Harlequin Shrimp!

[1fmauichef]

Aloha,
anybody seen a/pair of Harlequin Shrimp from West or South Maui shore Dive spots?

I regularly dive West Maui on my day's off and have been looking in every crack, craves, nook, cranny & under every rock for the last 3-4 months since returning from Kauai and seeing my first Harlequin but, still to no avail....

Just curious if anybody has had any better recent luck????

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Yes I know where a pair live along the south Maui shore. If you still have no luck by the time I return to Maui (late Sept) I'll take you to see these two if you like!

Good luck!!

Sean

 

[1fmauichef]

Mahalo for the reply. Thats good news.... Hope there still there when you get back I know they don't move around very much so the odds should be pretty good I assume.

Hit me with a PM when you get back. Safe travels to you.....

 

[KrisB]

I've seen one at Ulua; and there's a spot near the "Turtle Valley" -- I call it "Wilson's Mooring" because the ball has a coral head growing off of it that makes it look like Wilson from Castaway -- mooring at Nahuna Point (Makena Landing / Five Graves area). I've also heard people mention they have seen them in a specific spot at Wailea Point.

 

[1fmauichef]

Glad to here there out and about... I need to venture down to Kihei more often and go for a swim. I've done five graves a couple of times but never Ulua. All my friends who live in Kihei don't dive and all my dive buddy's live up here on the west side and don't really dive south shore to much.

Thankxx for putting the bug in my head maybe I'll make the trek soon.

Aloha

 

[JGibbs]

Saw a pair at Kapalua Bay. Can't be anymore specific than that though. Sorry.

 

[DiveMaven]

We saw a pair both at Red Hill and Wailea Point last Christmas...but I suppose that's not much of a help.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

The only pair I've ever seen was at Ulua, in the antler coral head that used to be just across the sand crossing. One was out near the end and scrambling, so I noticed it and spotted it's mate tucked in deeper. Then a small white mouth moray snaked out from the trunk and snatched him up. One colorful little claw floated down to the bottom and I never saw the other one after that.

Worst part was I felt like the eel got an assist from me, 'cause my close buzz distracted the shrimp.

 

[blesi varney]

Sean- the pair at Five Graves are still there, although some of the branches of the antler coral have been broken off. There is another pair close to the deeper mooring.

Divemaven- The pair at Wailea Pt are still there.

These 2 are from Molokini Reef's End. Notice the Blue Dragon Nudibranch to the left of the photo.

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

Great photo!!! I wish I could see them out in the open... Maybe the deeper mooring at 5 graves has easier access for photos? How about at Reef's End... are they still there? Thanks for confirming their existence Blesi!

Sean