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Big
Island Snorkeling: Fair
Wind II
From 11/29/2010 to 12/14/2010 this tour will only operate on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on board their sister vessel the Hula Kai. The price and itinerary will be the same as the details posted here for the Fair Wind but the minimum age for children on those dates will be 5.
Advanced
reservations prior to arriving on the Big Island are required if
you hope to join them for a morning tour! A
credit card is required to guarantee your reservation, but no
charges are made at the time of your order. You pay for the
tour when you check in on the day of your cruise. There's no
reason to wait ... make your reservation today so your space is
guaranteed!
Morning Snorkel Tour: Adults $125, Children 4-12 $75, Infants 3 & under $29
Snorkel
at historic Kealakekua Bay, a site known for incredibly clear water,
frolicking spinner dolphins, and healthy coral reefs teeming
with colorful fish. The Fair Wind II has an exclusive
mooring at this beautiful place, where you snorkel within sight
of the Captain Cook Monument. This bay was the scene of the
first Europeans landing in Hawaii in 1787. Captain Cook died here a
few months later at the hands of some locals during an unfortunate skirmish over a dinghy.
The wide steps on each side of the
boat provide easy access into the ocean. The water is so clear
here that the reef makes the ocean look like you are swimming in
a sea of gemstones. How's this for uncrowded snorkeling??? The
reef here is very healthy, the water is very clear, and there
are lots and lots of fish.
Daily morning departures are at 9am
from Keauhou Harbor, about 10 minutes south of downtown Kailua-Kona.
The trip includes breakfast, BBQ lunch, and snorkel gear. The tour
is 4.5 hours long. A cash bar is also available on-board.
The waterslide on this boat is a lot
of fun! It's a LONG one too ... longest I've seen on a snorkel
boat. It starts at the upper deck, runs to the bottom of the
lower deck, and then drops you to the ocean. If you are really
in a hurry, there is also a high jumping / diving platform
on the upper deck!
A final option you might want to
consider at the end of the day ... the Fair Wind produces a custom
video that is available for purchase at the end of your cruise. It
makes a great souvenir!!!
If you absolutely cannot go in the
morning because of a convention or other commitment, they also
operate an afternoon trip at 2pm. This tour is based
upon demand, so it may not be available during off-peak times of the
year. Call us toll-free at 1-877-678-7333 to check availability.
FW / R
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CRUISE SHIP
PASSENGERS |
The Fair Wind is available for
cruise ship passengers whose itinerary shows a 7am arrival
in Kona, but this schedule is rather tight. A cab ride of 10-12 minutes from the cruise ship dock in Kona is
required. Check-in time is 8:30am. Kona is a tendering situation, so ample time is
required to make it to shore. Fair Wind recommends that cruise ship passengers
take their sister ship the Hula Kai instead.
Activity Tips
My wife and I snorkel
a lot ... and it takes a lot to impress us. We own our own sailing
catamaran, so we are used to going to places that aren't crowded and
where the snorkeling is good here on Maui (our home). We recently went to the
Big Island to evaluate some of the activities there, and I was
pleasantly surprised to find a snorkel trip that was just
outstanding, even by our standards!
The Fair Wind II ...
the thing that makes this trip special is that they have an exclusive
mooring at Kealakekua Bay, site of the Captain Cook monument and
home to one of the best preserved coral reefs and some of the
clearest water I have ever seen while snorkeling! The boat is FUN
too ... they offer a LONG waterslide and a high jump/dive platform
from the upper deck. The BBQ lunch was terrific ... a bar is
available for beer, wine, and cocktails but those need to be
purchased separately. The morning trip is 4.5 hours ... there is an
afternoon trip but I'd go in the morning. Seas are calmer and it's a
longer trip. The snorkeling at this place is SO GOOD that I wouldn't
want to do a shorter afternoon trip.
This is THE
snorkel trip to take on the Big Island ... I think it's probably the
best commercially-operated snorkel trip that I have done anywhere in
Hawaii. Advanced reservations are a must ... they can sell out up
to a week or more in advance during the busy season.
Cruise ship
passengers can do this tour if they arrive in port in Kona at
7am, but there is a risk involved. If you don't do your best to
get off the ship as soon as possible or fail to arrange a cab in
time, there is a chance you'll be running late. If you miss the
boat they will charge your credit card for a no show. We recommend
doing the Hula
Kai
instead because that boat leaves 30 minutes later and provides
more "cushion."
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