One of our favorite spots on the Big Island of Hawaii was Kealakekua Bay, south of Kona. Its deep-blue water seemed surreal as we crossed the deep bay on the way to Captain Cook’s Monument.

We drove down Napo’opo’o Road (yes all words in Hawaii are like this – they only use 13 of our 26 letters, so every street name is very long and repetitive.) We arrived early when there was still space to park and the tour boats hadn’t yet arrived, then asked the locals where we could rent a kayak. We quickly found a merchant who was just setting up, and rented two double kayaks for $50 each.

Crossing the bay took a while and our arms were tired by the time we reached the monument, but the breathtaking “LOST-like” view on the way made the trip go quickly, as well as the dolphins that entertained us. We found a spot to pull the kayaks up onto the rocks, and then carefully maneuvered the slippery rocks as we donned our snorkel gear and slipped in.

The snorkeling was great – many fish along the shoreline, which quickly dropped off to the deep bay. We even found a Humuhumunukunukuapua fish, which is the Hawaii state fish.

Captain Cook was the Australian explorer who first discovered the islands, after the original inhabitants did. This monument marks the spot where he died.

Big Island Adventures
Caving on the Big Island
Volcanoes National Park
Swimming with Dolphins
Kayak and Snorkel at Captain Cook’s Monument
When a Tsunami Hit the Big Island

Probably the most exciting experience for me during our visit on the Big Island, was swimming with dolphins. These pod of spinner dolphins were swimming around us and under us in about 40 feet of deep blue Pacific waters. They would jump and play and spin above the water.

Many guides offer tours like this in Hawaii, but you’ll want to work with an outfit that employs a marine biologist and trains tourists about the safety steps. You’re best approach is to not approach the dolphins, but rather to just be in the water and allow them to come as close as they want.

For a while we weren’t sure where the pod had gone and then my daughter looked into the water with her mask, and pointed downward. Approximately 15-20 dolphins were swimming right beneath us. Amazing experience.

For all of our water and underwater shots in Hawaii, we used a simple Sony Cybershot point and shoot camera, with a DiCaPac underwater camera casing ($20-25 on Amazon).

Big Island Adventures
Caving on the Big Island
Volcanoes National Park
Swimming with Dolphins
Kayak and Snorkel at Captain Cook’s Monument
When a Tsunami Hit the Big Island

When we visited the Big Island of Hawaii last month, we most wanted to experience the outstanding geological sites it has to offer. The volcanic sites are unlike anywhere else in America, and everywhere on the island we witnessed the remnants of what created this beautiful paradise – lava. Our 4WD Jeep drove over the top of many 1800’s lava flows on rustic roads designed to get only the more adventurous visitors to the coast.

Lava tubes were one of the many adventures we made during our stay. They are located all over the island and free to explore. The Thurston Lava tube is located inside Volcanoes National Park, and is lighted in part of the tube. Another well-known cave – Kaumana Caves – is located just outside of Hilo on Hwy 200.

Tips for Caving:

* Bring a powerful flashlight if you want to go farther than the natural light allows.
* Be smart about where you hike – lava tubes are usually hidden from above and the ceilings can cave in.
* Hike with others who also make safe choices, and tell someone at your resort when you plan to return.
* Dress in layers, as the caves can be very cool, even when the weather outside is warm.

We saw others using helmets with headlamps, but we never went far enough into the caves to need them. Other excellent precautions for caving can be found here.

Big Island Adventures
Caving on the Big Island
Volcanoes National Park
Swimming with Dolphins
Kayak and Snorkel at Captain Cook’s Monument
When a Tsunami Hit the Big Island

My daughter did an experiment as an extra-credit assignment in her eighth grade science class, and it had very interesting results that all sour-candy lovers should watch! She soaked three eggs in different solutions for a month, and then demonstrates the results on this 3-minute YouTube video (the last five minutes or so are blank video): One egg was soaked in water, one in sugar water and one in Sour Spray.

You may want to watch the entire Prezi presentation to understand the hypothesis of the experiment, as well as the research that led her to focus on sour spray. Just click on the link in the previous sentence and click the arrow on the Prezi to move through the presentation slides.

During the presentation of her experiment, my daughter also conducted a social experiment. She offered each student a sour or regular gummy worm before starting the presentation, and 57% of the eighth graders chose “sour.” Her hypothesis was that when eighth graders learn the truth about sour spray, they will choose to change behavior. After the presentation, only 29% chose sour. Her hypothesis proved correct! You can try this in your own home or classroom, before and after watching the presentation.

Enjoy!