ON the jagged shoreline of Kealakekua Bay — a small, beautiful inlet on the western coast of Hawaii’s Big Island* — sits a monument that closely links Australia with what were once known as the Sandwich Isles.
The monument commemorates the death on 14 February 1779, probably through a combination of arrogance and misunderstanding, of Captain James Cook, England’s Pacific explorer extraordinaire.
Trying to get back to one of his longboats, Cook, who couldn’t swim, was killed nearby in shallow waters by Hawaiian warriors.
The land immediately surrounding the monument is formally British, in much the same way as an embassy would be, but this part of Kealakekua Bay isn’t as straightforward a place to get to.
It’s worth the effort, though, not just to observe the place of Cook’s ultimate fate, but also to swim in pristine waters, to snorkel amid a paradise of coloured fish in what many consider Hawaii’s premier snorkelling location, and to take in some gorgeous scenery.
You can hike in through steep, rugged country. You can swim, canoe or outboard about a kilometre-and-a-half from Kealakekua Wharf. Or you can come in by larger boat, as the British and Australian navies do regularly to maintain the site, and as we did on the luxury catamaran Fair Wind II.
Its skipper, John ‘Mitch’ Mitchell, obviously seemed quite at home pampering the 70 or so guests on board, though you could sense he also yearned for more challenging days spent as a master of fishing vessels off Alaska and South America. We were in seasoned hands.
At about $160 per person, the Fair Wind II morning–lunch snorkel cruise truly does offer great value. Apart from beers and wine, it’s all-inclusive — lunch, equipment, instruction and plenty of time to use the waterslides, underwater viewing boxes, etc. Sometimes there’s even the chance to pull in a fish or two.
The catamaran sails out of Keauhou Bay, just to the north of Kealakekua Bay, and a five-minute stroll from the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa, where we were staying.
The Sheraton is one of the longest-established resorts on this part of the Big Island and, despite some bumps and grinds over the years, still has the charm, the serenity, the facilities and the location to serve not just as a stay-where-you-land destination but also as the perfect base for exploring the Kona Coast.
The lack of its own white-sand beach is more than compensated for by the enormous, beautifully maintained swimming pool which meanders through the resort, and the oceanfront bar, where the waves seem to lap — sometimes crash — right up to your feet.
Quite frankly, I’ll take the pool over the beach most days, especially when there’s the option of nibbling seafood while watching the sun set over a glass of chilled maitai.
For more active souls, the Sheraton Keauhou Bay offers the quite exhilarating experience of diving with the giant manta rays which come into the bay each evening, attracted by light and bountiful food supplies.
All you have to do is take a motor launch out a few hundred metres from shore, don diving gear and follow a lead down to a face-to-face encounter with something that’s probably twice your size and a couple of hundred times more agile. I’m told it’s fun, but I’ll stick with the maitai.
One of the things I really loved about the Sheraton was the ready access to life beyond the resort.
It’s just so easy — either by car or bus — to go the few kilometres north along Ali’i Drive to the main Kailua–Kona beachfront strip.
The boulevarde’s name is significant. The ali’i were the hereditary chiefs — the noble class — of traditional Hawaiian society, and there’s plenty of evidence that the island’s modern nobility also like this particular location.
But for tourists, it’s what’s at the end of Ali’i Drive that’s really significant — a kilometre or so of waterfront restaurants, boutiques and thriving beachfront activity. The ambience is hard to pin down in Australian terms, but a cross between Bondi’s Campbell Parade and Noosa’s Hastings Street would come close.
The restaurant scene is vibrant, from pizza bars to burgers to fish-and-chips to the more culinary elaborate. Excellent among the cheap-and-cheerful is the Kona Canoe Club, right on the waterfront next to the Hulihe’e Palace.
At the top end of dining, a couple of Kailua–Kona institutions stand out — Huggo’s and Jamieson’s — and both have truly spectacular locations.
Huggo’s has occupied its prized waterfront location since 1969, when it was founded by Hugo and Shirley von Platen Luder, initially as a feeding station for local fishermen.
They introduced Huggo’s signature barbecued beef ribs and terriyaki steak to the menu, and these have been maintained by their son Eric, who took over management of the business in 1982.
We didn’t get the chance to dine at Huggo’s, which apart from Sunday brunch is a dinner-only venue, but we did have lunch under the huge umbrellas at Huggo’s on the Rocks, its next-door bistro-style “little brother”.
The fish is splendid — white, sweet, firm, meaty, flavoursome.
Jamieson’s by the Sea is a bit further south, quite literally perched over the sea at Mystic Sands Beach, so named because the sand disappears and reappears depending on the tide and size of the swell.
The manager, JosÈ ‘Pepe’ Sanchez, is as much an institution as the restaurant itself. He’s been welcoming patrons for well over 20 years, has seen out four owners and runs a very tight ship.
It’s an idyllic place to dine, the swell nuzzling the lava-rock sea wall, the sun setting bright orange over the ocean, surfers catching the day’s last waves, cruise ships on anchor a few hundred metres from shore.
Once again the seafood is outstanding — crumbed shrimp, crab-stuffed mushrooms, ono (a firm-fleshed local fish) with cajun spices, snapper with crab sauce, all wonderfully prepared and presented.
OTHER SITES WORTH VISITING IN KAILUA–KONA
The Kona Farmers’ Market, in Ali’i Drive, is well worth a visit, for the stunning diversity of tropical fruits and flowers, and the sometimes ridiculous prices — $2 for five delicious papayas! Also good for locally produced art and craft.
Mokuaikaua Church stands on the site of the first Christian church built in Hawaii. The 1820 thatch structure was replaced in 1837 by the current stone church which was built from crushed coral and lava rock derived from a 15th-century Hawaiian temple (heaui) that previously occupied the site. Significant features are the substantial lava-stone archway and an interior that’s really quite simple but beautifully lined and furnished in koa, a local timber.
Hulihe’e Palace, just across Ali’i Drive from Mokuaikaua Church, was built by Governor John Kuakini in 1838 and used for many years by Hawaiian royalty as a holiday venue. These days it’s been substantially restored and is run as a museum by the Daughters of Hawaii. The Hawaiians’ love and respect for their former royal family is amply illustrated.
Ahu’ena Heiau, was the personal temple from 1813 until 1819 for King Kamehemeha the Great, the most revered of all Hawaiian royalty and the monarch responsible for unifying the islands. Significant carvings are scattered among the mostly thatched buildings.
USEFUL WEBSITES
Big Island Hawaii: www.bigisland.org
Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa: www.sheratonkeauhou.com
Fair Wind Cruises: www.fair-wind.com
Huggo’s: www.huggos.com
Jamieson’s by the Sea: www.jamesonshawaii.com
The Kona Farmers’ Market: www.konafarmersmarket.com
*The Big Island is about a 40-minute flight south-east of Honolulu. Its real name is Hawaii, but because the whole archipelago has adopted that name and each of the other islands has a separate name (Oahu, Maui, Kauhai, etc), the locals simply call it the Big Island.
DISCLOSURE: John Rozentals and Sandra Burn White were guests of Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa.
Words: John Rozentals. Picture: Sandra Burn-White
The monument where Captain Cook was killed
