Birthday Submarine Ride

In October, Ken and I took a ride on the Atlantis submarine in Waikiki Bay, Honolulu 

for his Birthday.

We boarded the Discovery boat and rode out to the "drop zone"

The boat ride was a lot of fun with a fantastic view of Waikiki Beach.

This is Diamond Head, the volcano tourist attraction 

that you can climb from the inside.

(click on Diamond Head to see my blog on that hike)

The submarine reemerged as we got close to the zone. 

Passenger got off and we got on.

It held 48 passengers but we were only half full.

It was difficult to get great pictures everything was just really blue 

but you'll get the idea.

They passed around this section of window- that's how thick they are 

(and very heavy!)

The submarine went 120 ft down throughout the trip.

Some areas had more fish than others.

Amberjack

Pennant fish center

Concrete pyramids made in Japan. There are 4 of these artificial reefs.

The natural reefs off the coast of Waikiki have been deteriorating 

due to the sand that has been shipped in for the beach. 

Atlantis initiatives have introduced several man made reefs 

to re energize the fish population in this area. 

There are 2 small sunken ships and 2 sunken airplane 

that have been brought in to become reefs

We saw a White Reef Shark and a Green Sea Turtle

Here's one of the airplanes

We had a lot of fun learned a lot and now we can say we rode in a submarine!

Here's a a video panning Waikiki beach from the water!

Manoa Falls, Oahu

In October Ken and I did our first waterfall trail. 

Hopefully the first of many! 

This is a very popular one with the tourist, it's in Honolulu and near Waikiki. 

cool bamboo along the trail

Manoa Falls is about 150 ft vertical drop. 

It had been pretty dry so there was not a lot of water coming over the top.

But let's start at the beginning of the 1.6 mile round trip trail.

Everything was very green and overgrown- like walking through a tropical rain forest.

The trail was muddy, sounds like it's always that way. It got steeper as we went along.

It runs along a creek for a good bit.

We were glad to have on hiking boots although we did pass a few people barefoot and in flip flops!

Everything grows big in Hawaii

Isn't he cute!

And the falls!

I think the trail was just as rewarding as seeing the falls.

Then back down the trail.

Tourists!