Today we started by renting two 3-person kayaks to paddle one mile across Kealakekua Bay (a trip that took about 30 minutes) to reach Captain Cook Monument.  The great thing about this bay is that it is a resting place for 100's of dolphin pods.  Scores of them come here, and today was no exception!  We got to see them pop up close to our kayaks!  There were mommy and daddy dolphins swimming through the water while around them, their baby spinner dolphins were jumping way out of the water, spinning in the air, and splashing back down into the water.  It was so neat to watch!!

Our destination on the other side of the bay was Captain Cook Monument, which arguably has some of the best snorkeling in the world!  The water here was calm and CRYSTAL clear.  There were TONS of all kinds of different fish and sea turtles.  Mark and Bryan each had to tie a rope from their kayak around their waist and drag the kayak with them - you are not allowed to dock or walk around at the monument.  They are trying to protect the coral reef, and the sacred monument.  

It had a drop off, reminiscent of the one in Finding Nemo. I was the last one to finish snorkeling, and everyone else sitting in the kayaks had drifted out away from the reef and past the drop off.  It was eerie to swim out into the open water where I could not see the bottom, and it was DEEP.  At that point, I didn't look down.  I put my head above water and swam as quickly as possible to the kayak.  Please no sharks, please no sharks, please no sharks!

 Here is the monument itself, on the shore...

After kayaking back across the bay, we drove over to a place called "Two Step", another famous snorkeling destination.  Mark, Bryan, and Morgan were tired, so they stayed in the car to nap and relax, while Colton and Kyle went snorkeling with me...

Just to the side of two step is Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, also called "The Refuge".  Due to the government shutdown, it was not open, but we could see some of it from "Two Step"...