Honolua Bay is a gem in the crown of West Maui surf and snorkel spots. Rich in Hawaiian history and revered around the world for its crystal clear waters, beautiful lines of waves, and extraordinary snorkeling, Honolua Bay is a treasure and an area that should be preserved and accessible by all. Trilogy Excursions was thrilled to help support the care and preservation of this amazing area by hosting a fundraiser Save Honolua Sunset Sail on Saturday, December 5th.

The fully sold out event was attended by Maui locals and visitors alike who wanted to give back and support the impressive efforts of the Save Honolua Coalition. Dressed in their finest alohawear, guests boarded Trilogy II, our newest and largest catamaran based in Ma’alaea Harbor, just before the sun started to sink into the sea. As the group sailed off into the sunset, guests listened to ukulele music, spotted humpback whales and sipped on custom cocktails while they perused the many fine items available on our silent auction, whose proceeds all went directly to support the Save Honolua Coalition. Competition got fierce in the last few minutes of the auction, as both guests onboard and dedicated donators who remotely joined in placed bids on the fabulous items generously donated to the cause. Crew then served a multitude of tasty pupus as Tamara Paltin, president of the Save Honolua Coalition, offered thanks and talked story about the work that the Coalition will do with the funds raised. All in all, the event raised over $3,500 for the Save Honolua Coalition, which will go towards upkeep of the Bay and surrounding lands, and help provide portable restrooms for those who use and enjoy the Bay.

Honolua Bay’s open space and pristine marine ecosystem was threatened by commercial shoreline development for many years, and suffered eutrophication and invasive algae growth over the coral reefs due to sedimentation and runoff. However, public outcry and the community’s persistent and dedicated efforts eventually led to the purchase of Lipoa Point and adjacent land surrounding the Bay by the state in 2013.

Though this victory was a huge breakthrough for protecting Honolua, there is still much management and work to be done. The Save Honolua Coalition provides malama and efforts to keep the Bay and surrounding land clean, and pays to provide portable restroom facilities for users of Honolua Bay. This effort is especially important in that it makes Honolua Bay more accessible while also preventing human waste from entering the Bay and contaminating it. Trilogy Excursions was excited to have the opportunity to “sponsor a potty” in the silent auction, providing funds to clean and maintain a portable restroom.

Overall it was a great success!  An evening shared with Maui friends who all seemed extra cheerful, knowing that the proceeds of their ticket were going towards such a worthy cause. Do you represent a local nonprofit? Trilogy is always pleased to have the opportunity to help out in hosting fundraisers for community and environmental causes- contact gabe.lucy@sailtrilogy.com for information on how to hold such an event. Many mahalos go out to the Trilogy crew and the representatives from Save Honolua Coalition who made this event happen, to the many local restaurants, hotels and shops who donated silent auction items, to those who joined us from home to participate in the auction, and to our wonderful guests who joined us for this sunset sail fundraiser!