Maui Snorkeling

Snorkel Maui: A Snorkel FAQ Some Snorkeling Frequently Asked Questions 1) What is snorkeling? 2) What is the difference between snorkeling and scuba diving? 3) Why do people snorkel? 4) Is snorkeling safe? 5) But don't I need to be a good swimmer? 6) What equipment do you need to snorkel? 7) Hey! I have my equipment. What should I do now? 8) Can you go underwater with a snorkel? What if I want to get closer to things? 9) What conditions are good for snorkeling? 10) How do I take care of my equipment? How should I store it? 1) What is snorkeling? Snorkeling is swimming with fins, a mask, and a tube called a snorkel that allows you to have your face down in the water and still breathe. 2) What is the difference between snorkeling and scuba diving? Snorkeling doesn't require tanks and other expensive equipment like regulators. Scuba diving allows you to breathe underwater, while snorkeling allows you to breathe while you are on the surface with your face down. Snorkeling doesn't require any certification, while scuba diving requires certification. 3) Why do people snorkel? Because it's loads of fun. : ) Fair enough? 4) Is snorkeling safe? One of the wonderful things about snorkeling is that people of all ages can participate. And one of the great things about Maui and the other Hawaiian Islands is that there are many great places for beginners to try out. 5) But don't I need to be a good swimmer? Well it sure can't hurt, but it's not required. It is recommended that you do have some comfort and experience when you are in water though. A few things to consider is that your fins help you a great deal in terms of movement, and they float. : ) As well, the mask that you wear will have air trapped in it will helps you float as well. If you don't feel safe enough, you can also rent floatation devices, as well as boogie boards that you can lay on top of. Many of the snorkeling spots on Maui on right off shore and are in water less than 5 feet deep. It just depends which sites that you go to, and your comfort level with water and your equipment. 6) What equipment do you need to snorkel? Well, there are 3 main things that most snorkelers use. A) Mask This is what you put on ummmm your face. This allows you to see underwater without getting your eyes and nose wet. It's important that the mask is a good fit when renting or buying a mask. If the mask doesn't fit well, you will experience some leakage of water in the mask. I would highly recommend using a mask that has a "silicon skirt". The skirt is the soft substance that is molded to fit your face, and prevents water from entering the mask. You can also rent or buy masks that use rubber ask the skirt, but the seal is not nearly as good as the silicon, and is quite simply a dated technology. Ask your local snorkel or dive shop about choosing a mask that fits well. They will know what to look for. B) Snorkel Well, this is what makes you a snorkeler. A snorkel is a hollow curved tube that is placed in the mouth that allows you to breathe while you are face down in the water. So basically, while you looking down into the water, the snorkel is sticking out of the water on one end while the other end is in your mouth. When looking for a snorkel, I would recommend asking for what is called a "purge" snorkel. C) Fins This is what makes life a lot of fun. Fins allow you to swim like a fish. Yeeeha! There are 2 kinds of fins, but for snorkeling in warm water, most people will do just fine with the close heeled kind. The open heeled kind is more for Scuba Divers which requires a special boot (bootie), or for colder waters. Any ways, make sure that the fins are a good fit, or else you will either be cutting off circulation to your feet, or they will easily come off. Make sure that they are a snug fit, but you should be able to wiggle your toes. 7) Hey! I have my equipment. What should I do now? Well, it's a good idea to get comfortable with your equipment before you go out to the reef. Try out the equipment at your Hotel pool. The first step is getting used to the mask. One thing about masks is that they have a tendency to fog up. You can either apply anti-fog goop (available at all snorkel shops) to the inside of the mask, or you can use your own spit. It sounds gross, but spit works quite well for preventing the fogging up of your mask. Make sure that the spit/anti-fog goop is spread across the full surface of the glass on the inside of the mask. Now wash it out in the water. This should prevent, or at least greatly reduce any fogging up of the mask. When putting on the mask, make sure there are no hairs stuck it between the silicon part of the mask. Hair will break the seal that keeps the water from entering the mask. Also keep the strap in the middle of the back of your head, and don't have the strap too tight. Now, put on your mask and look under water while you're standing up. You're looking underwater. No fish yet, but soon...... Soon. ; ) Next, attach the snorkel to your mask strap with the clip that's on the snorkel. Put the snorkel in your mouth and breathe. Don't try to breathe with your nose or else the mask will quickly fog up. Breathe through your mouth in relaxed, normal breaths. Now try breathing with your face in the water. Nothing to it, right? Take as long as you want to get used to breathing underwater. That's the biggest mental hurdle for first time snorkelers. Are you comfortable yet? If so, put on your flippers and give it a try. With your face down and body stretched out, start kicking with your fins. Remember to keep your legs straight while you lightly kick. You don't have to thrash around to swim well. Stay relaxed, and swim around the pool, getting used to breathing, kicking, and looking around. 8) Can you go underwater with a snorkel? What if I want to get closer to things? Although many snorkelers dive underwater, I have found that some people would rather not, or don't find the need to do so. If you see a fish several feet below you though, and you want to get a closer look, you'll have to dive down. By doing this, your snorkel will fill up with water, and you will not be able to breathe until you clear the passage of your snorkel of water once you have resurfaced. It sounds a bit iffy, but it's a common thing for more experienced snorkelers to dive down and fill their snorkel with water. To clear the snorkel of water, you must resurface, give a good strong blow of the snorkel as your head reaches the surface once again, and the top of the snorkel has penetrated the surface of the water. This should clear most if not all of the water that has filled the snorkel, and allow you to breathe normally through the snorkel once again. If you use what is called a "purge" snorkel, (which I would recommend), you will rarely get water back in your mouth. I would also recommend trying this technique first in a pool. Once you get comfortable doing this as well as the other techniques mentioned, you will feel more confident, and will have a more positive relaxed experience out on the reef. 9) What conditions are good for snorkeling? The best times to go are when the waves are minimal, and it's sunny outside. Not only do large waves make things more challenging to get around and potentially dangerous, but a disturbance such as big waves also make the water murky, greatly decreasing visibility. There are just some times when I've had to cancel a snorkeling trip because the waves were to high. A good rule of thumb is if there are surfers in the area, it's probably a bad day or place to go snorkeling. Bays often offer more protection from a surge (big waves). The ideal snorkeling conditions are waves at 0-1 feet. Listen to the radio for a marine forecast, which should mention these kind of conditions. It's also best to go snorkeling when the sun is out. Sunlight increases visibility, and brings out the true colors of fish and coral. It brings out the 'wow' factor for fish and overall experience. But the sun also brings out the 'sun burn' factor. If you're not wearing some sort of wet suit, shorty, or other coverings, make sure that you've got your back, neck, shoulders, butt, and thighs covered in sun block. To make things a bit easier, I would often just wear an old junky shirt. 10) How do I take care of my equipment? How should I store it? Protect your equipment from light, heat and fumes. Sunlight is known to damage the silicon parts of the mask, making the seal brittle. Heat also degrades the mask, as well as snorkel. After you finish snorkeling, make sure your equipment gets washed off with fresh water. Salt water that dries will start wearing away at your equipment. Many beaches will have a place to do this. If not on the beach, make sure you wash the equipment off back in your hotel room that day. It's also a good idea to wash your mask lens with soap or toothpaste every once in a while. This washes away any grease that causes your mask to fog up. Just make sure that you've washed it out good so there is no residue. Don't pile heavy objects on top of any of your equipment. Prolonged weight on top of a mask, snorkel, or fins can warp them. To avoid bent fins, they should lie flat, and not on their tips. Keep walking in your fins on land to a minimum.

Hawaiian Barbecue Map Y

San Francisco Restaurant reviews by local people. Restaurant reviews by people like you sf Survey Todays Winner cheeselover Home on Union Bay - Breakers Gay Pride Bridge X 2 Blue Angels Open Studio HOME | | RESTAURANTS | PRIZES | REVIEWS | SUGGEST | LINKS | FORUM | HELP name neighborhood phone cuisine map Ratings Hukilau Inner Richmond (415) 921-6242 Hawaiian Map Y G (3) (5) (2) Write a review Moki's Sushi & Pacific Grill Bernal Heights (415) 970-9336 Fusion, Hawaiian, Japanese Map Y G (4) (3) Write a review Ono Hawaiian BBQ Outer Sunset (415) 681-6388 Hawaiian Barbecue Map Y G (3) (2) Write a review Padovani's Restaurant & Wine Bar SoMa (415) 543-7600 Hawaiian Map Y G Write a review Rick's Restaurant and Bar Outer Sunset (415) 731-8900 Hawaiian, Eclectic Map Y G (9) (1) Write a review Roy's SoMa (415) 777-0277 Hawaiian Seafood Map Y G (14) (4) Write a review Tita's hale 'aina Castro (415) 626-2477 Hawaiian Map Y G (7) (3) (1) Write a review Daily searched phrase (39) Downtown (27) Mission (25) Shop, (22) Embarcadero (20) Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley (20) mexican (19) sushi (18) chinese (17) Vietnamese (17) Japanese Records 1 to 7 of 7 You can search the following columns in the restaurant database. Restaurant name, street address, Cross street, Restaurant description, cuisine, zip code, phone number, neighborhood Home | Sign in | Sign Up | Tell a Friend | Links | Advertising | about | Help Reviews | Suggest | Restaurants | Neighborhoods | Cuisine Bay - Breakers Gay Pride Bridge X 2 Blue Angels Open Studio sfSurvey Inc. © 2004-2005

Hawaii Honeymoons: Romantic Hawaii

Hawaii Honeymoons, Hawaii Honeymoon Hotels, Romantic Hawaii Resorts Hawaii Honeymoons, Hawaii Honeymoon Hotels, Romantic Hawaii Resorts Site Index Hawaii Honeymoons: Romantic Hawaii Honeymoon Hotel, Resort and Villa Guide Hawaii Honeymoons: Virtuoso Hawaii Honeymoon Travel Specialists Hawaii Honeymoon Vacations Hawaii Vacations Maui Vacations Kauai Vacations Oahu Vacations Hawaii Vacations Lanai Vacations Molokai Vacations Luxury Cruises Hawaii Cruises Luxury Cruises World Cruises We Add Value Complimentary excursions, amenities, or services. We can secure the room, or suite, condo or villa you want, when others cant. Hawaii Vacations Money saving specials: Free nights, free meals, room upgrades, and wonderful inclusions such as free golf and spa visits. During certain times of the year we can give you a free air ticket from Los Angeles or San Francisco, or a $250 air credit from other cities. 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Molokai Lanai Maui Hawaii's

Hawaii's Official Tourism Site - Travel info for your Molokai vacation Choose a Category Calendar of Events Accommodations Activities & Attractions Dining Golf Services & Information Shopping Transportation Travel Professionals Weddings & Honeymoons Free Visitors Guide Hawaii Travel Tips Sharing Aloha Choose an Island All Islands Kauai Oahu Molokai Lanai Maui Hawaii's Big Island Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 04 05 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 04 05 Help me find... Calendar of Events Accommodations Activities & Attractions Dining Golf Services & Information Shopping Transportation Travel Professionals Weddings & Honeymoons Free Visitors Guide Hawaii Travel Tips Sharing Aloha Alternate Search Home > Hawaii Arts Scene > Molokai Kauai Oahu Molokai Lanai Maui Hawaii's Big Island Molokai is believed to be the home of the hula, so you’re sure to find this graceful art in practice across the island – especially during the popular Ka Hula Piko Festival and during the summer season at the Hawaiian Performing Arts Competition put on by Molokai’s own Moana’s Hula Halau. : Islands of Inspiration : Hawaii's Art Season : Pegge Hopper Wallpaper : Performance Art Events : Arts and Culture Events : Interactive Jukebox M EETINGS & C ONVENTIONS | T RAVEL T RADE R ESOURCES | M EDIA C OMMUNICATIONS Corporate Information | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | ©2005 Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau

Honolulu

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Features Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors. Monday, January 15, 2001 By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Players point and shoot as they jockey for position on the field. It's all fun and games at Hawaii All-Star Paintball as players come out of the woods to celebrate their field of dreams Paintball before politics By Burl Burlingame Star-Bulletin THERE'S a steady, hollow drumming -- thwip! thwip! thwip! -- as if vinyl hail is falling. And the stuttering chatter of air bursts. And the occasional shouted command, or cheer of victory. But other than that, standing at ground zero as 300 people engage in rapid-fire combat at close quarters is surprisingly quiet. Opening day at Hawaii All-Star Paintball drew hundreds of players from around the island yesterday in a benefit for Hawaii Food Bank. Owner Brandon Cayetano estimated about 1,500 cans of food were collected. By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Ray Contreras eyes the amunition being handed to him. The paintballs, decorated with spots and stripes, are lightweight, but sting when they hit. "Even the other fields shut down for today in support," said Cayetano. He stood atop a Matson container in the center of the playing fields, looking down into the arenas and occasionally shouting orders like the skipper of a pirate ship: "You! Yeah, you! Mask DOWN, brah! Safety first! You HEAR me?" Located on a largely ignored spit of landfill left over from freeway construction, Cayetano had a busy couple of months bulldozing and cleaning up the site. "You wouldn't believe the junk that was here," he said, shaking his head. By Blaine Fergerstrom, Star-Bulletin An overhead view of the paintball grounds. The field is divided into various arenas, each with varying obstacles and degrees of difficulty. The games are basically a variation of capture-the-flag. "When you get right down to it, it's just playing cowboys and Indians," he said. "Except that that you can spend a thousand dollars for your gear and get totally wrapped up in it." The paintballs themselves are surprisingly tough gelatin capsules the size of marbles, filled with water and biodegradable dye. They don't burst unless they strike the target dead-on. Otherwise, they bounce away. "Yeah, I suppose you could eat them," said Cayetano, eyeing the reporter who asks the question. "But why would you want to?" By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin From left, Alex Frederick, Jonathan Mita and Samuel Nolan, lock and load, preparing for an intergalactic shoot 'em up. Players checking out the facility were happy with it, not just for the challenging courses but because of the location. Wayne Kiyabu, by day a worker at Frito Lay, was introduced to paintball by his brother -- "I was hooked by the first night!" -- and says that Cayetano's course is "just what Hawaii needs. "It's awesome, no kidding. The main thing is that it's centrally located. All the other courses are off in the sticks. It wasn't until I began playing that I realized how big the phenomenon was." Sheryl Miyagawa, Serene Kubota and Heather Enomoto, all about 20 and coeds, were trying paintball for the first time, and were enthusiastic. "It was totally fun," said Miyagawa. "But I didn't know it would hurt! When you get hit by the paintball, it stings!" "My friends told me, wear as much as you can, and they weren't kidding," said Enomoto. "Oh, it's not that bad," huffed Kubota. "Fun has its price." By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Trisha Shimomi and Barry Tokuhama, paintball beginners, take a break to give each other support at the paintball field grand opening. Brad Rodrigues, by day a sales broker, began paintballing about a year ago. "My friends said, hey, try 'em, and I really got into it. "This central location will really help the game. It has a lot of space and is organized. A field like this will draw good people into the game." Paintball in Hawaii, although popular, has yet to tap into the lucrative tour or corporate market. Some companies sponsor games as a teambuilding exercise. Although Americans have led the paintball charge, Cayetano has seen a shift in Japanese attitudes. Even 10 years ago, Japanese visitors were crazy for target shooting, but wouldn't shoot at anything resembling a human," Cayetano said. "But that has changed." By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin A paintball warrior maneuvers for protection from being sprayed with lime green and fuchsia paint as he fires his weapon. How about videogames such as "Doom"? Have they made us more eager to shoot-'em-up? Cayetano shook his head. "Paintball is the antidote to videogames. It's out in the open. Fresh air and exercise. You're a target too. But mostly, there's no concept of teamwork in a videogame. You won't win in paintball unless you pull together." By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Brandon Cayetano prefers the blast of paint to that of the political ring. Son o’ da guv is paintball commander BRANDON Cayetano has no intention of following in father Ben's political footsteps, and the governor has never played paintball, his son's passion. But the two share the gift of gab. Press Cayetano's "paintball" button and he goes, like 60 m.p.h. His new paintball field debuted yesterday near Sand Island and finally brings the islands into the modern age of the newly professional sport. "I first went crazy for paintball back in '83, and opened a competitive field in Waimanalo," said Cayetano. "I ran it basically so my friends and I could have a good time playing. I lost it in the early '90s. "I didn't have enough business savvy at the time to run it. I was naive." Discouraged, Cayetano ignored the sport for several years and explored what he calls the "dark side" of life. "Yeah, I got estranged from my family and friends. I knew what it was like on the streets, what it's like to be hungry. It was defensive times. I got into trouble. "But slowly, with the help of my parents, I worked my way back. I trained under computer gurus and got my act together." By coincidence, he worked as human resources and safety manager at United Laundry Services before the owner became his father's second wife. In the meantime, the paintball scene in Hawaii had stagnated, Cayetano believed. It was time someone brought it up to date, and why not him? His experiences in the '90s made him much more aware of the financial aspects of running a business. "In 1983, only the United States played paintball. Today, it's played in 39 countries and it's a $4-billion-a-year industry." Paintball is like any other sport, Cayetano said. It requires discipline, training, awareness and organization. This is created by creating fields like simulated war zones, with varying obstacles and handicaps. Paintball on Oahu had turned into a "renegade" game, with guys running around in the woods, just blasting away at each other. "We spent a lot of time just trying to tell people we weren't mercenaries in training!" he laughed. "There can be a kind of rift between the newbies and the tournament-level players. The newbies can get whacked on. They get excited, and the pros just rail 'em, which can be humbling and bum them out," said Cayetano. He intends to keep everything as even-handed as possible at the new site. Hawaii All-Star Paintball is divided into three zones or "fields" on a spit of land makai of the freeway near Sand Island. "It was trash land," said Cayetano. "I noticed it more than a year ago, and started the permit process to convert it into a paintball park." And no, being the governor's son didn't open any bureaucratic doors, he claims. "In fact, I think being the governor's kid might have slowed things down," he said. One zone comprises ABS water-pipe obstacles, a scenario called "hyper-ball" on the mainland. Another is what Cayetano called an "air-field," filled with inflatable obstacles, delivered by an airline with just hours to spare Saturday. "Thirteen grand to fly in balloons," he moaned. The third is a chessboard of mounds and berms for players to scramble over. The entire site is ringed with netting to prevent stray paintballs from whacking the freeway overpass. "The range on these things is only about 25 to 30 yards anyway," he said. "When I first started out in paintball, the guns were like pump shotguns, slow and inaccurate. Now you can even buy paintball guns for $1,200 that have computer chips in them to control your fire rate, like an automatic." Most paintball guns, though, run about $150, and are accurate enough to put a pattern in a pie plate at 20 yards. On the mainland, Army and Marine Corps use a paintball course for combat training because it's cheaper and more impressive than laser weapons. "When you get hit by a paintball, you know it," Cayetano chuckled. Cayetano raised the funds himself, mainly with the help of paintball enthusiasts like himself. Many show up after their 9-to-5s and help out in the evenings, getting the course ready. While dad doesn't play paintball, he knows Brandon has a passion for it. "Any father would want his son to follow in his footsteps," Brandon said. "But I'm more comfortable as a private businessman. Some people, like my Dad, are born to excel in politics. But not me!" Click for online calendars and events. E-mail to Features Editor Text Site Directory: [News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Do It Electric!] [Classified Ads] [Search] [Subscribe] [Info] [Letter to Editor] [Feedback] © 2001 Honolulu Star-Bulletin http://starbulletin.com