Back to the Big Island for a Week

We're leaving Honolulu to fly back to Kona for a week in a condo. Yes, the Big Island is my favorite! There is so much to see and do. The Honolulu airport looks like they ran out of room so started building runways in the ocean!



The Kona airport is just as strange, built on a lava field.



We're renting the condo from a WIN friend who has a timeshare here. This is the view from our balcony.



What a strange palm tree!



A couple birds came to visit, so I thought I'd post them for Judy. This is a Saffron Finch.



And this is a Myna Bird. Sure hope I got those right...



We didn't get to do any snorkling on the cruise, so I was anxious to get right to it. We went to a beach not too far from the condo. There was a lot of lava to get over, but once you got in the water, it was fine.



I made my way over to what looked like the easiest entry, and what was right in front of me but a giant sea turtle. Wow!



There was some interesting looking coral, but nothing like the pristine coral we saw in the South Pacific in June 2011.



We saw a pretty good assortment of fish.



Notice I'm not even trying to identify them!



Pretty!



Oooooo - that looks like an unpuffed Puffer Fish!



Wow!



And double-wow! A whole school of Yellow Tangs. (That one I know.)



I chased this guy who looked like a stick for quite a ways. He was definitely faster than me. I think it might be a Cornetfish. Any help on identification is always appreciated!

Next - something I've always wanted to do! Stay tuned.