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Kona Waves

I have never been on a better holiday. It wasn’t the place — although it was lovely. It wasn’t the activities — although a couple were amazing. It was the man. If I didn’t already love O’Ceallaigh, this weekend would have assured it.

I had only one request — turtles. I wanted to see live sea turtles in the wild. Kona is famous for them. Our hotel advertises itself as being on a favored turtle sunning beach, but no turtles appeared. I figured they heard I’d checked in, so they checked out. Alas. I let the idea go. I’d already spent a glorious day on a beautiful beach, had a lovely dinner in a restaurant without walls (yes, you read that correctly) took a multitude of flora and fauna photographs, watched a lovely lemon and apricot sunset, and captured a mirror perfect reflection on film. What more could I possibly need?

I let OC choose our destination for our second and final day on Kona. He picked The Place of Refuge National Historic Park. It was a 30 minute drive from our hotel and we got to see more of Kona. Originally we wanted to go to the volcano, but the drive there and back, plus the time to hike the trails and enjoy didn’t fit into our schedule. We learned later that was just as well, because it wasn’t a safe day on the volcano for people with respiratory ailments.

When we got to the Refuge, I was set to enter the Holy Grounds and site see. O’Ceallaigh pulled me next door to the public beach. I attempted to argue with him. Why did we drive thirty minutes to see this beach when we already had one within three feet of our hotel? O’Ceallaigh took my arm and turned me toward the beach, “Because,” he said. “I was told this one would have green sea turtles.”

So we went to the beach — and saw no turtles. Just sand and water and lots of rocks. I set my tripod up to photograph some Sand Pipers. O’Ceallaigh told me to turn around. I turned and saw … people and beach. “What?!” I exclaimed. He tried to point out a rock that was really a turtle. I thought he had an over active imagination. I turned back to my camera and the birds were gone!

No turtles. No birds. I decided to photograph rocks.

If you cannot see OC’s “rock” clearly, you will want to click here to enlarge the photo. After clicking to enlarge the photo, then look just below the seaweed covering the lowest rock.

Quilly is the pseudonym of Charlene L. Amsden, who lives on The Big Island in Hawaii. When she is not hanging out with Amoeba, she is likely teaching or sewing. Or she could be cooking, taking photographs, or even writing. But if she's not doing any of that, she's probably on Facebook or tinkering with her blog.

16 Comments

  5. Beautiful pictures Quilly, glad you got to spend a special weekend with OC.

    I have some wonderful news for you, will send a quick email to let you know.

  8. Ok- I’m horrible with those sonogram pictures of babies too, so I don’t see the turtle either. But anyway, I’m glad you had such a wonderful time and that island looks like a gorgeous place to visit.

  13. Bill — the email never arrived, though I did get a forward of a waterfall with a bunc of my relatives (have to be, though I don’t recognize them) hanging over the rim.

    Mima — Thanks. Did you find the turtle in the photo?

    Shrinky — you’ve probably had some adventures that I would envy.

    Cindy — did you enlarge the photo? Click to enlarge, then look just blow and to the front of the lowest seaweed covered rock.

    Dr.John — AND Jesus loves me, which is the most important part of my wonderful adventures.

    Melli — I do have better shots and I will share them later, but OC and I plan joint posts and want to launch them together.

    Polona — you wouldn’t believe! I actually saw 8 honu, six of which were in the water and only the one close enough to photograph.

    Bill — and once you spot it, it seems kind of obvious doesn’t it? Now you know exactly how I felt when OC was trying to point it out to me in the water!

  15. Mumma — or new “pay attention”. 🙂 I know reading the comments of the folks before you takes up precious time, but the key to finding the turtle is in all that writing up there.

  16. Wonderful! How funny. It reminds me of how many times I desire something and God says, “honey just look. It is right under your nose.”

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