Early Morning Whale Watching
If you have read my blogs from last year's trip to the Big Island you know that one of the highlights of our 2014 trip was the Breakfast With The Whales whale watching trip with Ocean Sports. So as soon as we settled in on our schedule for our 2015 trip, we booked our return whale watching adventure with Ocean Sports. Our son did not go with us on our 2014 trip so we were especially excited about having him along with us to enjoy the adventure.
Instead of boring you with the same information that I provided last year, I will give you the link to my previous blog. That blog will give you all the particulars of the trip and what to expect when booking your adventure.
 |
| There's nothing like seeing a whale breach right in front of your eyes! |
So How did this year compare?
Sometimes when you do the same thing a second time around it isn't quite like you remember it the first time. In the case of this year's whale watching I wouldn't say it was not as good but I would say that it was a different experience.
Tip: If you are booking a return trip with Ocean Sports within the year, they will give you a discount on your return trip. Make sure to ask for that when you call to book!
Hotel Pick up
Since we were staying at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, our pick up time for the Breakfast with the Whales trip was at 7:15 AM from the lower lobby. There is bench seating just outside of the lobby and our van arrived right on time to pick us up and take us on our adventure. There were several guests taking this particular trip so we gave our names to the driver who quickly checked us in and we were on our way. After a brief stop at Queens Marketplace at the Ocean Sports Storefront to sign some paperwork we all loaded back into the van and headed to A-bay for our departure.
The first thing we noticed when we arrived at the beach was that the surf was a little higher than the previous year. The entire week that we were in the Islands this year, there were high surf warnings both on Kauai as well as the Big Island. This day was no different. We found out later that we were the only cruise that wasn't cancelled for the next several days. So on the one hand we were very lucky to be able to head out and see these wonderful sea creatures and on the other hand it was a little bit of a rough ride this year.
Boarding
Nothing had changed with the boarding process. There is a small ramp a few feet into the ocean that you climb up to board the glass bottom boat to ride out to the catamaran that is anchored several yards off shore. It is a "wet boarding" so make sure you wear flip flops or have shoes that you can easily remove in order to board the glass bottom boat. This was our first inkling that it was going to be a little rougher at sea as the glass bottom boat was tossed around a little as it butted up to the ramp. A quick 5 minute ride took us to the catamaran and again we were tossed around a bit as we got to the larger boat. We then made the transfer to the catamaran and found a place toward the front to try to grab the best pictures that we could. 
The Adventure Begins
While the surf was high and ride was quite a bit rougher than the previous year we actually saw more whales this year than last year (and I thought that was a lot at the time!) Last year we saw mostly tails, spouts and pec slaps. This year we got to see several whales breaching and competition pods as well as tails and spouts. There is absolutely nothing more mesmerizing than watching a gigantic humpback whale breach! It definitely makes the trip worthwhile!! The trip last about an hour and a half on the boat and we saw whales almost the entire time! We definitely were in "whale soup"!
The biggest difference this year was that there were several passengers who got sea sick. Last year it was literally "smooth sailing" and not one passenger got the slightest bit ill. This year with the higher surf it was a totally different story. About 15 minutes into the tour, passengers started to get ill and that lasted pretty much the entire time we were out there. Luckily due to my previous whale watching experience in Monterey (which this was not nearly as bad as that!) we had made sure to take some Bonine about an hour before we left for the day at sea. All I can say is thank goodness we had taken something! Tip: If you know you get seasick please be sure to take something or use a method to prevent seasickness before you get on the boat. In fact if you don't know if you get seasick or not....make sure you take something. It's better to be safe than sorry and there's nothing worse than being sick and stuck on a boat till the tour is over!
That being said the scenery was fantastic and whales were really out in force. We definitely were glad we took the time to go back for a second year!
Getting back to the hotel
After the tour was over, you just reverse the boarding process....get off the catamaran onto the glass bottom boat, take the glass bottom boat to shore and then take the van back to the drop off area of your resort. It's all a very seamless and easy process.
Tip: For taking one of the cruises, you receive discounts on water toy rentals and on booking other cruises during your stay. If you are interested in either of these, please make sure to take advantage of the discounts offered. Discounts do not apply to cabana rentals at the Hilton Waikoloa Village however, even though they are run by Ocean Sports.
Lunch with the Dolphins
Once we arrived back at the resort we decided to grab some lunch on our way back to our rooms. We decided on a quick lunch at the Lagoon Grill. The best thing about the Lagoon Grill is that it is right next to the dolphin area of the Hilton Waikoloa Village and you can watch the dolphins play and interact with trainers as well as guests. The food itself was ok. It was not a particularly memorable meal but it was good for lunch with decent variety. The service was slow. I would not recommend this restaurant if you are in a hurry but then again I could probably say the same thing about any of the resort restaurants.
We enjoyed our meals, watched the dolphins for awhile and then did a quick tour of the resort as we headed back to the room to change for the rest of the day's activities. As we walked we saw sea turtles lounging and swimming around. We also saw some amazing "flying fish" that would just suddenly fling themselves into the air and land quite a distance away! Combine that with some amazing views of the ocean and and the lush resort plants and it was a beautiful walk back to the room!
Kohala Coast
We decided to leave the resort in early afternoon and head up the Kohala Coast to the "end of the road" at the Pololu Beach Overlook. This is a nice afternoon drive from the resort. Figure on a couple hour drive as you travel through King Kamehameha's birthplace, Hawi Town and Kapa'au on your way to some beautiful scenery along the northern shore of the Big Island. While this is maybe not as striking of a day trip as you will find in other directions, it is definitely worth the trip if you have the time to do it. From there we headed to our next stop....Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea is another "must do" if you are visiting the Big Island. There are several tours that you can take to the summit of Mauna Kea. The tour companies will pick you up at your resort, provide you with a dinner, take you to the summit and then stick around for star gazing near the visitor's center. Tours run around $200.00 per person on average and last about 7 hours. We chose NOT to do the tour. We did not do it in 2014 and decided against it again. The reasons that we did not do the tour were 1. It takes up a large portion of your day. 2. It is not inexpensive. 3. You can view the stars at the Visitor's Center for free and you have more control over the amount of time that you spend. Whether you decide that the tour is for you or you want to do it yourself.....please make time to get here at least once while you are on the Island. You will not regret the time spent!
While we were there, there were high wind warnings on the Island and that meant that trips to the summit were limited. This evening the summit was open but the temps were low and wind chills were below freezing. Please note that you can make the trip up to the summit in your own vehicle if you have a high clearance 4WD vehicle.
Tip: If you are planning to visit Mauna Kea (either the summit or the visitor's center), make sure you pack warm clothes.
Since my husband and I had been there the previous year, we made sure that we packed up some warm clothes to wear when we headed to Mauna Kea. I am not just talking jeans...i am talking winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves and sweatshirts! Believe me we needed every bit of the clothing that we brought!
We stopped in Waikoloa Village and picked up subs at the local Subway and a few snacks and took them with us to Mauna Kea. We took time to eat in our vehicle while we waited for the darkness to set in. I would recommend getting there before dark because 1. It's easier traveling one direction in while it's still light out and 2. You can secure a better parking spot.
There are several telescopes set up at the visitor's center. The program is entirely free and you just have to bring your patience as you stand in line for your turn to see the stars. Believe me there are so many stars that you can see with the naked eye that you will not have trouble waiting your turn! This is truly an amazing place. The stars are just everywhere and so brilliant. You will never see another place like this so make sure you take the time to soak it all in!
Back to the Resort
After our trek to Mauna Kea it was time to head back to the resort for the night. Our day started with the Sea and ended with the Stars and was a perfect day in paradise!
Coming Next:
Day 6 - Green Sand, Black Sand, Divers and Volcanoes
Follow me on Twitter @travelswithmelb
No comments:
Post a Comment