The Sands of Lanai

For the past two days we have been working off the island of Lanai. Once almost entirely cultivated in pineapple, Lanai is now home to a small town and several high class resorts. I am told it was here that Bill Gates was married; renting out the entire island to be free from reporters, paparazzi, and the like.

For the most part, Lanai is fairly dry except for the higher elevations. Being in the lee of Maui and Molokai, seas are generally small and some of the highest coral cover in the Main Hawaiian Islands can be found off it's northern and eastern coasts. Visibility here leaves something to be desired, however. Nowhere could we see more than twenty meters. Fish were sparse, but the coral cover was incredible.

The south side of Lanai had less to offer in terms of coral cover, but visibility was stellar and the underwater features were amazing. Canyons and cathedrals with water clarity that rivaled Kona. Gliding past massive stone ramparts we were surrounded by schools of pennantfish and pyramid butterflies, some of my favorites.

The rest of Lanai ... sand. Sand as far as the eye can see. We actually had an entire 45 minute survey composed of nothing but sand! But, sand has nice shells so every could does indeed have a silver lining.