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Reef's End: An
underwater finger of reef extends the
half-circle seen above water by another
quarter of the circular crater. Reef's End: a series of stair
steps that extend from 10 feet below the surface
to approx. 350 feet. Often seen are baby
White Tip Reef sharks (and thier mothers...),
occasional Grey Sharks, lobsters, a variety of
eels, antler coral, other fish —From Raccoon
Butterflies to Damsel fish, schools of Pennent
Fish, Moorish Idols and Blue-stripped
Snappers... Majestic Manta Rays often come to feed, and dolphins, both Spinner and
Bottlenose are often spotted here. During whale season (Late Dec. through April)
you are almost guaranteed to see the
awe-inspiring Humpback Whales as they enjoy
their winter vacation in Maui's warm waters.
Back Wall: The
sheer wall of the crater drops from 200 feet
above the surface to 400 feet below! This dive
is reserved for advanced, experienced divers as
expert buoyancy control is a must! Because the
dive is bordered by open ocean, you never know
what might swim by: dolphins, mantas, whales, or
sharks.
The typical sea life on the back wall is not as
prevalent as it is at Reef's End or Mid-Reef,
but the sheer wall, deep water and sun rays all
interact to make a beautiful sight.
Mid-Reef:
Mid-Reef is in the center of the
crater. The depths range from 30-80 feet over a
beautiful carpet of coral. Multitudes of fish
and eels dart in and out of the crevices and
holes treating divers to a rainbow of colors. A
lone, rare and endangered Hawksbill Turtle has
taken up residency here and is not at all shy
about saying hello to divers. The abundance of
sea life at the edge of mid-reef is offset by
the brilliant turquoise back drop of open ocean
beyond.
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