A New Entry at Keahou Bay

     As you will recall, a few weeks ago our son Charles came to Kona.  On the first morning of his visit, we broke out the fishing rod, purloined a couple frozen shrimp from Sandra and the three of us went down to Keahou Bay.  Our favorite spot on this long narrow inlet is the tail end of the grounds

My Son the Piscator,  Keahou Bay February 2018

owned and operated by the Sheraton.  We unloaded our lawn chairs, having parked in one of the few free spots remaining after the hotel gated its parking lot, and made our way to one of our favorite spots in Kailua to picnic, fish and just hang out.

    This spot is at the end of the trail that boasts beach access.  On the makai side is the handsome wedding chapel maintained by the hotel.  Just up the bay and anchored into the beach side lava is a small house that, although well maintained, boasts ropes and Kapu! signs.  Long ago it housed the dive operations for the property.  Now it is a handsome small house with a killer view that is never, ever used.  Between the chapel and the small house are some large, old trees, a flat grassy area ideal for lawn chairs and, of course, the killer view across Keahou Bay.

Multibar Goatfish, Kailua Kona Pier, February 2018

   Having established our picnic area with folding chairs and a grass mat, Charles made his way down
onto the rocks to fish.  On his first cast he caught a small multibar goatfish and called for me to bring him some tools to disgorge the poor little thing.  As I approached him with a mosquito clamp, I saw a few yard away a new aluminum ladder attached to the lava shoreline.  Eureka!

   This ladder wasn't the complete surprise you might think.  Over the last few months, roughly corresponding to the time since the hotel turned their free lot into paid parking, a kayak rental has been established beside the beach access trail. Obviously the swim ladder was meant as an aid to the kayakers.  That it is a boon to snorkelers is undoubtedly inadvertent.  When I went over to examine the ladder, I encountered two Japanese ladies preparing to kayak and a third well kitted out Japanese lady who was apparently going to serve as their guide.  It was a month or so after Pearl Harbor Day and we exchanged pleasant kanichiwas, with the appropriate folding of hands and bowing.. 

Swim Ladder and kayak Launch.  Kanichiwa.

   It has been a number of years since I have swam happily in Keahou Bay.  When we first started coming to Kona in the eighties, there was a small bridge and swim ladder on the rock immediately off shore, on the lava right below the dive shop.

   Back in those days this property was known as the Kona Surf.  Even before the Surf hotels abandoned this property, the swimming aids had been removed and the dive operation decommissioned.  For the last 25 years, if you wanted to swim here, you needed to crawl in and out over the lava rocks.  I have done this a few times in that span of decades and, although I always managed to get out, I always ended up with a few nasty cuts.  It must be coming on to ten years since I have subjected my aging carcass to this lacerating situation.

Awash in Keahou Bay

   Suffice it to say, I was intrigued by the new swim ladder; in fact, I could hardly wait to use it.   We didn't have snorkeling gear with us on that excursion and shortly there after the swell picked up.  For about two weeks there has been great surfing on the Kona shore and snorkeling has been less inviting.  Sandra's daughter, Leslie arrived this week and on the first morning of her visit, the ocean was remarkably calm.  and so we packed a lunch and headed down to the Sheraton for reading, relaxing and snorkeling.  

    On this day, I was the only one to go snorkeling.  Knowing that the Sheraton provides no support at all, I had brought some fresh water in a two liter bottle that I placed on the lava to warm while I swam.  Then it was off to the new ladder.

   Sandra came along, it is just a short walk around the little house on a maintained trail.  There was a man just getting out, possibly a decade older than your ancient correspondent.  He must have been staying at the hotel as he informed us that the water was more clear than it had been on previous days.  And he had seen an eel!

    After I went down the ladder she threw my fins to me.  The water was fairly clear and there was just a little bit of surge.  I was pleased to see that some coral still exists in this area, although the

Mr Freckleface perched on a dead Pocillipora,  Keahou Bay 2018

branching coral is long gone. I swam out as far as the hotel, where the water gets a little deeper and the current a bit stronger.  As an indication of this, there were white barred and spotted surgeons cavorting around the rocks and a nice fat Christmas wrasse raced by.   On my way back in,  I swam through an outbound school of Polynesian halfbeaks, a pretty good fish that is seen only occasionally.

   On both this occasion and on the morning that we came with Charles, we witnessed an unusual event out in the bay.  Accompanied by the blowing of a conch, about eight kayaks headed off from the head of the bay, the conch blower standing erect in one of the boats, intermittently sounding his mournful trumpet.  The kayaks congregated at the mouth of the bay and paddled in a circle for a bit, the paddlers tossing hibiscus blossoms into the water.  They sat their craft in repose for about fifteen minutes and then paddled back in.  The first time we saw this, we thought it might be a kayaker's funeral, scattering of ashes or some such.  Having watched a second episode we now wonder if it some new water borne church service.  Or perhaps kayakers are dropping off like flies.

Polynesian Halfbeak, Kailua Pier, 2016

   This snorkeling experience was about as good as any here in Kailua.  The fact that the Sheraton does not encourage this activity is manifest.  There is no shower and no place to change.  I went back to the car to change and did so as unobtrusively as possible while numerous people paraded by on their way to an event taking place in the hotel exhibition hall.  If you are willing to bring your own water for an apres snorkel ablution and don't mind the possibility of becoming a hotel exhibition, I recommend this strongly.  And for goodness sake, don't forget your lawn chair, paperback, and picnic.

jeff

 

So blow your conch and beat your drum, the happiest days are yet to come.