Today, the pristine waters that surround the Hawaiian Islands continue to provide a haven
for the little humuhumunukunukuapua'a, Hawaii's official state fish, as well as a magnificent
variety of colorful, unusual, endemic, and in some instances even endangered marine life.
Each of these creatures is unique and plays an integral part in nature's delicate balance
of this paradise below the surface of the sea.
Swarming marine life backdroped by dramatic underwater topography created by volcanic
lava formations helped the Hawaiian Islands stand out as one of the most sought after
dive destinations in the world.
Tropical Hawaii's crystal clear equatorial waters with an average temperature of 76 degrees
Fahrenheit and visibility of more than 100 feet create a sense of aquarium perfection,
setting the ideal stage for observation, exploration, and adventure.
Thousands of recreational divers are lured to our Hawaiian Islands each year, experiencing
not only the intrinsic beauty of the sea, but sensing the intricate fabric and balance
Venture into the buoyant tropical waters of Hawaii and the Living Museum awaits you.
From sun-warm shallows of protected shoreline areas easily explored with only mask, snorkel,
and fins to deep blue ocean scuba depths, divers experience a kaleidoscope of color
and vibrant activity in the unique coral reefs or Kohola that ring these islands.
Coral reefs basic to the complex balance of underwater sea life provide the foundation
for all life forms in the reef waters of Hawaii.
Every part of the reef has its inhabitants, shallow reef beds teeming with curious and
almost tame-like sea creatures.
Most marine life found in tropical reefs are friendly and easily interact with man, swimming
and sharing their watery world without fear of divers.
Some marine creatures, however, can be dangerous when disturbed by intruders.
For this reason, diving with professional guides ensures the safety of divers unfamiliar
with Hawaiian reef waters, as well as affording the protection of Hawaii's fragile marine
life.
These divers are knowledgeable of their surroundings and have patiently developed a rapport with
their marine friends.
The Moray Eel, or Puhiau, though not considered aggressive, will defend itself.
Wading with his razor-like teeth is his only protection.
The Octopus, or He'e, is abundant in the shallow Hawaiian reef waters and a common sight to
divers in all depths.
This harmless invertebrate, when threatened, instinctively squirts large amounts of a black
ink-like substance through the water, which acts as an effective smoke screen, confusing
its attacker while it attempts to flee to safety.
Another intriguing marine creature is the pufferfish, or Ah-kay-kay.
Its name reflects the unique defense tactic or strategy by which this harmless fish discourages
predators.
Puffing up its body to several times its normal size makes the Ah-kay-kay appear larger and
less desirable as an edible item to a hungry predator.
Interacting with Hawaii's marine life can be exciting and rewarding as an educational
experience.
In many instances, however, certain sea life forms are easily disturbed, even threatened,
by man, like the endangered Hawaiian green sea turtle, the Honu.
We must realize that though Hawaiian divers encounter many numbers of immature sea turtles,
today the entire population of this ancient species depends on less than 750 adult females.
Now in danger of extinction, these serene and stately creatures are protected by law
from harassment in any way.
Though it is difficult to resist touching or riding these graceful giants, in our new
awareness we must be caring and respectful by enjoying these incredible creatures from
a distance.
The offshore waters that surround the islands contain a variety of exciting and unusual
deep-water boat dives, though mostly known for the spectacular natural terrain, Hawaiian
waters also feature a fleet of ghostly wreckage scattered across the reef floors of many of
the islands.
Planes, ships, subs, and other derelict remains sent to their watery graves have created artificial
reefs.
With the propeller still attached to the fuselage, this World War II relic remains intact.
Intercepted by fate, this corsair now rests on a sandy floor about a mile and a half off
the coast of Oahu in depths of over 100 feet.
Goatfish or kumu school in these deeper depths and swarm the wreck.
Crustaceans, coral, and algae have formed on the surface of the plain, creating an artificial
reef and a home to a community of tropical fish.
Even wreck diving is abundant in Hawaii.
The mahi, another World War II relic, was originally a minesweeper for the Navy.
This 165-foot, 600-ton vessel was later converted to an oceanographic research ship used by
the University of Hawaii.
In 1982, the mahi was determined unseaworthy, and with the encouragement of local dive professionals,
it became the state's first planned artificial reef when it was purposely sunk in the waters
off the west side of the island of Oahu.
Today, this submerged historic vessel rests upright and intact, providing divers the thrill
of exploring the corridors and chambers of this haunting relic.
Significant coral growth and multi-hued and crusting sponges have already begun to cover
the mahi's hull, decks, and superstructure, transforming the vessel into a thriving underwater
community.
The mahi is one of the most popular and accessible wreck dives in the state of Hawaii.
Hawaii's undersea world offers divers a unique underwater adventure.
It is a world teeming with a tremendous variety of fantastic marine life, of natural coral
reefs, of historical World War II wreck diving reefs, and of man-made artificial reefs.
However, these waters are mostly renowned for the natural dive locations created by
ancient volcanic lava flows.
Awesome rock formations offer spectacular geological features found nowhere else in the world,
making underwater exploration here an exciting experience.
The waters off the island of La Nui boast one of the most unique watery scenes in the
Hawaiian Islands.
Pinnacles of coral-encrusted rock loom 70 feet above the sandy floor, reaching toward
openings just 20 feet beneath the surface, appearing like cathedral church spires.
Streams of sunlight filter through the rocky ceiling, penetrating the deep blue darkness
of huge grottos reminiscent of cathedral windows, prompting the name for this dive location
called Cathedrals, an incredible work of nature.
A series of archways, tubes, and interconnecting passageways open into large, dramatic underwater
caves.
Unique to Hawaii's underwater terrain are its many well-defined ledges offering another
dramatic topographical feature.
One of the most popular of these ledges, referred to as drop-offs, is found off Molokini Island.
A steep wall plummets to waters over 200 feet deep and bustles with tame raccoon butterfly
fish or kīkā kapu and other abundant reef life, such as the kravel or ulua, which is
a highly prized food fish of Hawaiian islanders.
A mile and a half off the north shore of Kaua'i, which is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands,
divers will discover another tropical reef 60 feet beneath the surface.
In this rugged territory it is common to encounter unusual rockfish that resemble their crusty
rock domain.
Explore coral-covered ledges, rock pinnacles, and valleys over 140 feet deep, and you may
catch a glimpse of unusual fish, such as these morwongs, as they appear and disappear among
the rocks and crevices.
Here divers will find an abundance of beautiful cup coral, unique in form and displaying a
brilliant range of colors.
Here also divers can explore in gardens of the rare and sought-after black coral trees,
known by Hawaiians as e kaha kumuana.
But the black coral thrives in the deeper, protected areas of this superior dive location
accessible only by boat.
The Hawaiian islands are known for their outstanding beauty and natural wonders.
Few people realize that below the surface of the ocean, the scenic beauty and the archeological
and ecological importance of this Hawaiian paradise is enhanced and magnified.
It is now known that coral reefs, or Kohola, like these vast marine parks, are important
to our Earth's life support.
These reefs are a microcosm of life on Earth.
Thousands of species living together all depend on plants called plankton that live within
the coral.
Half of the oxygen breathed by the animals of the Earth passes through these gardens
of the sea.
Two-thirds of our world is covered with water, and the fate of life on land and in the sea
is bound by the well-being of these underwater ecosystems.
Conservation and preservation of natural habitats, of unique marine life, and of distinctive
geological features of Hawaiian waters has resulted in the establishment of marine conservation
parks.
This underwater world becomes a classroom in which we gain a greater understanding and
knowledge of man's relationship to the sea.
tremendous food source to man.
They swim along the surface of deeper waters and can migrate over two hundred miles a day.
Ahi, often schooled with dolphin, or lapalapa, the dolphin most often encountered in Hawaiian
waters, is the spinner dolphin.
These gregarious creatures are usually spotted in large numbers, frolicking along the ocean
surface.
Here in this unique film footage, we've captured this rare glimpse of spinners mating in their
natural habitat.
Dolphins
are the only marine animals that will leave their natural environment to observe and interact
with people.
Man has only begun to understand the intelligence of these extraordinary mammals.
It would be impossible to confine in a research aquarium the largest of the cetaceans, or
fish-like mammals, the great whales, called Kohola by the Hawaiians.
We must pursue the study of the largest creatures of the sea in their own territory as they
roam the vast ocean.
Though actual population is extremely difficult to determine, it is believed that prior to
exploitation by the whaling industry in the early 1900s, the humpback whales numbered
close to 15,000.
Today, there are probably not more than 2,000 humpbacks in the entire northern Pacific.
Each winter, several hundred of these gentle giants migrate from their feeding grounds
of the North Pacific polar waters to the warm equatorial waters of the Hawaiian islands,
where they come to breed and calve their young.
Their graceful swimming maneuvers are accompanied by what scientists refer to as whale songs.
These songs, rich in whale vocabulary, are a long series of musical phrases repeated
in sequence over intervals of more than half an hour.
By studying the reverberating songs of these great whales, science developed the sonar
technology to map the ocean floor.
How much more might we learn from these gentle giants of the sea, who are nearly eradicated
by mankind's insensitivity and greed?
We will learn.
Virtually unchanged for 15 million years, the Hawaiian monk seal called Ileo Holuikawawa
in the Hawaiian language is now facing extinction.
In the year 2000, these living fossils could become only a memory unless their current
population of a mere 500 is protected and perpetuated.
A major cause of the decline of the Hawaiian monk seal population is human disturbance
of its breeding grounds.
Even with annual pupping of approximately 150 to 175 pups, the reproductive rate for
Today their only predator is the shark, Mano.
However, this Dasaw white-tipped shark, common to Hawaiian waters, is no real threat to the
monk seal or to man.
Man is this sensitive creature's worst enemy.
The slightest interference can detrimentally alter monk seal's natural behavior.
Their only habitat, the isolated northwestern Hawaiian islands and atolls, which stretch
1200 miles northwestward from the northernmost populated island of Niihau to Kure Atoll,
are now designated as critical habitat, a national wildlife refuge intended to keep the ecosystems
as free as possible from disturbance.
It is yet unknown whether our new awareness and conservation measures will save this helpless
monk seal from extinction.
Legend tells us that the pig god Kamapua'a delighted in exploring the sea and finally
chose to live his life there as the Humuhumu Nukunuku Apua'a.
The extraordinary marine life and astounding beauty within the waters of ancient Hawaii
endure today, as man follows his nature to explore new frontiers, it is imperative that
we move gently into this submerged universe, so delicately balanced with our world above
the surface.
In our knowledge, we must become caretakers of this mysterious world, knowing that extinction
is a loss that lasts forever.
I love to sing and hula for you, and give away and love you too, and with beckles a
horn yard too, that's the Hawaiian whoops me, it's great to be in Hawaii and to be
a native too, but it's greater still to play around and carry on as I do.
So right out here in Hawaii, where everything is heavenly, I am just as happy as can be,
that's the Hawaiian whoops me, it's great to be in Hawaii and to be a native too, but
it's greater still to play around and carry on as I do.
So right out here in Hawaii, where everything is heavenly, I am just as happy as can be,
that's the Hawaiian whoops me.
I love to sing and hula for you, and give away and love you too, and with beckles a
horn yard too, that's the Hawaiian whoops me.
Thank you.