Lahaina gained fame in the early 1800s as a bustling whaling port. Ships lined the harbor, sailors roamed the streets and, for a time, Hawaii’s monarchy ruled the Islands from what then was the royal capital. Lahaina’s harbor is still lined with vessels, but today they cater to the tourist trade with diving, snorkeling and whale watching excursions.
Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures, founded more than 20 years ago to help protect humpback whales, has launched a new cruise focused on the colorful, epic history of Lahaina and West Maui. The tour brings a new dimension to the historic Lahaina walking tours that have long been available.
The Lahaina Legends & Lore History Cruise, a good family pick, is a relatively inexpensive, late-afternoon tour. It is conducted aboard Pacific Whale Foundation's new, high-tech catamaran Ocean Discovery, a vessel known for its ultra-smooth ride. The tour departs from Lahaina Harbor at 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and cruises the scenic West Maui coastline for
90 minutes.
During that time, passengers will "step back into time" through the power of songs, stories, chants and expert narration to experience Lahaina's riveting history, from the days of ancient Hawai`i to modern times. Passengers will hear whaling tales and stories about the influence of the trade, they’ll be introduced to the ancient island of Moku'ula where Hawaiian royalty headquartered, they’ll learn about the arrival of European explorers, Maui's first missionaries, and Lahaina’s role in World War II.
