Kealakekua Bay Kayaking

Description and Directions >>

Description:
Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona Coast of the island of Hawaii. An historical monument has been erected where Captain James Cook met his death. Kealakekua Bay is known as one of Hawaii's best coral reefs and offers terrific snorkeling. The reef can be reach by kayak, tour boat or by trail. Total paddling length from Napo'opo'o Beach Park to Captain Cook Monument is about 2 miles roundtrip.

Activities:
kayaking, boating, hiking, swimming, sightseeing, snorkeling

Directions:
Head south on Highway 11 from Kailua-Kona. After passing the 111 mile marker, turn right onto Napoopoo Road. At the intersection of Middle Ke'ei Road and Napoopoo, head right toward the ocean. Once you get to the ocean, turn right into Napo'opo'o Beach Park. You can launch from the dock (which is a 2-3 foot drop into the water).

Story Date 6/25/2004
Publish Date 11/18/2004

Story Perspectives >>

According to Mikala: We decided to kayak on Kealakekua Bay because we had heard there was some great snorkeling from the Captain Cook Monument. We rented our kayaks from Kona Boy Kayaks and headed to the launch. There isn't a boat launch that you can easily put your kayaks in. You have to drop your kayak about 2-3 feet from the concrete dock/pier, and then very carefully get into your kayak. Of course, there are many locals hanging around that are more than happy to help you (and receive a small tip).

The day that we paddled was overcast and a little windy. There were some small waves as we kayaked about a mile to the monument. I didn't see any dolphins, like I had hoped. As we neared the monument, we noticed quite a few other kayakers had landed, and about 2 or 3 tour boats anchored. We found the best landing to the left of the monument. We had to be careful, because the only place to land is on lava rock. Once we landed, we were able to carry our kayaks to a small sandy area.

We had hoped that the clouds would clear by the time we landed, but that was not the case. We entered the water with our snorkeling gear anyway. It took me awhile to get used to entering the water from lava rock. It was not like snorkeling from a smooth sandy beach in Kauai. In the water, there were many different types of fish. I could imagine how much more beautiful they would appear in the clear water on a sunny day. We even saw an eel underneath the coral.

The one thing I didn't enjoy was swimming around the tour boats. Sometimes, I would be so engrossed in looking at the fish, that I would almost bump my head on the boats. It seems they should have to anchor a little further out from the shore.

After our first go at snorkeling, we exited the water to have lunch near our kayaks. We then hiked a little into the plantlife on a trail that supposedly comes down from a road above. That was a mistake...we were soon attacked by a horde of mosquitoes. We decided to head back and snorkel once again.