Finally--back to Hawaii! The seventh day of our trip was probably the most magical day. Usually when people ask us about our time in Hawaii, both Tomkin and I mention the events of this day first.
As usual, we started with breakfast up at the main house (pancakes, sausage, and tropical fruit), and then Tomkin packed up our stuff for the day while I checked my e-mail and Facebook. We changed into swimwear and drove to nearby
Kealakekua Bay.
It was a gorgeous sunny day out, and we were hoping to do some kayaking and snorkeling. We parked the car and walked to the water, not sure exactly where to rent a kayak or what to do. Tomkin started chatting with a young guy on a bike, who introduced himself as Spencer. He said that he could rent us a kayak for the day. I was a little hesitant (all my "big city" flags went up), but everything was fine. Spencer gave us a dry pack, and we put most of our stuff in there and then strapped the pack and our cooler into the kayak. I had never kayaked before and wasn't sure what to expect. I put both of our cameras in the dry pack to be sure they were safe. I would soon come to regret this decision.... We paid Spencer for the kayak, and he told us to look for his cousin Bubba and another guy when we got across the bay, and they would help us to shore. Then we set off!
The bay was absolutely stunning, with hills along the edge, bright blue sky overhead, and an expanse of sea in front of us. We took our time, enjoying our surroundings and greeting other kayakers. Earlier, someone had mentioned to us that the dolphins were around. Sure enough, Tomkin pointed out a
spinner dolphin up ahead of us that jumped out of the water and spun around in the air! We kayaked closer and soon started to see other dolphins as well. Some would jump out of the water and spin, and others would dive up and back into the water in a line. After a few minutes, the dolphins would disappear, and then we'd paddle on. And soon we'd see more dolphins! At one point I wondered if they could tip over our kayak, because they were just a few feet away from us! It was truly one of the most magical things that either Tomkin or I have ever encountered. And it's nothing we planned--we were just delighted to see so many dolphins in their native environment, and we happened to find ourselves in the middle of them. We saw at least three sets of dolphins (or maybe it was the same group just moving around), sometimes with five or six dolphins diving together. It was absolutely incredible...and I didn't get pictures of any of it. But maybe that's okay--it allowed me to just enjoy the experience firsthand and not through a camera lens.
After 30-45 minutes, we eventually made our way across the bay and found Bubba and the other guy near the Captain Cook monument. Thank goodness they were there to help us out of the water--the shore was pretty rocky. In fact, we passed a large Fairwinds sailboat, which people were diving off of into the bay--certainly a much easier way to do it. (You can't reach the Captain Cook area by car--only by watercraft, horseback, hiking, or swimming.)
After the guys lugged our kayak out of the water, Tomkin and I decided to eat some lunch. We took our cooler and walked to an area filled with tidepools.
There wasn't much shade, but we found a little spot under a tree with a beautiful view of the bay.
We enjoyed our lunch and talked to a guy who was there with his three dogs.
Then we headed back to the kayak, put away our lunch stuff, and prepared to go snorkeling. The shore was rocky and slippery, so it was a little tricky to get into the water. But there were lots of snorkelers around--and for good reason!
Once we got into the water and swam around, the view under the sea was breathtaking. Unfortunately, my Kodak camera got wet and stopped working (I had a protective underwater case but didn't seal it right), so I didn't get any photos. But I tried to take snapshots in my mind of the gorgeous coral, rainbow fish, angelfish, pointy fish (no, these are not the technical names), and all the other amazing things swimming around us. However, it was still a mixed experience for me. The waves were rough, and there were lots of rocky areas around, so I was always kind of uneasy. I have discovered that a little snorkeling goes a long way for me. Plus, I just don't like the saltwater. After 15-20 minutes, we decided to head back to shore.
We ended up in an area that was really rocky, and the waves were crashing in. Tomkin managed to get out, but I couldn't get a solid grip, and the waves kept washing me back out and then pushing me up against the rocks. After a couple minutes, I started to get kind of panicky. Thankfully, Tomkin stayed calm. He swam out, wrapped his legs around me, and pulled us both back to shore. I was pretty freaked out by the time we finally got out of the water. We just sat for a while so I could get my bearings again. In our original itinerary, we had planned to snorkel two more times, but I said I didn't want to do it again. Tomkin said that was fine--we would change our plans to only do fun things we enjoy! (Although this part of the day wasn't fun, it was quite a bonding experience for us.)
We had to make our way back to the kayak through some forest area--I kept my swim fins on to protect my feet (which made walking a bit challenging, but also amusing), and Tomkin went barefoot. Once we got back to the kayak, we put on some shoes, I grabbed my Canon camera, and we followed a trail to the
Captain Cook monument, which commemorates the spot at which British explorer
James Cook landed and was later killed.
The area around the actual monument is chained off. Apparently you're not supposed to go inside because that land belongs to England! But Tomkin and I (being the rebels that we are!), stepped inside so we were half on British land and half on American land.
We chatted with some other tourists and watched the mongooses that were darting around the rocks. We thought they were cute, but they've actually been a nightmare for Hawaii.
They were originally introduced to the island to kill rats, but since mongooses and rats are awake at different times of day, that didn't work out too well. And since the mongooses still needed food, they started eating all the birds' eggs they could find on the ground, eventually killing off entire species. Yikes. Tomkin and I headed back to the kayak and prepared to head back. We chatted with Bubba and his friend for a while--the people in Hawaii were so incredibly warm and nice, and these guys (and Spencer) were no exception.
They told us that most Hawaiians are not encouraged to move away and go to college. For them, it's more important to be close to their family. We heard from a variety of people that Sunday is the day you go to church and then spend the day at the beach with your family.
Tomkin and I packed up our things and headed back in our kayak--this time I kept out my camera. No dolphins around, though. Ah, well. It was still a beautiful ride.
Spencer was at the shore to meet us when we returned, and he helped us bring in the kayak.
Even with the less-than-positive snorkeling experience, it was still an absolutely amazing day. On our way home, we stopped at the
Painted Church (St. Benedict's).
The murals inside were all painted with housepaint by one of the church's priests in the early 1900s.
They also have a beautiful cemetery outside.
Tomkin and I got back to our B&B about 3:30, showered, and relaxed. We decided to have dinner at the
Kona Brewing Company, which was about a half-hour drive away.
We sat outside and enjoyed watching the gecko and mongoose that were lurking nearby. Our British waiter told us that 15 years before, the economy had been so bad at home that his mom said she'd buy him a one-way ticket to anywhere he wanted to go and find work. He picked Hawaii and has been there ever since. He said he loves it!
I enjoyed a glass of Hula Hefeweizen, and we started with an order of cheesey bread with macadamia nut pesto.
Then we split a fabulous taco pizza, and I managed to squeeze in an ice cream sundae for dessert. By that point, we were full and tired, so we headed back to the B&B. What an amazing day!
We had asked our B&B owner for some dining recommendations, and for lunch we headed to Keoki's Roadside Cafe, which Johnsie and John-Paul raved about. 
We had some fish (caught the day before) and "chips" (which were actually onion rings). The food was good, but it wasn't especially memorable.
Next we headed to Greenwell Farms, one of the 700 Kona coffee farms in the 22 x 2–mile "Kona Belt." Johnsie had recommended this place for a tour, and I could see why. 
They've been around for generations and are one of the larger farms, but they still provide a nice personal touch. When we first arrived, we waited for a tour guide and tried out a couple different coffees. I especially loved the macadamia nut coffee. 
We chatted with one of the women who works there, and then one of her Hawaiian neighbors arrived with her two dogs. We ended up talking with her for a while, and when we told her about our experience with the dolphins the day before, she told us we must be very blessed if the dolphins were drawn to us that way. I thought that was very sweet! Tomkin and I set off on our tour with Sandro, who was originally from Costa Rica. 
We learned so much about the process of making coffee! It was really fascinating. We saw lots of different trees, and Sandro explained how they take the "cherries" and put them through a machine that removes the skin. 
Then the beans are rinsed with water and dried in the sun. 
Two more layers of skin are removed, and then you have the "green beans," which get shipped to coffee producers around the world (some is also processed and sold locally). 
Kona coffee is made from the first type of coffee tree introduced to Hawaii. We even saw the first tree that had been planted on Greenwell's coffee farm more than 100 years ago. So cool! The tour gave me a whole new appreciation for coffee.
Next we headed to a nearby town to do a little wandering and shopping. We picked up a couple gifts in Just Ukes, and I bought myself a mug. 
Tomkin was delighted to find machetes for sale at Oshima's General Store. 
We looked at art and jewelry in some of the "fancier" stores and browsed in some clothing shops. 
But we hit the jackpot when we went into the thrift store. 
Tomkin bought himself a tuxedo for $20, and I found a dress for $8 and a T-shirt for $2. (Why on earth I brought so many dark-colored clothes to Hawaii, I don't know!)
We also enjoyed talking with other shoppers, many of whom were looking for Halloween costumes. I picked up a couple things at a bookstore, and we also browsed around an antique shop. Then we did some grocery shopping at a health foods store.
For dinner, we went to Keke's, which was right near our B&B and had also been recommended by Johnsie and John-Paul. 
We sat at a picnic table outside and spent a long time chatting with one of the owners, who used to live in Chicago. He was really nice and a lot of fun. 
Tomkin had the fish tacos, and I got a brisket sandwich with french fries and onion rings. The food was amazing! And it was the least-expensive meal we'd had in a while: $16 for both of us. (Plus, we could buy our own beverages from the little store next door--I got a can of Bud Light Lime for $1!)
We started chatting with another guy, Jamey, who was there eating, and we ended up sitting with him and talking for a long time. He's a freelance writer originally from Tennessee.
We got to see the sun go down and learned about the "vog" (volcanic smog), which blows in from the southeastern part of the island.
Tomkin and I got back to the Coffee Barn about 6:30 and spent the rest of the evening reading, writing out a few postcards, and relaxing. It was another fun and lovely day.
