HAWAII PART 2: NA-MAKA-O-KAHA’I, GODDESS OF THE SEA

 

We spent the final two weeks of our trip on Hawaii’s Big Island.  The first week we planned to take it easy and do some scuba diving near Kona.  Then we’d head to the northeast side of the island to backpack from the Waipio cliffs to Waimanu Beach.  We’d finish the trip in Volcanoes National Park, where we were hoping to see hot, flowing lava.

 

AMERICAN IDLE

 

We landed at the Kona airport Sunday evening.  Once again, our baggage arrived with us.  We picked up our Dodge Neon from Dollar Rent-A-Car, and headed north towards Waikaloa Beach.  We were spending the next five nights really roughing it, as we’d be car camping at the Marriott Waikaloa Beach Resort. 

 

The evening’s first surprise came while we were checking in.  We had reserved a Garden View room, because we are poor and were already out of our league at the Marriott.  To give you an idea of our standards, we consider $20 at the KOA pricey.  So anyway, while we were checking in, the clerk announced that we had been given a free upgrade to an ocean front room because we were on our honeymoon!  I had only been hoping for a bottle of champagne!  I am now a Marriott fan for life. 

 

The room was fantastic.  We had a great view from the Lanai (i.e. balcony) out over the pool and grounds to the ocean.  After unpacking, we drove north up the coast to the harbor town of Kawaihae.  We had some pretty good Mexican food at Tres Hombres, before heading back to the resort.  On the way, Christy spotted something you don’t see every day.  We passed a shiny new Cadillac, and the guy driving it didn’t have shirt on.  Only in Hawaii.

 

Our biggest athletic achievement on Monday was getting up early and running 3 or 4 miles.  The heat was brutal, despite a nice breeze and the early hour.  The run was scenic though, as it featured unobstructed views of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.  Both volcanoes are just short of 14,000 feet, and early in the morning, their tops were not yet hidden in the clouds.  During my run, I saw an unusual highway sign.  It said, “joggers, for your safety, please use walkway”.  The “walkway” in question was a trail composed of irregular lava rocks.  Running on it would’ve been asking for a sprained ankle or worse, so I stayed on the road.

 

After our run, we eased into our life of leisure.  This started with a visit to the elaborate (and free!) breakfast buffet.  We had eggs, and fried rice, and hashbrowns, and bacon.  Lots of bacon.  In fact, I had bacon every morning for a week.  Our plan was to stuff ourselves at breakfast and skip lunch, so we could afford dinner.  The only hazard was the danger of cholesterol poisoning, but some risks are worth taking.

 

After our feeding, we headed out to the beach.  We had selected the Marriott largely because it had an actual beach on the property.  This is surprisingly rare on the Big Island.  Most of the coast is very rocky, and parks surround most of the beaches.  This beach was quite nice, though it was quite a change from Kalalau.  Instead of naked hippies, we were surrounded by clothed (thankfully) families, many of whom had spent too much time at the breakfast buffet.  Oh well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

 

We relaxed on the beach until we got bored.  Then we moved to the pool.  After that we visited the hot tub, before retreating to the pool once again.  Later, we rewarded ourselves for a day well spent by driving back to Kawaihae for pizza at Café Pesto.  The food was excellent, but we headed back early.  We wanted to get plenty of sleep before our scuba diving trip the next morning.

 

AND NOW, FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

 

We had breakfast early Tuesday before driving back to Kona to go scuba diving.  We had reservations with Jack’s Diving Locker for 2 guided boat dives.  We checked in early, met our guides, and tried on our rental gear.  Eventually we piled into a van for the drive up to the harbor.

 

I was a little nervous.  To date, my scuba diving experience consisted of a few hours in a swimming pool, plus a little time in a quarry.  I’d never been deeper than 25 feet, and I’d never dived in the ocean.  In fact, I’d never even been on a boat in the ocean!  Fortunately, the guides from Jack’s did a great job taking care of us.  Their operation is very professional.  They briefed us about the dive on the boat ride, set up our gear for us, and took good care of everyone underwater.

 

The boat ride turned out to be a highlight.  We had just left the harbor when the captain spotted dolphins jumping just ahead.  These were Spinner Dolphins, and they were eager to demonstrate the reason for their name.  Each time they arced out of the water, they performed a twist.  I’m not sure what function this really serves, except perhaps to show off, but it was a great show.

 

After a 15-minute ride, we reached our first dive site at Dottie’s Ledge.  We split into 2 groups of six and geared up.  Before long, we were in the water.  We used a fixed rope to descend, which was easier than going down in open water. 

 

I tried to avoid thinking about how unnatural this was.  There I was, far below the surface of the ocean, breathing.  It was a bit creepy, but I tried to stay relaxed.  Oddly, my only real discomfort was thirst.  This was probably my first outdoor activity that didn’t require bringing water!  I would have to ignore my thirst until I got back to the boat.

 

Our first dive went to a depth of 60’, but the visibility was still startlingly clear.  The water was so blue, it was hard to believe we were that far underwater.  We generally stayed with the guide as he led us through a fantastical underwater world of rock formations, pinnacles, and passageways.  Along the way, we saw all kinds of tropical fish, sea urchins, and fascinating coral formations.  I was the first diver to head up though, as I ran low on air quickly.  While I was waiting on the boat, the captain suggested that I focus on controlling my breathing and staying relaxed.  I vowed to take his advice so that my next dive would last longer.

 

Once everyone returned, we had subs for lunch and relocated to another dive site.  The surf had gotten rougher, and Christy got a little nauseous on the boat ride.  She decided to tough it out and make the second dive though.

 

Our second dive was at Eel Garden.  This area wasn’t as interesting, but we saw more sea creatures.  As you might guess, eels were abundant, including one black & white spotted Moray Eel with an open mouth full of razor sharp teeth.  The guide also showed us a couple of tiny pipefish hiding in the crevice of a rock.  Then he found a beautiful polished Conch Shell that he gave to me.  The highlight may have been a huge swarm of yellow butterfly fish that followed us around.  On this dive, I focused on controlling my breathing, and the technique worked.  My air lasted a lot longer, and Christy actually returned to the boat ahead of me.

 

We returned to Kona by mid-afternoon, and spent a couple of hours walking through town and checking out the shops.  I wasn’t interested in actually buying anything, but we did find a painting we couldn’t resist.  It featured a sea cave and the Pacific surf.  It was so reminiscent of our home on Kalalau, we had to have it.

 

Our shopping was interrupted by a 30-minute shower, which was the first significant rain we’d seen in Hawaii.  We had a pretty good dinner at the Pacific Rim Tai restaurant before heading back to the resort.  When we arrived, it was time to find out if my camera was ruined.  I put the batteries and memory card back in, and turned it on.  It came on without any problems, and worked fine!  What a relief!

That night, I was checking out my new Conch Shell, when I saw something moving deep inside it.  I thought it was just an empty shell, but it turns out it was still occupied.  I didn’t feel right about letting the conch die, so we walked back down to the beach.  I hated to let it go, but tossed it back out into the ocean anyway.

 

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE UNDERWATER KIND

 

We had more diving scheduled on Wednesday, but not until the afternoon.  That morning, we decided to explore the various historical sites in the Waikaloa Beach area.  We started with a short hike on The Kings Trail, which ironically follows the edge of the golf course before traversing an ancient lava field.  Here we found small cave shelters and hundreds of Petroglyphs.  The carvings were of people and animals, or various mysterious geometric shapes.  There were even some more recent carvings that served as ancient highway signs.  The Kings Trail originally ran for miles along the west side of the Big Island.  These carvings indicated the distance ahead to the next town.

 

After our tour of the Petroglyph Fields, we checked out some of the sites on the Marriott property.  Between the pool and the beach, a royal Hawaiian fishpond has been preserved.  Nearby were the remains of temples and other buildings.  This was all amid a setting of palm trees and native wildflowers.  Inside the lobby, we found a preserved Outrigger Canoe that was used as a fishing vessel in the 1800’s.

 

We headed back to Jack’s early that afternoon.  Our diving plan for that day was for a late afternoon dive, followed by a light dinner and a night dive.  The goal of the night dive was to see Manta Rays.  We were both excited at the prospect of seeing such awesome creatures.

 

This time, our rental gear included giant flashlights.  This would be critical, once we were 40’ underwater in total darkness.  Before long, we were back on the boat, heading out to the Manta Ray dive site.  The Manta Ray dive was rated by a diving magazine as one of the Top 10 dives in the world.  That popularity was evident when we arrived.  There were already several other dive boats anchored nearby, with more coming.

 

Our afternoon dive took us to the same area as the night dive would, so we could get familiar with it.  This was a pleasant dive that gave me the opportunity to release some of the nervousness I’d built up in anticipation of the night dive.  We descended to 60’, and visited the bizarre Garden of Eels.  Here we found a bare, sandy ocean floor, with dozens of “standing” eels.  The eels had their tails buried in the sand, but the rest of their bodies were upright, swaying in the current.  It was like looking out over a wheat field, except that we were 60’ underwater, and the wheat in question sported razor-sharp teeth.  We stayed well back from the edge.

 

After watching the eels, we swam along a long shelf featuring abundant coral.  We saw lots of tropical fish and even more eels before heading back to the boat.

 

We had subs for dinner and watched as the sun slowly sank towards the water.  I knew that once the sun was down, we’d be back in the water.  By the time the last rays were turning the ocean red, I was even more nervous than I’d been earlier.

 

We geared up and got ready to dive.  Just jumping off the boat into that black water was nerve-wracking.  Fortunately, the flashlight was powerful.  Due to some trouble adjusting my mask, I was the last one to descend.  This was actually something of an advantage.  I slowly swam towards the glow of the other lights off in the inky depths.

 

I caught up with the group and we headed toward the Manta Ray viewing area.  I swam calmly above the ocean floor, playing my light across the rocks, coral, and sea urchins.  At one point, a bright red lobster scurried away from my light.  After a couple of minutes, we arrived at a large box full of flashlights pointed upwards.  I checked carefully behind me for sea urchins before sitting back against a rock.  Everyone turned their flashlights upward, as we had been instructed to do.

 

The idea was to shine our lights upward to attract plankton.  Once the plankton began swarming above us, Manta Rays would probably arrive to feed on them.  I was desperately hoping that they would.  It would be a rather disappointing dive, sitting on the ocean floor in the dark, if they stood us up.

 

We waited patiently for several minutes before one showed.  It was a fairly small one, and only swooped over our heads for a couple of minutes before disappearing.  Why did he go away?  We didn’t have to wait long to find out.  A few moments later, an immense Manta Ray glided over our heads.  It swooped directly above us, with its mouth open wide to feed.  Manta Rays are harmless, but my heart was still pounding at the sight of it.  Our guide later told us that it was probably about 15’ from the tip of one wing to the other. 

 

On two occasions, it swooped down directly over my head.  I found myself looking up into its gaping mouth, the black depths wide enough to swallow a person.  Then it passed by in a rush of water. 

 

While this was going on, I caught a sense of movement down near my feet.  I shined my light that way, and spotted two large Moray Eels swimming around in the box of flashlights only a few feet away.  I wasn’t sure whether I should keep my light on the Manta Ray or the eels.  Then, one began swimming towards me.  It was only a foot from my fins when Christy grabbed my shoulder and began backpedaling.  I was concerned about the intentions of the eel, but I was also afraid to back up.  There was no telling what was behind me, and I wasn’t about to shine my light back there and take it off the eel. 

 

Instead, I shined my light directly in its face, which seemed to discourage it.  It turned back, but still didn’t go far enough away for comfort.  I took advantage of the opportunity to back up a few feet.  Still, I had trouble focusing on the Manta Ray after that, since I always had one eye out for the eels.

 

Some time later, our guide rounded us up.  We headed back to the surface, where I found several other divers had already retreated due to the cold water.  I had worn a full wet suit for the night dive (earlier I’d only worn one piece) and had remained comfortable.  On the ride back, everyone was excited about the huge Manta Ray (not to mention the eels) we had seen.  It was certainly one of the most memorable experiences of my life.  If you ever have the opportunity to experience a Manta Ray night dive, don’t pass it up.

 

SO LONG, AND THANKS FOR ALL OF THE FISH

 

Thursday brought a different aquatic experience.  That morning, we drove to the Hilton, which is only about a mile away.  We headed over there to visit Dolphin Discovery, where Christy would be swimming with dolphins.  It was something she’d wanted to do since childhood, so I’d reserved her a spot as a wedding present.  I had already swum with dolphins some years earlier in Florida, so decided to skip it this time.  Plus, it was outrageously expensive.

 

The Hilton is certainly an impressive resort.  Its grounds are immense, and feature a natural saltwater inlet surrounded by a man-made beach.  Two swimming pools, an artificial waterfall, and a rocky coast add to the setting.  On the other hand, the place was way too much.  It reminded me of Disney World, with it’s tram circling the property, or of the mall at Christmas time.  The entire resort was full of families that were incapable of watching where they were walking.

 

We made it over to Dolphin Quest and checked in.  There was a whole line of people there waiting to see if there were any no-shows.  If you visit the area and would like to do this, I strongly recommend getting reservations well in advance.

 

Christy spent 30 minutes getting orientated and learning about dolphins.  I attempted to get some dolphin photos while I waited.  It was tricky, as they would only surface briefly as they swam laps around the pool.  It took 20 minutes, but I finally got some good shots thanks to a zoom lens and the continuous shooting setting on my digital camera.  A few minutes later, Christy joined a small group in the pool and was able to interact with the dolphins.  The dolphins performed some tricks, and I got a few more photos before they wrapped the session up.

 

Afterwards we decided to do some sightseeing.  Our first stop was the town of Waimea.  We drove up through the lava rock dessert and into the mountains.  As we gained elevation, everything changed.  Soon we were driving along through yellow-green grasslands grazed by cattle.  All around us were towering mountains, their summits hidden in the clouds.  Mixed in with the grasses and scrubby trees were prickly pear cactus.  It looked more like Wyoming than Hawaii as we rolled through the small ranching town of Waimea.

 

Beyond, we followed a winding road along the crest of the mountains to the north.  At times, we were afforded fine views back to the highest peaks and out over the ocean far below.  Eventually the mountains ended, and we descended rapidly to the town of Kapaau on the northern coast.  From there, we continued out to the far northeastern end of the island at the Pololu Valley lookout.  The road finally ended at an abrupt cliff, with views out to the sheer wall overlooking the ocean on the far side of the valley. 

 

I’d heard that there was a waterfall here, so we hiked down a steep trail that continued from the end of the road.  We didn’t find a waterfall, but we did arrive at a great beach at the base of a beautiful valley.  The stream there seemed kind of dry, so it’s possible that the falls had dried up completely.  We enjoyed our visit, before making the steep climb back up to the car.

 

We had ice cream for lunch before returning to the resort along the coastal road.  This was a beautiful drive with frequent views of the ocean.  We made it back to the resort with plenty of time to relax in the sun with some adult beverages.  That evening, we found it impossible to drive anywhere for dinner.  Instead, we walked across the street to the King’s Shops, where we found a reasonably priced Chinese restaurant that had pretty good food.  It was a great way to spend our final night of luxury.  On Friday, we’d be heading back into the wilderness, backpacking to Waimanu Beach.