All about "water" today in Kona.

Wednesday is always "cruisey"in Kona!

Sneaking into the bay pre-dawn, the cruise boat is always a colourful surprise when the locals and Kona visitors wake. She waits patiently while her passengers descend on Kona to sightsee and shop, or venture further afield to experience other Big Island adventures. The locals love "cruise day" and the usual sleepy town comes alive! 

It is always a dramatic sight when the cruise boat sails off into the sunset at the end of the day - can imagine how magnificent it must be for her passengers! A very nice way to see the Hawaiian Islands - by sea!     

Norwegian Cruises

Nice for everyone strolling along the seawall and the streets of Kona to enjoy some local Island music

For us - time to hit the water - swim training started today!
Water was perfect! Just my temperature!

1k warm up!

The new Subway is proving a popular addition to Alii - great spot overlooking the bay.

Artist Robert Thomas shows us his style! Amazing colours and effects captured in his dramatic Hawaiian landscapes -
the water effects are incredible.

He taught and mentored his son-in-law, Ernest Davis Young, whose paintings capture amazing and colourful
marine life of the Big Island.

Check out his website
www.colorsofparadise.com

Love all the galleries in Kona - they have excellent local artists!

Poor Lulu's - all the $1 notes are being removed!
Wonder how much is there? Lucky Frisky Seal!

A relaxing spot on the bay -  the popular Kona Canoe Club, host to the Annual Queen Lili'uokalani Canoe Race
held each year in early September.

Outrigger Canoe racing began in Hawaii. Hawaiians paddled and raced the sleek, watertight outrigger canoes long before the arrival of foreign ships in 1778.

  Canoe and Outrigger Canoe racing is very popular in Hawaii.
Morning and night in Kona the canoes are seen gliding the waters along the coast,
the paddlers moving in powerful unison, working the powerful waves.

In Hawaiian culture it is believed that the paddlers know no bounds and this is the essence of the Hawaiian spirit.

The swift moving canoe and paddlers are silhouetted in the sunset - always a great sight!

The 42nd Annual Queen Lili'uokalani Canoe Race was held on 2nd September, 2013. It is a three day event  held each year on her birthday to honour the Queen (see below), the Kingdom of Hawaii's last reigning monarch. Over the years the one day race has grown to include thousands of paddlers from the Hawaiian Islands,states and countries, to a three day event of racing and camaraderie.

The race began in 972 as a way for canoe clubs to train for the gruelling Na Wahine O Ke Kai (woman) and Molokai Hoe (men),two 41-mile canoe races from the island of Molokai to the island of  Oahu. Both popular events today with Australian Outrigger Canoe enthusiasts.

The outrigger canoe racing in Hawaii was important to the early Hawaiians. They raced through the ocean channels for fun and profit. The competition was high; a man's life was often on the line in the name of territory or personal disputes. After Western contact, canoe racing came to a halt.

It was almost a century before King David Kalakaua (below) brought it back in 1875 by organising traditional outrigger canoe races for his birthday celebration. Since then, surfers and canoe paddlers came together to form two clubs, Outrigger and Hui Nala Canoe Clubs, bringing canoe racing into the spotlight once more. In 1933 the first official modern era regatta was held on the Big Island. 

Responsible for bringing back traditional outrigger canoe racing to Hawaii

An annual outrigger canoe race in Kona in early September honours the Queen's birthday

Another Hawaiian tradition is to hold a Luau near the beach and water.

This evening the Royal Kona Resort's Luau was popular. The traditional Hawaiian music echoed around Kona, the Conch Shells called out, the lanterns were lit at sunset and the hula was performed - a great evening of traditional entertainment for visitors to experience.  

A traditional Luau at sunset overlooking the bay

Luau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Conch Shell sounds and the men ready for the lighting of the lanterns at sunset  

The fireball sank to the horizon turning the bay's water, the sky and clouds to silver, gold, red, orange, yellow, purple and pink, - incredible!

The cruise boat sails into the sunset

Wow!

To round off our "water" day we enjoyed a beautiful piece of salmon cooked by Pete on the BBQ tonight - delicious - melted in the mouth.
Can't believe this piece only cost $2