As a three-month treat to myself, I wanted to do something
special. A gentleman that I met back on the catamaran back in Santa Cruise
heard of my move to Hawaii and told me about one of the high lights of his life
was swimming with the manta rays on the Big Island. By the end of our trip, he
mentioned it three or four times. This obviously left a dent in my memory so I
thought I would check it out.
The three-month mark was at the end of November, but with
the holiday schedule flipping things around and other logistical road blocks
(getting to Kona) the adventure was just wasn’t coming together. I started
involving others, inviting co-workers and getting other peoples advice on
rental cars and places to stay. This opened up some unexpected doors that I
never thought possible.
The way Monday and Tuesday unfolded was completely magical.
One of my co-workers had done the swim before and knew exactly where to go and
what gear was needed. Instead of going with a commercial guide, Jessie Lou made
the trip smooth and easy. I will never forget the sight of a beautiful,
mystical create doing a barrel roll just a few feet from me.
Camping in the district of Kohala on the Northern tip of the
island, we were greeted with a beautiful sunrise and a glimpse at some of the
first whales of the season. The open, clear sky provided a view of Haleakala,
Maui’s volcano, across the 70-mile gap between the two islands. We too could
see 4 out of the 5 volcanoes on the Big Island- Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Kohala,
and Haulage.
The day rounded out beautifully with a birthday celebration
for Liz on the soft sands of Makalawena and the poolside view of a Lu`au. I
couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate my three months in Hawaii.
Monday, December 14th: Night swim with Manta
Rays, Camping in Kohala
Tuesday, December 15th: Liz’s Birthday – Whale
sighting with Haleakala, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Kohala, and Haulalei. Makalawena
Beach, Royal Kona Resort Drinks, and Lu`au
No comments:
Post a Comment