We committed to spend more time with the turtles before leaving the island and started feeling like we are quickly running out of days! I'm know it's crazy to drive 30-40 minutes out of the way for stick donuts at Komoda's, but I just couldn't depart Maui without them!
Luckily my family (somewhat) supports my obsession (to a point)! We got there an hour after opening and got plain, coconut and sugar. It actually pains me to purchase donuts from this place because the ladies that work behind the counter aren't friendly AT ALL, but the donuts are too good to pass up!
Then we set up camp for a few hours right next to the Honu Resting Zone. We talked to a few volunteers from the Hawaii Wildlife Fund that oversee this area to keep the turtles protected. Over 80 turtles use this beach as a resting spot on almost a daily basis. More frequent it near sunset, but they come and go throughout the day. They won't lay their eggs here because it is too populated and noisy, so they travel nearly 500 miles to do that.
Slowly, but surely, turtles would appear out of the water and make what appeared to be a struggle up to dry land. Most seemed to rest for between half an hour to an hour and then would turn around and struggle back into the water.
As the morning progressed, more and more turtles made a presence. There was just something so peaceful and captivating about them. I could have stayed all day!
A once in a lifetime experience for sure!
The girls were content eating dinner in the room tonight so Matt and I parked at Whaler's Village and walked the Kaanapali Beach path and watched the sunset at Black Rock.
It seemed like each sunset outdid the last!
