Hanauma Bay is the center of many Hawaiian folklore stories. In fact the name itself means "Hana" or bay and "uma" or curved.
There is no fresh water supply in the area, so archeologists are sure no one lived there. However, there has been findings of campfires and fishing tools so we know it was a popular fishing spot.
It is known that the bay has been a favorite stomping grounds of the "alii" or the Hawaiian monarchs. Royalty have played and been entertained here since the early 1800's. Descendants of King Kamehameha such as Victoria Kamamalu frequented the bay and it was King Kamehameha V's favorite fishing place. In 1883 the land was given to Bernice Pauahi Bishop, great granddaughter of King Kamehameha I. She died in 1884 and the bay along with the rest of her land holdings were placed in her estate. In 1927 the estate deeded the bay to the City and County of Honolulu to serve as a recreational park.
We had a wonderful time as a family snorkeling here today. The fish were abundant, the coral is fascinating, sea urchins were everywhere...it's a really neat place to visit!!
