ULIULI KAI HOLO KA MANŌ: Where the sea is dark, sharks swimįor many decades, the fishing vessels, both commercial and recreational, have had a habit of throwing overboard their filleted fish carcasses and unused bait along this path. Even with the threats of numerous vessels racing above, tiger sharks congregating in the vicinity, and popularity of scuba divers swimming in the bay, the Spinner Dolphins are seen resting and sleeping frequently. It is a widely held belief that spinner dolphins need quiet and undisturbed rest to regain their energy for their nighttime open ocean fish hunts.Yet against this conventional wisdom, they still elect to use this busy harbor mouth as a place of rest and sleep. Again, this is the busiest bay along 190 km of coastline, yet large pods of dolphins still elect to use this bay as a daytime resting site. The bay also offers the most wonderful anomaly in my opinion: Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris Hn: Naia) that frequent the bay for resting and sleeping. This is also a great place to view Flying Gurnards (Dacttylotena orientalis Hn: Loloa’u) and be mesmerized by their colorful wings. Various forms of crab and mantis shrimp hide in the sand. A large population of Hawaiian Garden Eels (Gorgasia hawaiiensis) populate the sandy bottom, They sway uniformly with the water flow to catch prey floating by. The coral ledge gives way to an all sand bottom that also hides a wealth of marine life. Spotted Eagle Rays (Aetobatus narinari Hn: Hīnīmanu) fly about like birds of prey, visiting the numerous cleaning stations that are frequented by many other fish, including Manta Rays (Manta birostris Hawaiian: Hāhālua).ĭiving and observing everyday for a whole year is needed to view all the various fish and invertebrates living in this area, especially inside the coral structure.The path through the coral, heading towards the green buoy, ends when the coral ledge meets a large sand shelf at 20m. Schools of Yellowfin Goatfish (Mulloidichthys vanicolensis Hn*: week ‘ula), Raccoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula Hn: kīkākapu), and Heller’s Barracuda (Sphyraena helleri Hn: Kawele’ā) are found at their usual spots on the reef. Humuhumu-nukunuku-āpua’a (Reef Triggerfish Rhinecanthus rectangles), the official State Fish of Hawaii, are aggressive to anyone who swims within vicinity of their nests. As you jump off the lava rock, you are immediately part of a young and healthy coral reef ecosystem. On any given day, the usual players can easily be found. The wealth of nature along this path boggles many marine naturalists and scientists. If you could remove the water from the bay, you would see an expansive underwater coral reef playground. Underwater, the amount of biodiversity along this path is greater than in most hikes through dense rain-forests. THE NATUREĪs vessels leave the harbor mouth, a single green buoy, an aid to navigation, assists their path. At the “wash down” area, many different vessels gather to either begin their preparations for the work day ahead or are finishing the clean up from hours, days, or even weeks at sea. Starting many hours before dawn and through the hours after midnight, vessels enter and leave the harbor. Of the approximate 190 km of shoreline along the west side of the Big Island, this is the busiest bay. The lava rock was blasted with dynamite and carved with large hydraulic chisels to form a protective harbor that houses more than 230 vessel slips. The harbor proper, where the vessels are sheltered, was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1970. The bay has been called many names: “Crescent Beach”, “Alua Bay”, “Dog Beach” (because dogs are allowed to run here), “Naked Beach” (since it was once a nude beach), “The Can Dive” (for the infamous green aid to navigation), “Manta Ray Bay” (because manta rays frequent the cleaning stations), “The Harbor”, and now, as I call it in summer, “Tiger Alley.” Nested inside Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, along the southern boundary, an anomaly of nature exists. From my many years of personal experience diving this bay, I knew it would be another pristine day just outside the Harbor. The sea is calm and the air still as we load our gear onto our vessel. Inside Honokohau harbor, the busiest harbor on the Big Island of Hawaii, numerous commercial and recreational vessels begin their preparations for their day’s activities on the ocean. The Hammerhead Shark has the lowest selling price of 8000 Bells and the Great White Shark with the highest selling price of 15000 Bells, Shark Island's starting to sound like a gold mine.Another summer day in Hawaii begins with the sun cresting over the ridge of Mauna Loa. Sharks are some of the rarest and most expensive fish available in the game, so getting to Shark Island is a great way to earn bells and complete your Critterpedia! Why Go to Shark Island? Sharks are Rare and Expensive
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