AFTERNOON SNORKEL-CAPTAIN COOK MONUMENT

Depart Keauhou Bay at 2:00 PM aboard the Hoku Nui — Sea Paradise’s 50-foot luxury sailing catamaran — and sail to the World Famous Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay, a Marine Life Conservation District on the Kona Coast.

Kealakekua Bay has been protected since 1969. No fishing. No anchoring. The result: coral reef health and marine life density that general-access snorkel sites cannot match. Sea Paradise has been sailing here since 1985.

What you may see: spinner dolphins at the bay entrance, spotted eagle rays, Moorish idols, yellow tang, humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa (Hawaii’s state fish), Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu), and moray eels throughout the reef. Marine naturalist crew run a full reef briefing before the snorkel.

The afternoon trade winds create excellent sailing conditions on the return passage to Keauhou Bay — the sail back is consistently one of the highlights of the afternoon tour. Returns approximately 5:00 PM. This tour does not stop at the Red Hill Area.