On a recent snorkel outing, Don and I took our new underwater housing for the video camera out for a test drive. The conditions were not the best for shooting, but we were rewarded with a little gift anyway. One of Maui's green sea turtles took shape in the murky water and lumbered slowly below us, nonchalant and nonplussed by our presence. If you look closely, you can see a flash of light as a fish discovers the algae snack on the turtle's back. All too soon, the two in tandem fade back into the murk.

The uniqueness of island life floats into my consciousness each time I get the opportunity to travel to another island. Late June it was a weekend stay on Lanai. From our Maui perspective, the island looks uninhabited. Nothing moves. No night lights; no tall buildings; no roads; no sign of life as we know it.

But signs of life do exist, especially if you choose to enjoy a ferry ride as your transport rather than enduring the hassle of catching an interisland plane. About an hour before loading, the dock in Lahaina slowly fills up with bulk toilet paper and huge bags of rice from a Costco run. Plastic coolers of groceries and beer. Lamps, ladders and furniture sit side by side with boogie boards and golf bags - a reminder that this tourist excursion is also a vital supply link and commuter transport for Lanai residents.