"It's whale soup out there"

This local blown glass whale tail (Makai Glass, Maui) is the image of one seen today from the Lanai Ferry as it crossed the channel between Manele Bay in Lanai and Lahaina.  The ferry ride over was rough and made whale watching difficult, but folks did report seeing whales and spouts, although I did not glimpse any.  The return trip a few hours later was even rougher, requiring us to sit inside the keep from being soaked, and yet I spotted a whale tail just like the above image about 30 feet off the starboard side where I was sitting, and further along a spout a little while later.   Our local-born tour guide from the Coconut farm a few days ago had asked us if we had seen whales yet, and Helen said she had seen some spouts.  He said in reply: "You should see them all the time--it's whale soup out there right now!"  And so the ferry allowed me to see some whale soup.

 
The island of Lanai, 97% owned by Larry Ellison of Oracle fame,  is a 45 minute ferry ride across the channel.  As we approach the island, we began to see steep vertical cliffs as we approach the bay side of the island. I am sure sea birds roost plentifully in those cliffs.

Stepping on the ferry at busy Lahaina near the Banyan Tree where people are thronging is a big difference when stepping onto Lanai, where the speed of everything is cut in half, and we walked slowly up a small grade for ten minutes to a lovely sandy beach, sparsely dotted with people, where dolphins are known to frolic. 

Just up from the beach is the Four Seasons Hotel, where we had lunch.  The gardens surrounding hotel are much like a botanical garden, with plant tags/signs identifying the species. One unusual plant--tree-like--was covered with bees sipping the nectar.

Waiting for the ferry to return to pick us up that afternoon, we spotted the Hawaiian cardinal (actual two) that was  hanging around the boarding area.  One was gregarious, and chose to play with a sparrow-like bird that was hoping we would drop crumbs.

This cardinal is a cuties, a real high stepper: