Kona Day 3 and 4

 

Department of memory: THB forgot to mention the two major events of Day 2. Why? Most likely because he hadn't taken any pictures. One was snorkeling. We went to the "white" sand beach a 10 minute walk south along the ocean from the beach in from of Mauna Lani. So murky for the first 50 yards THB suspected that both his eyes and his mask weren't working. After getting further out, the water cleared, THB's mask worked fine,

and there were maybe a few hundred large yellow tangs, a hundred black ? with blue trim, one large eel, a smattering of other slightly smaller fish, one large parrotfish, and some very large pufferfish in the adjacent fish ponds.

The second thing that went unchronicled: a trip to another mall a few miles south. This one had more stores, almost all open, most restaurants closed, and two matching dresses from Blue Ginger for the twins.

Ed. note: if a blow by blow of every day, along with pics, isn't enough, now THB is adding missing moments of prior days. Maybe this will teach him to bring his I-phone everywhere he goes, just like the rest of the known world. 

Day 3

THB visits the fitness center!! Masks UP on the inside section; it's a large room with only a few others there, well spaced. Outside area is also large, almost everyone unmasked. 

Breakfast from the market: two decaf au laits and day-old almond croissant, $12, followed by (from the market) two yogurt parfaits, another decaf au lait, and a toasted bagel, $54.

Weather is extra blustery which does not bode well for our one activity of the day: an outrigger ride to a reef out past the beach in front of the hotel. Father and 6 year old (in a snug life jacket), a couple from NY (she's very inexperienced) and THB and DB, with a crew of 2. Leaving the beach a bit after 10, it is really rough with 3' waves. We tie up to a fixed buoy after maybe 10 minutes of paddling with the wind sort of behind us. 

In we jump, split into two groups, and immediately have issues grouping up. DB is hit in the head by the outrigger after getting  caught in  the  buoy line; she's fine except is struggling with her mask and catching her breath (3' waves!). THB has only snorkeled a few times in conditions as bad as this, and it never goes well. Today is no exception and while we are in the water there are 5 votes to get back in the outrigger, THB is the lone abstainer and quickly sees snorkeling is futile.

Bottom line: they never should have left the beach, and refunded our money. This way, it appears we paid $150/pp for a very brief outrigger experience. THB would say it was the most expensive snorkel ever except he has been to the Galapagos and Raja Ampat.

We decide to try and get to the Black Sands beach...parking lot full, so a no go. DB picks up a sarong at Blue Ginger, we return to the hotel and get poke bowls at the Mauna Lani "market" for our lunch. 

It is still both hot and windy, so we spend time in the room or on the deck. THB sends a note to the concierge desk explaining what happened on the Canoe / snorkeling event. A hotel manager calls and arranges another Canoe/snorkel  for us at 8am Sunday morning (wind willing) and has fruit and wine delivered to the room (we now have two bottles of red and one of wine all likely to go unopened and left in Hawaii). 

We try sitting by the adult pool and after maybe an hour the direct sun sends us back inside (we are wearing full length towels to keep the sun off us).

Dinner at Sushi Sam's about 40 minutes south of Mauna Lani. This was a reco of the concierge after DB kept pushing for a local spot (there's not much local near the hotel except shopping malls). Excellent! We have 9 nigiri, a few duplicates after the initial order, and a familiar bottle of sake (30% of which comes back with us to the hotel), $200. How good was Sushi Sam's? We booked an omakase dinner for Saturday night.

The Canoe House missing shrimp heads have been found: they are at Sushi Sam's

How dark was it? We missed the turnoff to the hotel and  went 7 miles too far, mitigated by being able to finish  up an interview with David Leonhardt on the state of Covid...on the 10% Happier podcast, worth a  listen even if you miss your  turnoff. 

How hard was the wind blowing at 8:30 tonight? Really hard...will our snorkel tour with Fair Wind live up to its name? 

Day 4

The big snorkeling trip of the week, to Kaelakakua Bay and Captain Cook's Monument with Fair Wind. It is an hour drive south from Mauna Lani and thus the weather is much, much better: light winds. 

We took this same trip, different provider, in 2011. Then we stayed in a house exchange condo within walking distance of the harbor. Fair Wind is a large  boat, the largest that  goes out from what  we can tell when we reach the Bay. 

Fair Wind is all vegetarian, mineral based sun tan lotion (no chemicals) and promises up to 2.5 hours of snorkeling (if you skip lunch of veggies sliders).  THB and DB do something closer  to 1.5 hours, in two chunks around lunch. 

The fish are large, colorful, varied and plentiful. The coral continues to be more and more bleached out, something we know from our many trips around the world.

There are two slides on the boat and DB gives one a try...THB passes

The empty cup contained muesli, accompanied by banana bread

There is a "face" in the cliff

Three of four sisters are wearing their hair in two tightly braided pigtails...maybe the fourth is just a friend who didn't get the memo

The little girl is 6 or 7, going on her first snorkel. She only sees the shadow of a fish

The staff is very friendly and, when DB's mask leaks, they give her one of their masks, give in as make it hers. 

As the day wears on, THB starts feeling slightly nauseous and tired. As soon as we get to the Mauna Lani, THB takes a nap. Two hour  later, he  gets up, takes an in-home Covid test - negatve - and goes back to sleep, for another 12 hours.