Tuesday - Dolphins and Tikis

Today began with a snorkel trip to Kealakekua Bay. The ocean floor was covered in coral, and we saw so many beautiful and interesting fish, including a large moray eel (2-3 feet long). The highlight of the excursion was seeing a pod of dolphins. There were probably 30-40 dolphins in the group, and they swam beside the boat for several minutes, treating us to a few jumps and spins along the way. I got some great photos, but they're all on the disposable waterproof camera - no digital. It was thrilling to stand on the edge of the boat and see the dolphins right below you. The captain told us that these Hawaiian dolphins are the only ones that jump and spin out in the wild - most that you see at aquariums and in shows have been trained to jump. They were so beautiful, and we were all sad when we had to leave to make it to our snorkel site.

Later in the day we drove south of Kona to see the Painted Church and Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (the Place of Refuge). The church is a Catholic church that dates back to the 1800s. Over 5 years, a priest dedicated himself to creating frescos on the inside walls and ceiling. The detail and craftsmanship was inspiring.

The Place of Refuge is a site of great importance to the Hawaiians. In ancient times, Hawaiians had innumerable laws they were to follow, and breaking any law - even something as small as getting close to a chief, was punishable by death. However, lawbreakers had one way out - get to the Place of Refuge before being overtaken by their pursuers. The site was beautiful - it's Robert's favourite place we've visited. Open beach, swaying palm trees, basking turtles, and large tiki statues…it was truly enchanting. We arrived about an hour before sunset, and there were only a few people still there, so it was very quiet and peaceful. Unfortunately the camera battery died before we were able to take many pictures, but it was not a place that is easy to forget.



Tomorrow - more beach time, and maybe a trip to a coffee farm!