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You are here: Home - Hawaii Travel Ezine - #64 Fairwinds Boat Tour
Fair Wind Boat Tour to Kealakekua BayWe took another snorkeling trip to Kealakekua Bay on the Fair Wind II last month, and I can safely say this is still my favorite snorkeling tour on any island. It starts from Keauhou Bay in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, and offers tours in the morning and the afternoon.I have taken the morning and the afternoon tour, and I prefer the morning tour. The morning tour is a little longer, includes lunch, and usually finds the calmest water on the other end. However, the afternoon tour is a little cheaper while still being a great time. The 60 foot catamaran holds 100 people; I have been on it when it is packed full, and also when it is only half-full, and have noticed no difference in service or my enjoyment. The crew are always very friendly, fast, and professional.
When you arrive, you'll be asked to check in and pay at the small building in the corner of the pier. You'll then be fitted for a snorkel and then board the boat as a group. We usually go to the top deck, back row or back corner because this affords you the best view with the least chance of motion sickness. If you are concerned about burning, you can go downstairs in the cabin and sit at actual tables. You also could stand at the very front of the boat sticking out over the water on the two prows. Kids really like to hang out on the prows, and if you see any dolphins you should get yourself and your kids down there quick. Dolphins like to bow-ride on boats (surf on the pressure wave generated by the forward motion of the boat) and I've seen them come to the Fair Wind to catch a free ride 5 or 6 times (about half the times I've been on the Fair Wind). The dolphins may end up directly underneath you. On the way out, the crew brought us fresh fruit (oranges and pineapples) and muffins as a snack. The boat pulls out of Keauhou Bay and turns left towards Kealakekua Bay. The trip there takes about half an hour. The crew puts out a fishing line off the back of the boat and if there is a bite, a passenger gets to reel in the fish. I've only seen a fish caught once; it was a large Ono.
The ride out is quite scenic, and besides watching out for dolphins you should look for turtles (especially while you are still in Keauhou Bay), whales (in season) and flying fish. The crew also brings around fins for everyone and the SNUBA guy or gal looks for takers, while the video guy or gal takes video of everyone. Feel free to ham up to the camera on the boat and underwater if you are planning on buying a video tape. Kealakekua Bay is a marine sanctuary (no one can fish or spear there or even anchor boats - the Fair Wind is the only exception to the boat anchoring rule) that is home to Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins and tons of fish. On a good day visibility is almost 100 feet. The most notable feature of the bay above-water is the Captain Cook monument, marking the site where Captain Cook was killed by the Hawaiians.
When the Fairwinds pulls into the bay the Captain gives a safety briefing and then it's free game - everyone into the water! Anyone who is not comfortable with their swimming or snorkeling abilities can get some assistance from an inner tube (great for the kids), boogie board with fish-viewing window, floating mats, and swim vests.
To get in the water, you can jump off the high dive on the top level of the boat, slide down the slide on the top level of the boat, or go down the stairs in the back of the boat. The stairs are under the water about three feet, so it is extremely easy to enter and exit the water from here. In the water, there is enough to see to keep you busy all day. Between the boat and the cliff is a shallower area with large schools of fish that will let you swim right through them. On this last trip we found an eel in this area, and on a different trip a scuba diver brought an octopus up from the bottom for everyone to see. The front of the boat opens up into the bay and farther on, the open ocean, so it gets quite deep quite fast. There is a shelf that abruptly drops off, taking the coral with it. On a clear day, you could see almost 100 feet straight down, noting the way the water attains a deeper shade of blue every few feet, until you can see nothing but a hazy, slightly-moving wall of deep blue.
After about an hour of snorkeling the dinner bell is rung, and everyone files back on the boat for lunch. Lunch consists of cheeseburgers and gardenburgers grilled on the large grill on the back of the boat with Kona chips on the side. After lunch, there is about another hour for snorkeling.
When we got back in the water after lunch a pod of about 20 dolphins (with two babies) appeared in the bay and came straight for us, wowing even the most experienced of us - Read the Dolphin Story here. Lisa
makaha - (mah ka ha) - fierce, savage
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