We made sure to watch as many Big Island sunsets with as much awareness and appreciation as we could, even though that meant Shea didn’t have a chance to hear the coqui frogs on the Hilo side the entire trip (maybe he’ll thank me when he hears what it would have been like online). I had told Shea that sunsets were a daily event that stopped traffic on the Kona side, and for good reason! Last night was one of the more brilliant ones with fractals and clouds on the horizon, making the water all the more brilliant and colorful. Obviously cameras can only capture so much, but it was worth the sand in the pants (and shoes).

We spent Harvest Day/Thanksgiving snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay in a Hawaiian town called Captain Cook. I could tell Shea was excited. He took some footage on the way there.

The best snorkeling is near a monument where Captain Cook was killed by a Hawaiian chieftain after the locals had welcomed his crew with food and gifts.

Cook and his crew apparently returned the favor by accusing the locals of stealing a boat and then trying to capture their chief. Shea calls it a story of thanks and giving, so he took the opportunity to “dance” on the grave of a colonizer.

I took a video of Shea diving from the boat waving back at me, although I honestly wasn’t sure if that was him when I shot it.

Shea later found a picture of the monument with highly hilarious graffiti which made me laugh very loudly when I first saw it posted by him, and he didn’t even realize what was written in. Read carefully!

Technically he was not allowed to get up on the land from the water access without a permit, but he is a very accomplished swimmer and snorkeler. I was impressed. I snorkeled, but I was much more about relaxing in the water and taking in the goats on the hill, the ancient caves that were made by indigenous Hawaiians on the side of the cliff, and the general serenity of the cove we were in.

Anyone who knows me knows that my whole life I have loved being on the water, in the water, and on boats.

After a long day on a boat and in the car, Shea took some more footage on the drive back.

Beginning of trip with rain on the wet side of the island:

Singing along with Barbra and the sunset upon us while we drive back.

Pictures of the cauldron from the rim of Volcano National Park, one of two active volcanoes on the Big Island.

Panorama of Western Crater Edge:

A nice couple offered to take pictures of us outside of the main lava tunnel.

These pictures are closer to where the lava of this active volcano meets the water. Some of the parts were inaccessible and we had to walk to them because the road is now closed. That’s the nature of volcanoes! I also call this the end of the world, since it’s terraforming and making the Big Island bigger regularly.