Dave has always known that I would love to swim with the turtles, dolphins, and/or seals.  So he scheduled a half-day trip with Holokai Catamaran.  There is nothing I love better than being on the water.  It didn’t take us long to get to the spot where we were going to swim with the turtles and just like I kid I could hardly sit still until we got there.  The day was beautiful, sunny and warm . . . it was funny watching the crew Corbin and Kevin put on wet suits.  I guess when you do so many swims a day, it gets cold.  Captain Rich piloted the catamaran and within about 20 minutes, we were there!  We geared up, got information on what we would see and what we could and could not do.  Then we were given permission to get in the water and the guys found the perfect spot.  The water was warm and clear, we could see amazing turtles and sea life.  They were not afraid of us and they swam right by me, turtles came close and even broke the surface so we could get pictures and video.  The swim was about 30 minutes and during that time, Dave found a turtle caught in fishing line with a lure stuck in him.  He went back to the catamaran and got Kevin to go back with him so they could see what they could do to free him.  By the time they both got back down there, they could not find him.  It breaks my heart to know that beautiful sea life is threatened by man.

Once back on the Catamaran, we had the opportunity to sail around the shore, past the Lighthouse and Diamond Head.  According to Captain Rich, the Lighthouse is still active and has a full-time keeper which is so cool.  We didn’t have much breeze initially until we got further out but the incredible beauty around us was breathtaking.  We learned a bit about the crew and catamaran.  Captain Rich and his crew had the catamaran built in Portland, crewed it to San Francisco which took 2 days, then spent 14 days to bring it home to Hawaii.  Kevin spent some time talking to us and we found out that he moved out to Hawaii with Apple but soon gave that up to work on the beach and then for Captain Rich.  He shared that his girlfriend is from Nampa and her parents still live here.  Small world right?

They all talked about living in paradise and how lucky they are to be surrounded by this beauty every day.  Think about it . . . every day on the water, blue skies, swim with sea life, lush vegetation, beautiful flowers and of course, sandy beaches.  What’s not to love!  We loved every minute of this excursion and we would recommend you do this when in Hawaii, you won’t be disappointed.  They have options for 9am, Noon, 3pm and 5pm . . . each excursion is something different plus they also do weddings, anniversaries, receptions and so much more!  Definitely a MUST DO when in Honolulu!  You can check them out at:  https://www.facebook.com/SailHolokai/?fref=ts