the last log I sent was actually for 3/19... this one below is from 3/20 --

After the pretty but unoriginal breakfast buffet at Don the Beachcomber, the restaurant in our hotel, we put down the convertible’s roof, and zipped to Mauna Kea beach. This beach is reportedly nearly as lovely as Hapuna, and its only deficiency is a very specific resource: parking. The books advised a pre-ten am arrival, and at 9.30 am, the already-full parking lot turned us away, so we returned to Hapuna. Although it was a familiar paradise, we had neither boogie boarded or snorkeled there, and since the sun would only last a few more hours, we lacked the time to search for a new wonder.

Staggering stiff-legged out of the car (uncooperative calf muscles still resentful from the Waipio Valley hike), I rented a black boogie board, deposited my belongings on the soft sand, and flung my sunburn-free body into the ocean. The tranquil waves made for perfect relaxation and floating, but not so much riding a boogie board onto the shore in a rush of salty white foam. I floated around, and a sea turtle drifted by, oblivious to my presence. Rocking restfully on the water only encouraged me to nap, so I somewhat reluctantly renounced the repose, and went to find Nina who had gone to investigate the tide pools.

After we met up, I snatched my snorkeling gear and went to a cove on the north shore where a coral reef thrived.  There I admired masses of multicolored coral, found fish of every color, reveled in the prolific red sea anemone, and turned my head to look at an affable sea turtle, who mostly ignored me, except when I frantically fumbled with the underwater camera to capture him on film. Because Nina had been equally excited by the turtles, I told her to take my mask and fins (she’s not really interested in using someone else’s mouthpiece, and I don’t blame her). I swam next to her to the coral, and she was astonished by the underwater activity. She initially thought, “I  have to spend the rest of my life underwater” when she saw the turtle, but when he turned and headed toward  her, she was frightened, and we left. Later she told me that she had been terrified by a movie where a woman was kind of like a were-turtle, and some guy was out to destroy this evil turtle, not knowing it was his girlfriend. If anyone (Laura, Emmett, Joe?) knows the name of this movie, please let me know.

Back at the main beach, we both floated on the boogie board until we started to feel sunburned, so we lazed in the sun as we dried off, returned the rented gear, and went looking for the Kona Village hotel where Nina’s parents visited.

Since Nina was behind the wheel, we got lost, but we found a little strip mall in that same area where Waterworld was filmed, and there we purchased shaved ice for the first time. Shaved ice is mainly an ice ball with flavored syrup poured over it, and thus, it is extremely refreshing.

We turned and headed back, stopping at the Malama Petroglyph Trail. Petroglyphs are ancient archaeological features: lava rock carvings with unclear meaning. There are some which clearly depict executions, others featuring animals such as goats and sea turtles, and we even saw one that depicted Mr. Burns on the X-Files episode of the Simpsons. The trail leading to the beach there is outstanding because it is comprised of a combination of small chunks of lava (think coal) and large chunks of coral. There are enormous broccoli sized chunks of coral everywhere!

Because we still couldn’t find the Kona Village, we stopped at a grocery store where we met my future boyfriend. I only mention this because this guy was unbelievably handsome and staring at me (even Nina saw him watching me when I wasn’t even with her). It could be that he was intrigued at the degree of sunburn on the end of my nose, but she and I chose to believe he was enchanted by my general beauty. The important thing, anyway, is that we got directions to Kona Village, and we took the pictures Nina wanted for her parents.

Oh, and before we got there, we saw a bunch of goats. Has anyone ever seen a baby goat nurse? If not, see what you can find on youtube….

After that, we went to Honokohau harbor so Nina could see the catches of the day weighed. If you know me, you know that watching dead fish hung out to be weighed isn’t always on my list of must-see activities, so one of us was more excited than the other. However, before the ships came in, we observed a woman sitting on the edge of the dock, looking down, and taking pictures in the water. I was initially distracted by a redheaded bird that I wanted to photograph, but eventually, we followed this woman’s gaze and sea turtles twirled below us all over the place, diving under fishing boats, gnawing on plants, raising their heads to breathe in great snorty gasps. I literally could have reached into the water and touched them.

Excited, we returned to the hotel for drinks and planned out today’s snorkeling tour (we’re going on a boat!), then traveled down the road to the Sheraton for dinner. The Sheraton is important because it has special lights that attract manta rays. At night, the manta rays swirl gracefully under the lights, raising their fins above the water, sometimes looking towards the watchers with their strange demonic faces. They move in oblique circles with surprising elegance and slow beauty, devouring the phosphorescent plankton.