Scary On

This morning we sailed into Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. We had booked a snorkeling excursion with Sea Quest Excursions. This was the only port on this trip where we had to take a tender boat to reach the shore.

Since we were on the first morning excursion we had to be on the first tender from the ship and we were there in no time. The snorkeling excursion began from the Keauhou Bay and we took a free shuttle in a trolley aka matu vandi (as named by baby bro).

We were soon in an inflatable raft slicing through the water. The trip by itself was an adventure. It was like being on a water roller coaster and we were hanging on to our dear lives. The coastline filled with numerous sea caves and amazing beauty. Zipping along the pristine clear waters we were rewarding with sightings of the winter time Hawaii visitors – the humpback whales from the cold Arctic waters. There is a certain amount of awe as we saw these enormous creatures.

We zipped through to the Captain Cook Monument in Kealakekua Bay. The history behind it is intriguing and bloody. It raises more questions than we have answers for. The bay is a marine sanctuary for years and that this is the place where they filmed a scene for “Finding Nemo”.

We also had a chance to snorkel along the Honaunau Bay which is another historic site. Under the clear waters it is a different world. Thriving coral reefs, tropical fishes… to feast our eyes on. This is the area known for the green sea turtles – Honu. Unfortunately we did not see any.

The sea caves and lava tubes doting the coast are really fascinating and the lores and legends associated with them make it more interesting. It was a wonderful trip and another highlight of the trip. And just when we thought the trip was over we spotted the Hawaiian spinner dolphins. These were such adorable creatures and they swam just next to our raft. It took all all I can, to control myself and not try to touch these wild creatures!

It was a four hour trip and we would recommend Sea Quest for anyone who wants to enjoy the Kona Coast whether you snorkel or not. After a great trip we were back in the ship for lunch and some R&R. We enjoyed a wonderful American diner lunch at the Blue Lagoon on the ship, feasting on burgers, fries, mac n cheese… yummy!

There was always something on the ship to keep us entertained, be it lounging by the pool, taking a dip in the hot tub or playing table tennis or learning some Hawaiian crafts! It was so much fun! We were just too lazy to head back to the land and stayed on ship.

We headed to Papas Italian Kitchen for dinner and enjoyed the family style dining at Papas. Lasagnas, Fettuccines and triamisus later we were too stuffed to move out. But we had late night plans too. A visit to the spa for a Hawaiian style lomi-lomi massage for V and a date with the illusionist for the men. Both were really great and wonderful. Memories we will carry with us forever!

Our vacation was coming to an end soon. Our last port of call – Kauai soon up!

The Road to Hana is one of Maui’s famous tourist attractions. The 68-mile long stretch encompassing Hawaiian highways 36 and 360 connecting Kahului and Hana is known for its narrow, winding roads with breathtaking scenery. The route consists of around 56 bridges of which more than 45 are one lane bridges. Driving through lush rainforest is beautiful but adding picturesque blue waters and beaches make it magical. The 60+ miles to Hana normally takes around 2.5 hours to 3 hours with no stops and a typical tourist takes 5 hours to reach Hana. And we took 7 hours to reach Hana!

On our Chrysler Sebring we were off. Our first stop was at wind surfing capital of the world, Hoopika Beach. Pristine blue waters doted by men and women riding the waves , white sands and the trees make this a wonderful spot for people watching and a picnic. We stopped for a few minutes before heading off. Time is precious when you are on a cruise ship and you are heading off to Hana with a photographer-in-tow.

And off we went. All along nature showcased at its best and with the top of in our rental we were able to smell the wet earth and the powerful waves slashing the rocks. It is an experience and an amazing one. The whispering and waving bamboo forests, the cascading waterfalls, the beaches were all spectacular. The black sand beach with the sea arch and blowhole was probably the best part of the trip. The Ke`ane Peninsula with its very powerful waves slashing against the volcanic rocks made it a sight to be remembered.

We stopped along the way enjoying local favorites, sugarcane juice with ginger, hot from the oven moist banana nut bread and shave ice! Yummy! We had some rain along the way and the top came on and off.

And finally we were in Hana, a small town and just beyond it we entered the Haleakala National Park. This is the location of the seven scared pools, this is a series of lovely waterfalls and tranquil pools trails through the O’heo Gulch and into the ocean. Unfortunately due to a heavy inflow of water the pools were closed for swimming. But we did walk along the trails and enjoy the beauty of the place.

It was past 3.30 when we were ready to head out of the National Park and we wanted to get moving and hit the winding roads when there was light. And off we went. Non-stop winding roads and if you are prone to motion sickness this is not the road for you and the driving does tend to get difficult. So caution is recommended.

We were back at the harbor and at the ship by 6pm. We decided to head for a sit-down dinner at one of ship’s main restaurants – Alizar. It was decent food in a spectacular but overcrowded dining area. We were lucky to get a table for ourselves and enjoy the meal.

And I need to add this, more a personal joke but for memories sake. This is where we first met ” the captain” aka the ship photographer. Well the “captain” made it his job to interupt conversations and private moments to click pictures. Well the one he took of us that day in Alizar was the best. Baby bro KA had a grudge against poor captain and baby bro had his sweet revenge later in the cruise.

And that was day five and we were half done with our vacation!