#43 - Snorkel Somewhere New

My first Hawaiian snorkel lasted about 3-5 minutes.  We bought a $35 4-hour water sports pass at the beach near the Marriott in Waikoloa on the Big Island.  I did a bit of SUPing with my dad and sister in law.  3 of the 5 Krones then decided to go on a glass bottom boat ride, something I've always wanted to do, but I was pretty sure with the current conditions I'd get nauseous, so I opted out.  Instead, I borrowed my brother's snorkel to see if I could find some creatures.  I swam out a bit, saw a fish or two, started to feel nauseous in the cloudy water with rolling waves, so I swam back in.

I had a better experience in the lagoon at the Hilton Waikoloa a few days later.  My mom let me borrow her newly acquired snorkel and fins, which she bought on the trip because she's now an avid snorkler.  The water is so protected that it's incredibly calm and clear.  It was a bit cloudier than usual due to the wind, but my brother & I managed to see lots of angel fish, parrot fish, trumpet fish, an eel, and lots of other fish I can't name.  I was hoping for a turtle, but I only managed to spot them swimming from the land, from a stand up paddle board, and while swimming at a beach just south of Kona.  Sea turtles really aren't rare on the Big Island, but I wasn't lucky enough to see one while snorkeling.  We didn't stay out too long because there were weird really cold currents running through the lagoon, and without my rash guard, I was cold, so we went to find a hot tub.  Real adventurers, us.

My brother had a much more impressive snorkeling experience while I was surfing at Kahalu'u Beach Park complete with a sea turtle, a barracuda, and some other creatures that I was doing my best not to touch unintentionally, as instructed.  The clear, warm water on the west side of the Big Island apparently makes for spectacularly good snorkeling, and I wish I had gone more but my motion sickness and fear of seeing large animals kept me more often above the water as opposed to in it.