Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay is a protected marine life conservation area and is known in Oahu as a prime snorkeling location.  The geography of the area is so unique - it is a sunken and highly eroded volcano cone.  The bay is a completely protected semi-circle, or cove, on O'ahu's south eastern point.  The bay is warm and shallow and shelters a vital coral reef.

We woke early to enter the park.  Once the parking lot is filled, which usually happens mid-morning, they close off the park to new visitors.  We were there by 9:00, and after the line and the mandatory video screening and the hike down we were on the beach by 10.

The snorkeling was great!  A beautiful diversity of fish and other sea creatures (marine life isn't exactly my specialty, but I appreciated the array of color on the fish).  We spent the day snorkeling and when we tired we rested and read on the beach.  A great day, full of 75 SPF sunscreen :).

The view from our spot on the beach.  The mountainous peak beyond the ridge of the cove is Koko Crater, a cinder cone, the remnant of a dormant volcano.  Check out the really nice photo of the two cones I found on Wikipedia.