Maui Part 1 - Sugar Cane and the Maui Ocean Centre

Having seen both sides of Hawaii, the largest island in the archipelago, we then travelled to the second largest island, Maui. 

This island was very different in its geography and its character. While both are rich in volcanic soil and were at one time centres of the sugar cane industry, Maui is a far older island and its two volcanoes - one in the northwest and one in the southeast - now lie dormant. It also is known as the Valley Isle, because of the large fertile isthmus between these two mountains.

Our ship anchored off Lahaina, a bustling small city full of shops, art galleries, restaurants, cafes and beach resorts. This was once the capital of Hawaii and is now a very popular tourist destination. There were no high-rise building there though, which was great, as it meant it had really preserved its local charm and character over the years, despite the growing number of luxury hotels. At the time we visited, it was hot and humid, so it was very easy to become dehydrated. 

Our ship was in Maui for two days. On my first of three shore excursions in Maui on this leg of our cruise, the first place we visited was the Maui Ocean Centre, which was about an hour’s drive along the sea front from Lahaina. Along the way we saw vast slopes where the sugar cane had grown. Unfortunately the land had been totally cleared for large-scale cane production, and still was mostly denuded now the sugar companies have pulled out of the islands. Some of this land is now owned by the cane workers, and a few small farms have sprung up, but they have a long way to go if the land is to be rehabilitated.

Our driver told us that like in Australia, a big problem had occurred with growing the cane and the solution to bring in another species that was decided - in ignorance - resulted in a bigger problem than they were trying to solve. In Australia’s case, the problem was the sugar cane beetle attacking the canes. The supposed solution was to import cane toads from Central America. The result was this caused one of our biggest environmental problems of all times. Cane toads have already spread across half of Australia and countless small native animals have been decimated by them because when they eat them, they are poisoned to death.  Some are now close to extinction. And each female cane toad lays thousands of eggs a year . . . In Hawaii’s case, visiting ships brought a huge number of rodents which started to inhabit the cane fields. The supposed solution was to bring in the mongoose from India. The bright sparks who dreamed this up did not know that ‘never the twain would meet’ as the rodents were diurnal and the mongoose is nocturnal! The result was the island now also had feral mongooses deal with as well as rats and mice . . .

The Ocean Centre was a great place to visit, the complex reminding me very much of the Melbourne Aquarium with its displays of colourful tropical fish and corals, and tunnel through which you walk to see large stingrays and sharks. 

Most of the following photos were taken inside the main building that housed the tropical fish and corals, and that gave many opportunities for school children to learn about marine life.  

How lovely it would be to snorkel along the pristine beaches of the island to see some of these fish species in their natural habit. Many of my fellow passengers did just that. In my case, however, because of my ears, I am not allowed to go near water, so marine centres like this are just wonderful. 

Our very warm welcome when we arrived onshore on our tender boat. 

Seen in an outdoor pool at the Marine Centre.

Some of the complex.

This was an unexpected shot, taken in an outdoor fish nursery, because reflected in the glass is some of the marine centre and the denuded hills behind it. 

These were described as 'inside-out jelly' fish.

A worker cleaning the glass inside one of the tanks.