Mike in the Wild

The most vivid memory of my first trip to the Big Island of Hawaii almost twelve years ago was the Fair Wind morning snorkeling tour to Kealakekua.  Sun, fun, scenery, fish, swimming, food, coral: it was an easy decision to repeat the exact excursion at the start of my second visit to the island two weeks ago.  It was the same nice boat (the Fair Wind II catamaran), the same picturesque departure harbor (Keauhou Bay in South Kona), and a just as pleasant and informative crew as last time.  Of course there were fewer passengers on board as a result of COVID-related distancing guidelines.  As a result the vessel seemed more spacious and exclusive, a luxurious upgrade in this time of sacrifice.  I also noticed from some old pictures that the sail and its mast were removed.  However a new top deck roof in their place provided lots of shade from the tropical sun.  The trip was off to a good start: fresh, breezy air; wide open views of the Kona Coast and sea...