In 2015 in January I went to Kona Side of the Big Island and rented a condo which my two friends shared with me then. This was a couple of months before my burst appendix which happened in Mt. Shasta in march of that year and I woke up from my operation after having thought I was going to die very very surprised to still be alive then. It was Easter Morning one hour away! It felt like I had resurrected!
So, now is the first time I've been back to the Hawaiian islands since the 2015 trip. We used to go to Maui at least every year or two because I used to live there in Paia and Hana in 1989 and 1990. So, living on the islands I find is really nice. However, working on the islands can be kind of difficult at times sort of like living in another country with some of the same problems you might encounter trying to work in any other nation on earth.
Also, I get "Island Fever" after a few months here even though I love it. One of my favorite things to do in life is to snorkel with the tropical fish. It is one of the most amazing meditations there is for me and for many others. It's like being an astronaut or in this case an Aquanaut because you are visiting their world of coral and tropical fish. Usually I stay pretty close to shore when I do this.
Two days ago now I took my wife and friends to Lydgate park up on the way to Princeville and Hanalei Bay on that side of the island. It has a rock enclosure that waves break over with enough room for fish to get in but not sharks or bigger things like that. So, it is safe both from waves breaking and safe from larger fish even though I did see a barracuda there also with all the tropical fish that had made it through the breakwater of rocks.
Yesterday we found another spot which had a lot of rocks so it was dangerous because some rocks were 2 to 3 feet high underwater. You could see them because the water is so very clear here but the waves (up to 5 feet) were breaking also so you had to not get crashed onto the rocks going out or coming in. However, just beyond the largest wave break it was clear and wonderful with coral heads and tropical fish like damselfish (which are very territorial). I saw my friend's girlfriend get hit on the back of her neck by a 5 foot wave while facing shore while trying to get up from snorkeling in but she was okay in the end. But, snorkeling is amazing if you are healthy enough to do this and are skilled enough not to choke while breathing air through a tube. (I take a boogie board in case a wave breaks into my face while snorkeling when I first break the surface and don't see it coming so I don't drown). So, assess your skill levels carefully before going in the water so you live to snorkel and swim another day.
At Hapuna beach in 2015 with friends I also bought a boogie board at Costco in Kona (usually around 26 dollars to 35 dollars) or you can rent one. I find it easier now just to buy one and leave it behind for other travelers or just give it to someone when I leave as I have another new boogie board at home in the SF bay area in California. It's much easier to travel light. I don't have to worry about remembering to return or keep track of equipment I rent this way. Also, I put my own mask and snorkel pre-set to my face and head so I'm ready to go right off the plane as far as snorkeling goes. It's a good idea to check to see if your mask fits in the bathtub or hot tub or swimming pool and to make sure it doesn't lead and to make sure you know how to use a snorkel so you don't drown the first time a wave crashing fills your snorkel with water. I breathe in very gingerly and then breathe out hard to clear any drops of water in the snorkel as a few are either coming in either around your mouth or splashes from waves or whatever. So, never breathe in hard only gingerly so you don't drown yourselves but you can always breathe out hard to clear the snorkel. If it gets too fouled with water break the surface and pull the mouthpiece out and breathe normally for awhile. Don't drown. I like a snorkel with a bottom clearing valve so I can cover the open top of the snorkel with my finger or thumb and blow any water down into the water that way with bubbles. So, the clearing valve is just to the right of your mouth. if you use all these techniques and get proficient in a bathtub or hot tub or pool you won't be so surprised when a wave hits you and fouls your snorkel with water and you will know what to do more naturally. But, always remember if all else fails surface and pull the mouthpiece out so you can breathe normally in an emergency or anytime you need to for any reason.
Here are some of the fish you can see while snorkeling some places on the Hawaiian islands from Google images:
umunukunukuapuaa
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This below is a humahumanukanuka apua aa by the way. otherwise known as triggerfish.
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