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Captain Zodiac Rafting is the original Big Island expedition. With their pirate theme and desire to entertain visitors, they have been “pillaging and plundering” the Kailua-Kona coastline for over 35 years and they have been having a blast doing it! Captain Zodiac operates a fleet of 16 passenger Hurricane 733′s … they are fast, powerful, highly maneuverable and very safe.
The adventure begins at either Honokohau Harbor which is just south of the Kona Airport … or on days when a cruise ship is in port they depart from the main pier in downtown Kailua-Kona. They start the adventure by pointing out historical sites of interest offshore from Kona. Then they zip south past miles of rocky shoreline, lava flows and sea caves. En route to and from the snorkel location they often encounter spinner and bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, and pilot whales (year round) and humpback whales are seen in winter months.
The ultimate destination is the incredible snorkel experience at Kealakekua Bay, the historic scene of Captain Cook’s arrival and ultimate demise in Hawaii. The area is now a marine preserve and the high cliffs surrounding this spot make it inaccessible by land. The waters here are typically very clear and calm, with a host of sealife to enjoy as you snorkel the reef. The population of yellow tangs in this area is particularly impressive. Captain Zodiac will supply all snorkel gear, including prescription masks and flotation devices. The Zodiac drifts around the bay following the guests as they snorkel. You have up to 90 minutes to enjoy the snorkel spot, and you can climb back up the ladder anytime you are done. After snorkeling, the captain serves a tropical snack for you.
On the return trip the boat gets in close, hugging the rugged shorline and exploring sea caves and blowholes that only smaller zodiacs can go to. The captains are experts at what they do … they also are naturalists, geologists, historians, stand up comedians … but above all they are pirates!