Maui Vacation - 'Iao Valley & Maui Ocean Center

We wanted to see a new part of the island and do a little hiking so we started our trip with a visit to the 'Iao Valley State Monument.

The world is your stage.

Windy day at the Maui Ocean Center.  Daddy was a little reluctant to visit another aquarium, but this one surpassed our expectations and we loved it!

Seahorses!

The staff was measuring and weighing the sea turtles while we were there so we stopped to watch for awhile.

This guy had to get into the tank to retrieve the turtles to be measured.

My brave little girl, you got up and went to the microphone with a question all on your own:  "Where did you get the turtles from?"  Which was a great question.  I'm not sure if I'm going to remember this perfectly, but they work with a scientist who cares for all of the eggs and once they hatch, he keeps 6 to study, gives 6 to the aquarium, and releases the rest into the wild.  They keep the 6 turtles for 2 years, and then get a new set from another batch of eggs.

This tunnel was the coolest thing ever.  I could have sat here all day.

The diver was an employee who got in the tank to feed the fish and assist another diver with a presentation for the exhibit.  He was waving at the kids and got the rays to swim up the side of the tunnel a few times so that it went right in front of us.

Fun, fun, fun!