Difficulty
beginner
Viz (last reported 14333h ago)
Max Depth
30ft
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Black Rock
Black Rock was formed from one of the last-gasp lava flows on this side of the island. It is a rocky outcrop at the far North end of Ka’anapali Beach and blocks off access (from the beach) to the lesser-known Ka’anapali Resort beach called Kahekili Beach Park. The Hawai’ian name for Black Rock is Pu’u Keka’a, and ancient Hawaiians believed that this was the place where their spirits went to jump off to join ancestors forever. Unlucky souls who could not be shown the way by their family ‘aumakua (guardian animal spirit), would wander and attach themselves to rocks in the area. This is likely where the “it is bad luck to take a Hawai’ian lava rock” superstition comes from.
This is also a popular spot for cliff jumping. If you are cliff jumping, swim to the far side of the rock and climb up from there. It's much more challenging and dangerous to reach the rock by click up it from shore.
Access
shore
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Chris Larkby
Jun 18, 2018, 12:00 AM
scuba
Walked from Kaanapali Ocean Inn, Lahaina, Maui, HI north to Black Rock in Lahaina, Hawaii. Offered cracked Adobo nuts but nobody was interested. Saw sea slugs, sea urchins, red parrot, penant fish, yellow tang, juvenile puffer, and either Surgeon Fish or Parrot fish. Needlefish were common on the surface. Saw a blue trumpet fish that I initially mistook for one fish eating another. Got to hover over a green sea turtle who was grazing on vegetation. Continued to swim around the corner where it got deep. Looked down on huge school of fish. The best snorkeling I ever did is early 1990s Cozumel in front of the Coral Princess before the hurricane. Also Dahab. Black Rock isn't that good. The problem with Black Rock is lack of color and lack of soft coral. Other than that, Black Rock is pretty good.
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