Monthly Archives: February 2023

Adventure of a Lifetime

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The gift was from my son Erik and his wife Katie. They had just been to the Big Island of Hawaii and knew that I was enamored with all the fun outdoor activities they did on their trip. “This check is for you to pick your own special adventure,” they explained.

I spent hours researching snorkeling tours, kayak trips, sunset cocktail cruises and other ideas, eager to pick just the right one. Finally I settled on a kayak trip to explore sea caves. I was excited about the idea, knowing it was something I couldn’t do on my own and would be unique to this locale. Yet I just couldn’t make myself book the tour.

It was the High Surf warnings that haunted me. Easily prone to seasickness, I despaired that being tossed around in the high seas would unsettle me, and leave me heaving over the side of my kayak. The tour guidelines included children down to age five, and I tried to reason with myself. If a five year old can do this, surely I can? But those waves…

As our remaining days on the island dwindled, it became a now or never deal. I poured way too much nervous energy into my deliberations until Rich, tired of this game, gave me a giant shove. “Just book it, Molly. You’ll be fine.” So I did.

The day dawned sunny and I tried to convince myself the ocean was a bit calmer. Rich delivered me to the dock to meet my tour at 9:00am, and I took heart in the variety of fitness levels of the eight other participants. If they can do it, I can, I repeated. Our guide Jasmine oozed confidence and experience along with her associate Lila, as they gave us instructions for getting in the water and launching our kayaks. It was a stroke of luck that I was the odd person out, and given a single kayak to pilot – much to my glee.

We started out in the narrow calm bay forming a flotilla while Jasmine briefed us on the safety protocols and plans for our outing. Kim announced that she had her cell phone and would happily take photos. Having left mine behind (no more floating treasures for me, thank you) I happily added my phone number to her list to text the pictures. With that, we launched.

As we left the bay, the water became wavier and more turbulent, but nothing I couldn’t handle. The paddling and excitement was enough to keep my stomach calm, and I eagerly glided along the coast with the group. Reaching an inlet, Jessica waited for the kayaks to regroup, and we floated gently on the lightly rolling seas. Before we had time to proceed, movement in the water caught her attention.

“It’s a humpback whale!” she shouted. “We’re going to follow it!”

Sure enough, we could see spouting water and whale backs surfacing as they swam, close enough to easily recognize, but still in the distance. Before long, Jessica spun her head around and we did the same. “Over there! More whales!” And off we went in that direction.

When the action quieted, Jessica addressed the group. “This is amazing! Do you mind if we totally change our tour, and chase whales instead of going to see the sea caves?”

“No! Let’s do it!” came the resounding response.

As if to validate our choice, three whales swam right in front of us, alternately surfacing and blowing in a line, then flipping their flukes. We could hear the expelling air and they felt almost close enough to touch. Suddenly, Jessica jumped in the water with her face mask. “They swam right underneath us!” she exclaimed. Just the thought of those giant creatures below was thrilling.

The trio of whales stayed close by, swimming in the area. From a little further away, they waved their fins, expressing joy we were told. Jessica jumped in again and reported that she could hear them singing under water! That was enough to get me in the water, and I did hear their faint sounds. Was this really happening?

We continued to see whales throughout the three hours we spent out on the water. Away from the shore it was nearly calm, and we could easily spot them when they broke the surface. One whale even poked his head out of the water, which Jessica told us was called spyhopping.

Throughout all this activity, Kim doggedly snapped photos. This one – her best whale shot – epitomizes the experience!

Gradually the whales moved off and although they never got that close again, just experiencing the activity from a kayak was enough for me.

As we made our way back to shore, the wave action increased again and pummeled the shoreline with its breaking surf. We all had to dig deep to push through the water, sometimes riding the waves sometimes battling.

Once back in the calm bay, I could see Rich at a distance shooting photos as we returned triumphant.

I have Erik and Katie to thank for this grand experience. Without their gift, I am certain I would have given in to my fears and successfully talked my way out of that tour. But I couldn’t let them down. I had to use it for its intended purpose. And boy did I get their money’s worth. It wasn’t just a Hawaiian adventure, it was the adventure of a lifetime!

The Other Side of the Island

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It was time to move on. After 10 days on the “wet” side of the Big Island of Hawaii, lush with its tropical greenery, waterfalls and proximity to the active volcano, we had five days to spend in Kona on the “dry” side. Or as I thought of it, the side with the beaches and water activities.

We took the longer route along the south shore to see some of the sights. As we drove, the landscape changed back and forth between thick greenery and drier brown open land, with some in-between farmland. A visit to Punalu’u black sand beach revealed a beautiful setting with tranquil spots to hang hammocks beneath the palm trees, and lava formations to explore on the shoreline. In contrast, our trip down to the South Point took us through more barren land and a long, unpopulated road. I insisted we walk down to the southernmost point in the US, but other than bragging rights, there was little to see. Rich was far more enthusiastic about a roadside stand we passed.

Continuing up the west side of the island, we had splendid views of the ocean. But the real transformation happened as we neared Kona. We had left behind the quiet environs of the east side and entered the popular center of activity, evidenced by the long stretches of condos intermingled with beaches and parks. Traffic increased as well, as we shared this part of the island with more tourists than we’d seen so far. But it had its payoffs too.

Walking into our condo, I was immediately drawn out onto the deck of our 4th floor unit. The ocean pulsed beneath me as waves crashed on the lava shoreline and a gaggle of surfers floated out in the water awaiting the next big wave. The sun shone down, the palm trees graced the landscape – a picture of perfection! With a quick trip to the grocery store for supplies, we threw together dinner in time to perch on the deck to watch the sunset.

This is the water I had come to see and experience. With our own private viewing spot, we opted for take-out or cooking most nights to enjoy it in unhurried solitude. I spent my breakfast time in the same spot.

I was eager to get in the water and do some snorkeling and kayaking. But Mother Nature had other ideas. High Surf Warnings prevailed throughout our time in Kona, which thrilled the surfers who populated every beach around, and I found highly entertaining. But the big waves precluded more sedate forms of water sport. Even so, the big ocean still dominated our visit.

To date, my attempt to see sea turtles had been unsuccessful. Rich’s research turned up good reports at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park. After a mile long hike through unshaded terrain we reached the ocean. There we found large tidal pools and three lethargic sea turtles snoozing on the opposite side. We were able to get close without disturbing them. While Rich pursued birds, I ventured over to a nice beach, wishing I’d brought my swim suit as it was one of the few times we found quiet water.

We did manage to go snorkeling one time. I was interested in visiting Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, which had the added attraction of a good snorkeling spot right across the road. It is commonly known as Two Step for its relatively easy entry into the water. We carefully placed all our goods in the trunk of the car (theft is common at parking spots) and headed down to the beach with only our towels, car keys and snorkeling gear. We secured the keys in a waterproof pouch which Rich slid into the back pocket of his swimsuit, and closed the velcro tab. The two steps were as easy to navigate as advertised, and soon we were flippering through the water and ogling bright yellow fish in enormous schools. The longer we swam, the more we saw – black and white angelfish and larger fish with bright blue spots. We bounced in mild waves and enjoyed the view below, treasuring our time with the local fish.

When it came time to get out, our luck changed. We must have hit a particularly large swell of waves. As we approached shore, the surf threatened to press us against the rocks. Rich got caught in a crevice and the waves thrashed him about before he could gain hold to hoist himself out of the water. Just as I was struggling to approach the shore safely, he shouted out to me – “Molly, the car keys!” I couldn’t see a thing through my goggles, but grasped the reality that the keys had come out of his pocket and were miraculously floating nearby. With a lucky grab I had them in my hand, and managed to climb out during a lull in the waves. That was a rental car disaster narrowly avoided!

On shore I found Rich covered in blood, and loudly explaining to the shocked observers, “It’s not as bad as it looks!” Due to the blood thinners he takes for his heart, a tiny cut on his elbow bled like crazy, and the water spread it all over his arms and legs. As soon as I could get him a towel, he cleaned up quickly and we nervously laughed over the excitement. The tumble took its toll, however, shaking him up and leaving him bruised and sore. It’s a snorkeling adventure we wouldn’t soon forget!

We still made a visit to the historical park afterwards. A very informative video in an outdoor theater gave us background on this place of refuge. In ancient times, any Hawiian who broke the kapu – sacred laws – faced certain death, unless they could reach a spiritual sanctuary. There they sought absolution from a priest in order to return safely to society. Today it still serves as a special place of refuge. Rich chose to rest in one of the tented shelters while I walked the grounds – his own safe haven it seemed, to come to grips with his recent personal misadventure.

On a brighter note, we spent my birthday dinner at Magics Beach Grill, nestled oceanside where the sun made a colorful descent and the surfers persisted until dark. Just as the other side of the island should be.