Island Time!

Here we are getting ready to go on a night snorkeling adventure to see manta rays.  It was really awesome!  We saw some huge manta rays, probably 6 feet across!  The guides said the female mantas can get up to 16 feet from wingtip to wingtip, and can weigh upwards of 800 pounds.  Whoa! 

 

 

 

Barry and Cindy had been on another night snorkeling tour and saw many manta rays, some larger than the ones we saw.  It's really neat because you are out in the water in the dark, holding onto a floating tube with lights shining down into the water.  The light attracts the plankton, which is what the mantas feed on.  Since there are many lights, there is a lot of plankton, so there can be a lot of manta ray activity.  The lights are also located near your head/where you are holding onto the floatation bar, so all of a sudden the mantas are coming right near your face!  A few times, they were so close, they literally almost run into you.  You are going belly-to-belly with the manta, it's so amazing!

 

Here is a picture of what they look like (photos of manta rays were not taken by me, but you get the idea):

 

This is what you are looking down into when it swims right up to you and then flips right before it hits you, so you are looking right down its throat!  It's like a crazy filter in there!

They are called the "gentle giants" of the sea. They are not poisonous nor "sting rays", and they eat plankton, not people!  The ones we saw in Kona are coastal manta rays that spend their entire life in the shallower waters of the harbor.  It was such a neat experience!  I would definitely like to do another night snorkeling to see the manta rays, it was so awesome!

Chels and I on the boat

 

Can't get enough of the beautiful sunsets

 

I love the sea turtles, check this guy out!

We were snorkeling around, and then all of a sudden, there would be a sea turtle! Just hanging out, watching you, or swimming lazily about. So cute!

Camouflaged turtle, can you see it?

 

Chels and I after snorkeling

Checking out the sea turtles

Hi Tobys!  Cindy, Barry, and Chels

 

 Stay tuned, we've got a few more pictures to share from our fun times in Hawaii!

Kona, Hawaii: March 2013

Chels and I got the pleasure of going back to Hawaii in March with Barry and Cindy, and we had so much fun!  It was a great trip!  We went to the Big Island, on the Kona side, this time.  It's been 3 and a half years since we'd been to Maui on our honeymoon, so it was definitely time to go back!

Barry and Cindy did a time share trade for a week at Waikoloa Village outside of Kona.  Here I am enjoying my first margarita on the patio, the vacation has officially started!

Chels and I in the living room.  We had a two bedrooms and two bathrooms apartment-style rental with a kitchen, dining, and living room.  It was very comfortable!

Chels says hello!

 

We had a private patio where we lounged and had our morning breakfast and evening hors d'oeuvres

 Hi Chels!  Lounging and reading in the chaise

Is that a mai tai I spy?

I never get tired of looking at the palm trees, they are so beautiful. And so foreign!  This Minnesota native still can't get used to the sight of them!

Cheers!  Hors d'oeuvres and beverages out on the lanai

 

Chels and I at the beach

Trying to soak up some sun before coming back to the grey Seattle skies!

We went snorkeling at this beach, not too far away from our vacation rental

Went swimming in the ocean, where I proceeded to lose my sunglasses, Cindy found them, and then I lost them again!  Oh well!

The water is so blue and lovely, wish I was there right now

 

We had appetizers at the beach that evening before heading home.  Wanted to see the beautiful sun setting over the water

Chels, Cindy, and Barry

 

 

Gorgeous sunset

 

Stay tuned, we have more great pictures to share!