We set the alarm clock for 6 am, and it's a good thing Jo brought it with her because we were both sound asleep when it went off. Today our excursion was snorkelling with Captain Zodiac.
The ship can't dock at Kona, so we were transferred to shore in lifeboats (good to know they float). They're called tenders, and each one can take 150 lifeboat passenges or 105 passengers as a shuttle. There was a steady flow of passengers disembarking, and we took our turn in the queue.
Captain Zodiac has two zodiac boats - they have big inflatable tubes around the edge, on which we sit, and a rigid base, and two outboard motors. They go very fast and are very manoeverable (however you spell that) as our captain, Darren, took delight in demonstrating. There were about 16 of us on each boat. We headed out from shore past our ship, and Darren looked for whales and dolphins, but we didn't find any.
The ship can't dock at Kona, so we were transferred to shore in lifeboats (good to know they float). They're called tenders, and each one can take 150 lifeboat passenges or 105 passengers as a shuttle. There was a steady flow of passengers disembarking, and we took our turn in the queue.
Captain Zodiac has two zodiac boats - they have big inflatable tubes around the edge, on which we sit, and a rigid base, and two outboard motors. They go very fast and are very manoeverable (however you spell that) as our captain, Darren, took delight in demonstrating. There were about 16 of us on each boat. We headed out from shore past our ship, and Darren looked for whales and dolphins, but we didn't find any.
Then we went along the coast to the bay where Captain Cook died. Darren told us the story of Cook's death when he went on shore looking for a longboat that had gone missing. There's a memorial, but we weren't allowed to go on shore because it's a protected area. We put on flippers and snorkels and went over the side to swim. When some of us were already in the water, Darren spotted the spout of a hump backed whale in the bay, but we couldn't abandon our swimmers so that was as close as we got to seeing a whale.We thought snorkelling at Molokini crater was pretty good, but this was better. The water was shallower, and there were amazing colourful fish in all shapes and sizes, and eels and coral and sea urchins. We spent an hour in the water and the time passed very quickly. Both of us want to do more snorkelling when we get home. Great Barrier Reef, here we come!
On the way out of the bay Deborah spotted some dolphins close in to shore - and that's close as we go to dolphins.
Darren took us back along the coastline, pointing out lava tube openings in the cliffs where rock had fallen away and left the tube exposed. He gave us some history about the local Hawaiian people and showed us crabs and shellfish on the rocks. It was an exciting ride back as he liked to head for the cliffs at top speed and then veer off at the last minute, to give us a thrill.
Back to Kona, back to the ship on the tender, a very welcome shower and change, and then lunch. This afternoon Jo is having a nap while Deborah updates the blog. Tonight at 6 pm we have our final rehearsal for the show. We still haven't learned Waltzing Matilda.
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