As we traveled along with road to Cook's last stand (Kaelakeua Bay), we spotted split-leaf philadendron, oranmental ginger, Lobster claw heliconia, mango trees, Kona coffee trees, poisettas, and papaya trees. Even spotted a Gold Dust Day gecko haning out on the vegetation. Across the bay is a memorial dedicated to Cook. There are plaques around the area giving information about the ecosystems, such as, the sand communites, the rocky outcroppings, the coral turrets and the lava rocks/boulders. In each ecosystem, a list of organisms is mentioned that call that ecosystem home. Another plaque gives information on the Spinner Dolphins who use the bay as a resting spot.
We traveled to the place of the refugee, Pu'uhonua o Honaunan State Park. Each major Hawaii district had a place of refugee and law breakers could get a safe haven there if they made it and weren't killed first. No matter where the people came from, they were given a safe haven. The young were taught to take care of the land and the ocean and if after the age of 12 they broke the law, they would know what the consequence would be. People seeking refugee had to swim across the bay.
While touring the place of refugee we met Tava (taeki) and listened to him talk about his adventures in a double canoe. In 1976, he along with 12 other men, sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti in a 67' double canoe for 31 days. Again in 1985, he sailed along with 12 other men to Whitangi (New Zealand) in the same boat for 3.5 months. His history is tattooed on his body and is one of the last of his generation to do so.
Next to the park was a spot for us to snorkel. Spending 3 hours looking around, swimming out to the pod of dolphins, just viewing the variety of ocean life made for an AWESOME day. Once we were done playing, we headed to Kahalu'u Beach, one of Kona's Public Beaches to do some more snorkeling. There wasn't a lot of live coral here but there was an abundance of fish. This is do to the fact that people feed the fish. It was funny turning around and having this wall of fish staring at you. We had one fish that followed us around and every time we turned around, because you could feel something watching you, it would turn around also. It was very comical. We did spot a Pacific Green turtle feeding in the area. Leaving was hard to do. I could stay in the area all day. Next time, I'll have to dive the area and see more.
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