Captain Cook monument.

On our first day of exploration, we get up early ( alas, my kids disapprove ) in time to go on a zodiac boat ride to Kealakekua Bay: "The Pathway of the Gods", a pristine underwater sanctuary, a piece of marine heaven loaded with tropical fish and colorful coral. The bay is home to one of the best snorkeling spots in the entire state of Hawaii and the inspiration for "‘Finding Nemo". During our forty minute scenic Kona coast ride we are introduced to sea caves and lava tubes scattered along the coast, while wild goats and groups of parrots hide in the hollows of the cliff face. Captain Keith shares the story of the Island's first inhabitants, the Polynesians. Led by Hawai'iloa the navigator, they set out from shores in the South Pacific fifteen hundred years ago. Arriving by canoes, using the stars, ocean currents and winds to guide them they set up camp here and called it Hawaii.

Captain Cook, the legendary English explorer and navigator led the first European expedition to the Island in January of 1779. By a strange coincidence his arrival happened to coincide with the annual fertility festival of the natives. Seeing white men for the first time arriving on massive sailing ships they thought that Cook was a god and that his men were supernatural beings. Once one of the sailors died of a stroke the natives realized they were mere mortals and not gods. One of the warriors stabbed Captain Cook in his back, brutally sending him to his death. Kealakekua Bay is home to Captain Cook Monument where all of this happened.

Once we dive off the boat into the crystal clear, tranquil water, vibrant schools of tropical fish- yellow, turquoise, green, blue, live coral and one loner turtle welcomed us to our underwater exploration.

A Close encounter with Manta rays.

On a night of a full moon and low tide we go manta watching. The scene is a bit spooky as we ride the boat to a dark spot in the water not too far from the harbor. It is a promising sign for a good manta night our diver guide, Jazz reassures us. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, imagining how it would feel like and fantasizing about connecting with these giant creatures. But now, when the moment of truth is here, my stomach makes noises. I am scared. I don’t know what to expect. Relax and enjoy the show our captain instructs us before we slide into the water - easier said than done. Equipped with snorkels and wetsuits we approach what is called the “campfire”. The campfire is a stand up paddle board with numerous lights shining down into the water. We are each holding a bar that is spaced around the paddle board. It's kind of like sitting around a wet and cold campfire. The lights attract the plankton ( small little shrimp like animals ) to come. When plankton come the mantas will follow as they eat a shitload of plankton daily to satisfy their food needs.

As I adjust my view deeper into the water, I lay horizontal facing down, holding the bar tightly, I slowly see shadows coming towards us. It’s the mantas coming! Within seconds the first manta zooms past me, brushes under my stomach to reach the light. It misses me by an inch. I panic, I scream and immediately, reflexively close my eyes, my heart pounding. After catching my breath, I realize, I’ve never been in such close proximity to such a massive animal. In my brain, I know that they are harmless but sadly, my brain and my emotions are not always operating in sync. Sorry captain, I know I promised not to panic and I know I agreed not to scream but I could not help it.

Mantas are about fourteen feet long and weigh about two thousand pounds. They are highly intelligent and very curious. They have a large, flat diamond shaped bodies with triangular fins. They swim with their mouth wide open to draw in the plankton. There are about two hundred and forty mantas calling Kona their home. They are identified by their marks and each has a name. I love the way they look, so very elegant. If you use your imagination, it looks like upside down kites in the water.

After what seems like a long while, I dare open my eyes and muster the courage to watch what's coming. I am shocked to see how close they come to me. They swipe right beneath me nearly brushing against me, I can look right into their eyes and see a close up of their gills, watch the way their mouths swallow and filter the plankton. Their belly is white with black spots, their bodies so smooth. They are so close, our under water camera can’t capture a sharp photo of their entire body, only details of gills, eyes and body parts. Just when I think I am I am used to their massive size, six of them pirouette around us over and over again in perfect harmony. This is a technique they use when feeding, doing repeated somersaults to chain feed following each other in a circle, mouths open, to create a cyclone effect, trapping food in a spiral. I barely resist the urge to touch them, so silky and nice. What an amazing choreographed ballet they put on for us.

The Volcanos.

The Big Island, the youngest and largest of the Hawaiian islands is constantly growing due to two active volcanoes on the island, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. We arrived just a few days after Kilauea erupted. I am excited to go explore the volcano and see the lava flow with my personal seismological advisor, Jason. Going south from Kona, the road is slim and narrow and has many sharp curves. Passing through very picturesque coffee plantations, green sand beaches and black sand beaches. Finally, we stop at the most southern tip of the Island and the southernmost point in the United States to get some fresh bread from a famous Hawaiian bakery.

The Volcanoes National park preserve is home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes. We stop where the lava flows begin. We take a short walk to the sulfurous steam vents and see the colorful mineral deposits. It smells so bad but I can't resist the temptation to go stand in front of the vents to warm up on this cold and windy day. We hike the crater rim ( or some of it...) located around Kilauea Caldera where I experience firsthand the effects of millions years of volcanic activity. On our way we encounter the Nene, a Hawaiian goose, the state bird of Hawaii. It stands there blocking the road, insisting on getting into a car ( not ours ) until the driver gently pulls it away. The scenery is dramatic as the chain of craters take us from 4000 ft elevation onto a large petroglyph field to a place where lava covers the road. Then continues all the way down to the windy ocean where the sea arches rise eighty feet from the water. Standing there, I am mesmerized by the endless flow everywhere around us. I feel like I stand in the beginning of time or just landed on Mars.

As the evening progresses, we go park for the main event of the day - viewing the spectacular lava glow. Hundreds of cars are directed by attendants to the next parking lot. We find ourselves squeezed into the available spot like sardines. For a second there, I feel like we are going to the Hollywood Bowl for a major Beyonce concert. Where are all these people coming from in the midst of the pandemic? Later, we stand there in the freaking cold, wearing every piece of clothing we possess, waiting for the sun to go down, for the nightfall to descend upon us so we can see the lava glow. And what a sight this is.

Low-elevation clouds and a bit of misty rain fall behind us as we ascend later that night towards Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in the world at 33,000 feet - if you count from the bottom of the ocean floor to it's peak. Unfortunately, once we reach the visitor's center at 9200 feet we can't continue on to the summit. The road is unpaved and it is closed due to hazardous conditions. We stand there, in the bright cold light, under the full moon, acclimating to the elevation, surrounded by the winds and the low temperature and gazing at the thousands of stars stretching across the sky above us. Ninety precent of all stars that are visible from earth are visible from Mauna Kea. I reach out my hand and I can almost touch the Milky Way. Magical!

We travel to the Hamakua coastline, the Valley of the Kings, taking in the breathtaking views, winding through a lush rainforest and stands of bamboo to reach the incredible Akaka falls. We swim in the stunning beaches, we rendezvous with turtles in the black beach nesting area. We drink the tropical Mai Tai. We hear the true mystery story about the dolphin whispering woman. Where else in the world can you go from lava and volcanos to the richness of marine life all in one day?

For one last time we sit on the lanai sipping rose wine, watching the the sunset while the surfers wait for one last wave before the sun goes down. I am sad to say good-bye. I am sad to leave this slice of heaven, my little corner of paradise. On this Island, the most dangerous thing that can happen to you is that you might get hit by a falling coconut.