To the blind man immersed in an otherwise silent undersea world, the sounds were like castanets in a lively paso doble.
"What is that?" he asked Griff Dempsey, the guide for his South Pacific Kayaks tour, when he emerged from his dip below the waves off the southern coast of Maui. "Where is it coming from?"
IF YOU GO …
TURTLE REEF TOUR
>> Check-in location: Makena Landing, Makena, Maui. Directions: From Wailea Resort, go south on Wailea Alanui Street. This road turns into Makena Alanui after crossing Kuakahi Street. Go about two miles, then turn right on Makena Road. Makena Landing is less than a half-mile down this road on the right.
>> Check-in time: 7 a.m.
>> Cost: $65 per person, including snacks and beverages; 25 percent discount for ages 5 to 9 (minimum age is 5). Kamaaina 10 and older receive a 10 percent discount.
>> Phone: 875-4848 on Maui or 800-77-OCEAN (62326)
>> Email: reserve@southpacifickayaks.com
>> Website: southpacifickayaks.com
>> Notes: Wear casual, comfortable clothes (including a swimsuit) that you don’t mind getting wet. Bring sunscreen, a hat and beach towel. South Pacific Kayaks also offers hikes; surfing, windsurfing and kiteboarding lessons; and five other kayaking tours. Through April, if they’re lucky, kayakers may see humpback whales, which winter in Hawaii. The company can also arrange customized tours.
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When he heard the man’s description, Dempsey had an inkling of what it was, but, intrigued, he decided to check it out for himself. "It never ceases to amaze me — how in tune with nature people become when they lose one of their senses," Dempsey said. "It took me longer to hear the clicking sounds than my blind guest, but eventually I heard them, too. As time passed they got louder. It turned out they were from a huge pod of spinner dolphins that came and swam with us for about half an hour!"
Dempsey used the exhilarating experience to discuss echolocation with his group of kayakers. That sensory system enables dolphins to determine the direction and distance of objects through the echo of high-pitched sounds that they emit. "The frequency travels through the water," Dempsey said, "and it’s very useful when the dolphins are hunting and navigating."
Born and raised in South Carolina, in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in Spartanburg, Dempsey took to the water at a young age. "I grew up by Lake Summit," he said. "In Hawaii, kids ride on the front of their dad’s longboard. When I was young, I rode on the front of my dad’s water skis. During the summer my family swam, fished and went canoeing, sailing and water-skiing on the lake."
In 1994, while attending Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina, near the resort area of Myrtle Beach, Dempsey discovered surfing. He’d wake up at sunrise to drive along the coast in search of the best waves. In order to have as many free days as possible to enjoy his newfound passion, he scheduled all his classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"The ocean became another great way for me to connect with nature," Dempsey said. "It was where I could relax and forget about the problems and stresses in my life. It’s still a haven for me. Today I’m in the ocean every day, and no two days are alike. I’ll never come close to mastering the ocean; I respect it too much to think that I have. I’ve gotten pretty good at predicting the outcomes of certain tides, swells and weather, but the ocean will be a lifelong study."
On South Pacific Kayaks’ Turtle Reef Tour, Dempsey has introduced the wonders of the sea to everyone from avid water lovers to suburbanites who’ve never been in the ocean before. Guests paddle 2.5 miles around Makena Bay — snorkeling at two spots and admiring views encompassing Hale-akala Volcano, Molokini islet, Lanai, Kahoolawe, an ancient heiau, 180-year-old Keawalai Congregational Church, multimillion-dollar homes and the vast Pacific.
Below the waves lie coral castles and myriad reef life of all shapes, sizes and colors. "The beauty of kayaking is we’re able to take people to areas that the large boats can’t get to," Dempsey said. "All we need is a sandy floor to set our anchors, whereas the big boats need moorings."
Among the creatures tourgoers might see are eels, dolphins, rays, octopuses, cleaner wrasses, puffer fish, ulua (crevalle), kumu (goatfish) and, of course, the tour’s namesake: the endangered honu, or Hawaiian green sea turtle.
"We guides have names for the turtles that we see regularly," Dempsey said. "One that stands out is Tripod. He’s a full-size male that has only three full flippers. He gets along fine with them, but his missing back flipper suggests he escaped from a predator in the nick of time!"
Throughout the three-hour excursion, Dempsey emphasizes the importance of being good stewards and protecting the fragile ocean environment. He advises participants not to stand or walk on the reefs, break and take coral, feed the marine animals or get closer than four feet to them.
"After all, we’re visiting their home," he said. "It’s important to remember we’re observers, not intruders. During this time of year, we have the most incredible seats to see the humpbacks. By law we’re not allowed to go within 100 yards of them, but they can come to us. As gigantic as they are, they’re gentle, serene and often curious. We’ve seen 45-foot whales swim right under our kayaks!"
South Maui’s calm ocean conditions, excellent visibility and perennial sunshine make the Turtle Reef Tour a year-round option for visitors. Dempsey gets the most satisfaction escorting clients who can’t swim or who have a fear of the ocean.
"I can tell right away if someone is overly nervous or scared," he said. "It’s great to see them transform as they swim beside a turtle. All of a sudden, they’re not scared anymore. They’re thrilled, they’re happy and the positive energy and confidence they exude is contagious. The people who come on the tour with the most fears leave with the most rewards."
Dempsey believes teaching visitors how to enjoy the ocean without harming it is key. He hopes they will then go on to help protect the sea and its inhabitants by sharing what they learned.
"Think of knowledge as a stone," Dempsey said. "Throw that stone into a still body of water and watch the ripples that form. Each concentric circle gets bigger and wider. It’s the perfect metaphor for the many lives that can be touched by one powerful message."
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Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Sta-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.