Swimmers don’t eat breakfast like other people. We have a snack before a morning swim, and often eat something after we swim. We drink a lot of water and juice and coffee. We sneak in a yogurt or a smoothie. We are not ashamed of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This morning we put out 9 papaya halves lime wedges, along with all the usual stuff.

Waialea Bay, just outside our gate, looked perfectly swimmable this morning, though a surprise swell was kicking up some waves at the edges. We swam and swam, saw a turtle (Honu) and some very healthy coral. I swam the first part of our course with Robin, who Heather and I share pool time with back in Maine, coincidentally. Robin is a strong swimmer without much open water experience, but after some quick pointers on navigation, she stroked across the bay with ease. Robin brought her friend Ann along on this trip, and while Ann won’t put in the distances some of our other guests will, she swims with grace and joy.

After a nice Asian salad for lunch (complete with chicken, tofu and shrimp for the top), We all settled in for a little mid day resting, reading, napping and general relaxation. We hold the vacation portion of our experience in the highest regard, and everyone here seemed to fall in line quite nicely!

For our afternoon experience we hopped in the vehicles for a trip to the Kona Pier. We usually rent a 15 passenger van here, but a combination of factors (including a lack of rental vans, liability and insurance issues with the bigger vans, and the fact that I was sick of driving those beasts on narrow roads and parking in tight spaces) led us to renting a minivan and an SUV. So far I like the two car method better, but I miss co-pilot Heather. We have the vehicles set up for speed dialing one another so we can communicate easily and safely during any car trip.

The area around the Kona Pier is the heart and soul of this little town. All kinds of people come to be in or near the water and to share the energy this place gives off. Families, triathletes and swimmers, snorkelers, tourists, paddleboarders, fishermen, homeless people, and outrigger canoe crews all share the same space, watched over by a giant Banyan tree. It’s one of my favorite places on earth.

We jumped in for a timed swim, 25 minutes out, 25 minutes (or so) back. The water looked calmer than it actually was. A little swell and some wind conspired to create a confused chop, but this group powered through with no problem. I got to swim up front with Kyle, who is fast and strong, as well as an all-around nice guy. We made it to a point just past the King’s buoy, which is the ½ way point to the turnaround buoy for the famous IronMan swim. Ryan was looking over the middle group from atop his SUP (standup paddleboard), while Heather swam with Bill. Smiling faces upon exit.

We are always trying to find more ways to explore and understand Hawaiian culture on these trips. Our primary connection is through Clare’s love and knowledge of this island and its people, as well as chef Dan’s food. This year we asked Clare if she could think of a way to replace the outrigger canoe tours we used to take, which had been heavy on Hawaiian culture and history through the tour guides, but have been lacking that element recently. Clare suggested a Hula dance performed by her Halau (Hula school), accompanied by traditional Hawaiian music and storytelling, and we said yes, yes, absolutely. The group of musicians and dancers arrived in the early evening, and their performance was soothing, enlightening, and inspiring. Everyone was moved. As a student of the Halau herself, Clare joined them for a few dances. It was the first time they have performed as a group since the beginning of the pandemic, so the moment was special for all of us.

The students from Clare’s Halau came to give us a very moving performance - their first time performing since the beginning of the pandemic.

Clare joined her fellow dancers for a very moving performance.

Blue Hawaiian cocktails, little egg rolls, and a dinner of Opa (moonfish), rice, and vegetables filled us up. We talked and laughed four a couple of hours until we started yawning, then hit our pillows with those Hawaiian songs and graceful stories dancing in our heads.

Hopper

An amazing evening and welcome for us to the rich culture of Hawaii.

Nine Papayas

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