My brother Billy took a rare day off of work last week for his birthday. He and his family took a sailing/snorkeling trip up the West Maui coastline. Along the way, they saw a number of Honu or Hawaiian Sea Turtles.

Honu were at one time an extremely threatened species due to hunting pressure. The Honu population has rebounded over the last decade or so, but it remains vulnerable to disease. Honu sightings are especially common this time of year when turtles seem to be concentrated closer to the shoreline. No matter how often I see a Honu when I am out on the water, I always feel extremely lucky to be in the presence of these gentle animals.