Park an hour before my ticket time at noon.  After paying three dollars - only cash accepted, no change - I was relieved to finally find a spot at the far end of the lot.  I was also surprised to find that I didn't have to actually wait until my appointed time to enter the park; I only had to show my ticket for the first of three times in order to get in line for the next staggered entry slot.  Forty-five minutes later after waiting, more check-ins, and two lectures, I finally arrived on the gorgeous beach.

The reef was extensive at Hanauma Bay, encompassing much of the body of water, but was mostly comprised of the fossil remnants of ancient coral colonies.  On the shoreside of the reef, coral was growing only in isolated spots.  But the shallow sea was quite calm there and testified why the site was excellent for beginners.  However I found myself  'beached' on the reef several times when the water actually became too shallow to swim in.  Yet the clarity of the water and the variety of fishes quickly reminded me why I invested so much time and money into planning my visit.   

The reef and lagoon triggerfish as well as the redlip parrotfish seemed bigger than I've seen elsewhere in the state.  I've never swam as close to sailfin tangs, or captured so many shots of them with their fully-extended fins.  Since fishing is prohibited in the bay and the surrounding marine conservation area, there is a better chance for specimens to mature and to be less wary of people.  I even watched an endangered Hawaiian monk seal swim across the bay seeking out a spot on the sandy beach to rest.  Of course humans stepping on live coral and wearing sunblock that leaches toxic chemicals create other challenges for the marine life.  As a result, Hawaii completely closes the park two days a week and doesn't allow open access to out-of-state visitors like myself.

Sailfin tang with fully extended fins in Hanauma Bay.

Redlip parrotfish and yellowfin surgeonfish in Hanauma Bay.

Lagoon triggerfish in Hanauma Bay.

Endangered Hawaiian monk seal in Hanauma Bay on Oahu.

The next day I drove six miles past Hanauma Bay up Oahu's scenic and rugged southeastern coast to Makai Research Pier.   To the left of the pier, almost kissing the shore, lay a vast expanse of live corals.  The three main types of coral in Hawaii - smooth, rice, and branching - all seemed well-represented while I snorkeled my short while.  The bright purple and golden yellow hues seemed especially brilliant as the coral grew so close to the water's surface.  Unfortunately, I didn't see many fishes, only a few triggerfish, Moorish idols, pufferfish, and damselfish. 

Makai Research Pier and adjacent reef.

Live coral by the Makai Research Pier.

My ultimate destination that morning was the North Shore. Forty miles later I arrived at Kuilima Cove, also known as Turtle Bay because of the adjacent Turtle Bay Resort which is now The Ritz Carlton.  (It's one of only three hotels on that side of the island. You can see why people on a budget stay on Waikiki.)  The small body of water was well-sheltered by a long reef separating it from the Pacific Ocean.  Lots of coral appeared to be thriving as well as schools of especially large fish, including one of unicornfish and another of ringtail surgeonfish.  But despite the resort and bay's nickname, there were no turtles to be spied.

Kuilima Cove, or Turtle Bay, on Oahu's North Shore.

I was swimming at the northern tip of Oahua, where the windward side met the leeward side, in a way, so the weather couldn't decide between dry or wet. Unfortunately clouds and light showers obscured the light when I tried to capture the underwater beauty with my camera.  One type of coral caught my attention because of its unique appearance, shell-shaped and bright white but mottled with oblong rings of amber flesh.  I later identified it as a variety of leptastrea, a genus of hard corals.

Leptastrea coral in Kuilima Cove on Oahua.

Weekend traffic jams prevented me from circling the island back to Waikiki that afternoon, but the following morning I returned to the area finally traveling up the western coast.  I passed the famous North Shore surfing beaches at Haleiwa, Waimea and Laniakea, stopping close to iconic Sunset Beach.  In the winter the waves would have created treacherous conditions for swimmers and snorkelers, but during my June visit the beaches and shoreline were perfect for my favorite island pastime.  And perfect would be how I'd describe snorkeling at Shark's Cove in Pupukea.

The spot had something in common with two of my favorite snorkeling sites in all of Hawaii, Ahihi-Kinau and Honolua Bay: all three are difficult to enter.  Like at those two Maui sites, Shark's Cove's beach of lava stones and slippery rocks made the walk into the surf a careful crawl.  And arriving at low tide, the water was especially shallow when I entered.  But moments later, I was swimming in crystal clear water and encountering stupendous marine life. 

Shark's Cove on Oahu.

I quickly noticed an Achilles tang, one of my favorite surgeonfish in Hawaii.  It's only occasionally that I see one, usually only once or twice on any week-long visit to the state.  However at Shark's Cove I discovered several schools of them, each numbering five or six individuals.  But a much more massive school awaited me a short time later when I swam into a bait ball of thousands of what were probably akule, or bigeye skads.  The formation undulated and curved around me like an impenetrable, unburstable bubble as I investigated it. 

School of Achilles tangs at Shark's Cove.

School of convict tangs and whitebar surgeonfish at Shark's Cove.

School of bigeye scad at Shark's Cove on Oahu.

Steep cliffs surrounded the cove, along with deep ledges, caves, and tunnels.  Many divers, both scuba and free, were exploring these dark recesses which mostly unnerved me.  Might reef sharks be lazing in there?  After all, the site was called Shark's Cove. Well, it turned out that the name originated from some nearby jagged rock formations, not from any ocean predators.  However based on my observations on the morning I was there, I would have called it Turtle's Cove with all due respect to Kuilima up the road.  As I swam north along the shore, a ways out of the inlet in placid waters, I met at least five different green sea  turtles.  Most rested quietly on the coral-rich sea bottom, but at least two surfaced giving me a chance to snap lots of up-close photos.  

Green sea turtle at Shark's Cove.

Green sea turtle diving at Shark's Cove.

If I were stronger and not snorkeling alone, I could have swam south along the shore to another excellent snorkeling spot, Three Tables. No doubt I would have witnessed the eagle rays other visitors were describing.  Instead I loaded up my gear and walked along the road and back through the parking area to set up camp on Three Tables' sandy beach.  It was a postcard perfect location with majestic views of much of Oahu's North Shore and with lots of family's enjoying Father's Day picnics.  A pod of spinner dolphins leaping in the distance added to the dreamlike setting.  

View of Three Tables on Oahu. 

It was easy to enter the surf and swim out and around the three flat reefs that pierce the water and name the locale.   The water was as calm and clear as at Shark's Cove and the overall experience almost as impressive.  There were indeed turtles - I saw two - and lots of schools of fish including unique mixed groups that comprised convict tangs and as many as three additional surgeonfish species like orange band, whitespotted, and ringtail.  Sometimes a very thick trumpetfish joined the school.  I even saw a large scrawled filefish at the farthest table from the beach.   But somehow Shark's Cove had captivated me more.  Maybe it was the larger overall area, and the deep canyons, along with the endless line of reef islands punctuating the seascape.  Whatever it was, it beckoned me to want to return there one last time during my trip more than to anywhere else on Oahu.

Scrawled filefish at Three Tables on Oahu.

Convict tangs and three additional surgeonfish - spotted, orange band, and ringtail - at Three Tables.

Green sea turtle at Three Tables on Oahu.

Yet instead, the next day, I drove to the southwestern shore of the island to snorkel a unique spot known as Electric Beach.  I had actually visited there almost two years ago at the start of autumn and I loved it.  There's even a story already posted about that experience on my blog. (Click here to read it.)  And just like last time, the visibility was clear; the turtles, sergeant majors, and unicornfish abundant; and the coral outcrops sublime. 

View of Electric Beach's snorkeling area and Oahu's western shore.

The next day was my last day on Oahu and, unfortunately, I didn't return to Shark's Cove.  Instead I stuck around Waikiki, snorkeling Kaimana Beach where I ventured out to its reef near where outriggers plied the waters from the nearby canoe club.   The visibility was worse than elsewhere on the island, but I still spotted at least five turtles, including two resting on the sea bottom.  I also snorkeled the extreme opposite end of Waikiki Beach, off the beach at the crowded Hilton Hawaiian Village.  The water was calm and there were some clusters of live corals amid the expansive remnants of a reef.  I was happy to run into an especially large pufferfish along with a variety of other fish like unicornfish, triggerfish, and boxfish. 

View of Diamond Head and eastern Waikiki from the reef off Kaimana Beach.

In total, I snorkeled seven of the eleven sites on my list.  The others I didn't make it to were actually near Shark's Cove and included Waimea and Laniakea.  Without a doubt I will eventually visit them, when I return one day to Shark's Cove, my favorite snorkeling spot on Oahu and now one of my favorites in all of Hawaii.  As always, the islands are already calling me back.