Kealakekua Bay/Cook's Monument HAWAII
Jul 31st, 2001 | 05:52 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Kealakekua Bay/Cook's Monument HAWAII
I have a few questions maybe you all who have been there can help me with.
This is a spin-off from my other post titled Snorkel Comparisons
Is Cook's Monument in Kealakekua Bay? Is it the same place? If not, I get the distinct impression that they are very close in proximity?
If we were to rent kayaks to go there and snorkel, is there any place like a beach or something in the area that we can pull up on and have a picnic lunch? Is there room in a kayak to bring a picnic lunch with you? (told you we have no experience with kayaks, lol)
How deep is the water in this area?
The problem I'm having with doing the kayak thing is my 6 yr. old. I know she's going to love the trip, but she may tire out and get bored before the rest of us and if there is no bank or beach for her to go on, she may not last too long.
Also, I read about these ocean rafts that take you to the Bay - this sounded interesting because they also say they take you to see caves and lava tubes and grottos on the way which seems like a neat thing to see.
Obviously, renting a couple of kayaks is a lot less expensive than taking one of these snorkel trips by boat...they are quite expensive, but my kids would probably enjoy that scenario the most as most of them say they have waterslides and diving platforms, etc.
Arrrggghh....too many decisions for the world's most indecisive person!!
Thanks to all of you for all of your help, advice, and suggestions!
This is a spin-off from my other post titled Snorkel Comparisons
Is Cook's Monument in Kealakekua Bay? Is it the same place? If not, I get the distinct impression that they are very close in proximity?
If we were to rent kayaks to go there and snorkel, is there any place like a beach or something in the area that we can pull up on and have a picnic lunch? Is there room in a kayak to bring a picnic lunch with you? (told you we have no experience with kayaks, lol)
How deep is the water in this area?
The problem I'm having with doing the kayak thing is my 6 yr. old. I know she's going to love the trip, but she may tire out and get bored before the rest of us and if there is no bank or beach for her to go on, she may not last too long.
Also, I read about these ocean rafts that take you to the Bay - this sounded interesting because they also say they take you to see caves and lava tubes and grottos on the way which seems like a neat thing to see.
Obviously, renting a couple of kayaks is a lot less expensive than taking one of these snorkel trips by boat...they are quite expensive, but my kids would probably enjoy that scenario the most as most of them say they have waterslides and diving platforms, etc.
Arrrggghh....too many decisions for the world's most indecisive person!!
Thanks to all of you for all of your help, advice, and suggestions!
Aug 1st, 2001 | 01:58 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
There is no beach, just a rough rocky shoreline. If I wanted to bring a 6 year old, I would not Kayak but go on one of the larger snorkeling boats. We did that and there was a toddler on board who had a great time. The name of the boat we went on escapes me but if you are interested, I will try to find it.
Aug 1st, 2001 | 02:13 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
I found the info about the boat we took to go snorkeling at kealakekua Bay
It was the Fair Wind (not cheap but very professional, VERY safety conscientious, good with kids - they even had some water toys specifically for kids. Their web site is
www.fair-wind.com
It was the Fair Wind (not cheap but very professional, VERY safety conscientious, good with kids - they even had some water toys specifically for kids. Their web site is
www.fair-wind.com
Aug 1st, 2001 | 03:40 PM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Spent a couple of weeks on Kealakekua Bay this spring with kayaks and a six-year-old so I'll pipe in with my advice. The kayaks are great fun and the doubles are virtually untippable. It is a wonderful treat to paddle out into the bay and watch the spinner dolphins and do a little snorkling- however, we were amazed, as experienced kayakers, at the number of complete novices entering the bay. We would sit on the veranda of our house and watch a couple of local guys patiently load and unload tourists with their rental kayaks into the bay from the big concrete dock (which is the only public launching point on the bay.) We saw a pretty good number of people get dumped on entry-usually those who didn't accept help getting in and out. We did take our daughter out but only when the surf was very calm and even then we didn't count on her paddling. We couldn't have done it w/o the help of our local buddies who helped place her in the boat and also lift her out. (These fellows are always appreciative of a tip.) I would recommend a Fair Winds trip, well worth the money. They do a great job and are well set up for all ages. We would also regularily see the zodiac boats come down but they are a lot choppier ride and I wouldn't put my young kids on one.
There is a place to hall out of the bay at the actual monument if you did choose to kayak and wanted to picnic. Most kayak rental companies include a small cooler that you can secure easily to the boat. Still, getting in and out of the boat can be challenging and I wouldn't want to do it out there with my child. So, I would hold off on the kayaking until your kids are older and even then would recommend a couple of kayaking classes before you go- at least a saftey class. (I know that we have such classes offered in our local pool.) We were amazed at the rank beginners heading out to the ocean in kayaks. I wouldn't add a child to that equation.
There are also guided kayaking trips available on the Kona coast, although not in the bay, that might do a good job with kids. Kealakekua is beautiful but perhaps best done with an outfit like Fairwinds. We'd see them come in daily from Kona and they always looked like everyone was having a great time. Go for safety over savings.
There is a place to hall out of the bay at the actual monument if you did choose to kayak and wanted to picnic. Most kayak rental companies include a small cooler that you can secure easily to the boat. Still, getting in and out of the boat can be challenging and I wouldn't want to do it out there with my child. So, I would hold off on the kayaking until your kids are older and even then would recommend a couple of kayaking classes before you go- at least a saftey class. (I know that we have such classes offered in our local pool.) We were amazed at the rank beginners heading out to the ocean in kayaks. I wouldn't add a child to that equation.
There are also guided kayaking trips available on the Kona coast, although not in the bay, that might do a good job with kids. Kealakekua is beautiful but perhaps best done with an outfit like Fairwinds. We'd see them come in daily from Kona and they always looked like everyone was having a great time. Go for safety over savings.
