A Pineapple A Day
HAWAII , Part Two
🌸🌺 March 23 - April 3, 2023 🌺🌸
🌸 March 28 - Tuesday 🌸
After two days of “touring” we needed a little relaxation time. We went snorkeling at Kahalu’u Beach State Park which is a five minute drive down Ali'i drive.
The beach there is a little hard to get into because there are rocks. But it is protected from big waves and there are always lots of fish and usually turtles. I didn't take many pictures since I was also snorkeling and helping the girls. Here are a few pictures I found online...
and a few I took.
After a beach morning, we had lunch in the condo and pool time.
We have been to this resort 5 times and every time we are here we see Joy. Its one of the highlights for my girls. Good thing we figured out when the party was (thanks to Laci) or the girls would have been so sad.
I went back through my pictures of the girls with Joy. I am missing a picture from one of the years (2011), and it looks like one year Ani refused to take a picture. It is fun to see how they have grown up through the years.
Joy is truly one of the best parts of Kona Hawaiian Resort.
We eventually made it to Kona Coast for Pina Coladas.
We had a quiet evening in the condo. Erek & Laci came to our condo for dinner and James had another friend in town, Rhonda, who came for dinner.
🌺 March 29 - Wednesday 🌺
Today was all about the beach. We started our day at the Keiki pools. We have been coming to this little beach since we first came to Hawaii with Elin in 2011.
As usual, we packed a lunch so we didn't have to leave the beach.
There was a turtle around the pools (I never saw it despite my best efforts). Erek and Elin were watching it near some rocks and Elin set her foot down, a rock moved and her foot hit a sea urchin. It stung her twice.
She says she was "urchanized". In Hawaii they call it a Hawaiian tattoo. It hurt off and on the rest of our trip and still randomly stings.
We put some ice on it, got everyone a McFlurry and moved on to our next beach...my favorite. It's called Beach 69 by the locals but the official name is Waialea Beach. We were there on a cloudy day so I pulled a couple of better picture off the internet
The girls set up a beach camp
The adults took turns snorkeling around the big rocks you see in the picture above.
I didn't take any underwater pictures. With the clouds the light was not good for pictures ...but there were tons of fish. There was a cold current that ran straight out from the beach into the ocean and it was loaded with schools of fish in what looked like a fish highway.
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It was so nice and relaxing we stayed until almost 5 pm.
Yes, its still my favorite beach.
Dinner was a quick pick up of Costco pizza to eat at the condo. Apparently Elin entertained the parking lot with a dance while I was in the store.
We had dinner on the lanai then the girls all went shopping.
🌸 March 30 - Thursday 🌸
Erek, James and Kiely went to snorkel at Two step in Captain Cook in the morning.
The girls and I did a kukui nut lei making class with Joy.
Then we went to the ABC store (again) and grocery shopping. They were super excited to find Watermelon crush.
We all met back up at Erek's condo for lunch. James and Erek picked up Huli Huli chicken and sides on the way back.
Our afternoon excursion was on the Fair Winds, which we do almost every time we are here.
We love to be on the water and see the island coastline...
...and snorkel at Kealakekua Bay. The day was a little cloudy but it was still great snorkeling.
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| James and Elin |
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| Ani |
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| Ani, James & Elin |
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| Kiely, James, Elin, Anikka and Laci |
It's hard to get good pictures underwater especially on a cloudy day, but I did take a few videos and pictures. We saw lots and lots of fish, an eel and an octopus.
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My crew had dinner at the condo and showers. Erek and Laci were lucky enough to see the best sunset.
We could see the colors of the sky from the lanai but they had a much better view.
After dinner we downtown for Mauna Kea pie and a Coconut desert at Huggo's on the Beach.
🌺 March 31 - Friday 🌺
Another day...another beach and snorkeling. Today was likely to be our last opportunity to get in beach time since a storm was on its way. We drove north almost to Kawi to snorkel at Mahukona Harbor. They used to process sugar cane there.
We wanted to snorkeling the kids were not interested. They had a picnic....
....while we snorkeled
It was a bit rough but there were so many fish it was like looking into an aquarium. Erek and I saw another Octopus.
The kids really we wanted to boogy board. Erek and Laci went to Spencer Beach for quiet time. James and I took the kids to Hapuna Beach State Park. They had an amazing time. They all declared it their favorite beach because it has soft sand and lots of surf.
Great food and right on the beach. Perfect ending to a perfect Hawaiian day.
🌸 April 1 - Saturday 🌸
We decided our last two days of vacation would be for relaxing only.
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| View from my lanai |
James took the kids for a smoothie in town and the usual picture with the shark.
In the evening the adults went out on a double date while the kids (and Kiely) watched a movie. Sadly, I didn't take a picture of our date night.
🌺 April 2 - Sunday 🌺
Our last full day in Kona :(
They took their dolls for a photo shoot by the turtle pond
We had to say goodbye to Erek and Laci (they had a flight that afternoon). We loved every minute of our vacation with them. My girls are always so sad when they leave.
Then we did our last minute errands (Costco for mac nuts to take home) and had lunch at Shaka Tacoz. It was so delicious.
Everyone did a little "quiet time" at the condo. I worked on packing since I couldn't nap. We also recreated this photo from 10 years ago.
Our last day tradition is to go to Honl Beach (we call it "little beach") to release our lei flowers into the ocean. No strings of course so we don't hurt the turtles.
As we were walking back it started to rain and by the time we got to the condo it was POURING. It rained and rained and rained. We enjoyed it from the lanai while we ate dinner.
Then we went to the pool, in the pouring rain, for one last swim. The pictures are a little blurry from the rain.
As we were getting ready for bed, Elin found the tiniest little gecko by her lamp. We captured it and relocated it outside.
🌸 April 3 - Monday 🌸
Ugh....4 am wake up call for a 7 am flight.
We love how the airport in Kona is outside and you walk right out to your plane on the tarmac.
Long day but we made it home.
One side note about the Big Island: most people don't realize how big it really is. In the 10 days that we were there we drove 1,348 miles which is about 27 hours of driving time. We went on every part of the island except the road furthest north..
We had such a great adventure.
Mahalo Kona. And Aloha until we meet again.
Maija
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