Champagne Ponds

We read in a travel book about these so called Champagne Ponds.  However, when we looked at how to get there we came to the conclusion that is was impossible for us.  The ponds are located in a gated community and the only entrance was via a 4 wheel drive road that is made from uneven aa or walking the road which would take maybe (if we were lucky) a 1/2 hour.  We have tried some walks with the kids but find that if you're in open sea air area it is quite windy and hot due to having no shade.  So thankfully a co-worker of Racheal's told her about where to park or hope to enter through the gate behind someone else. 
Last weekend we went down there on Sunday with a picnic lunch and hopes of discovering the ponds.  We parked and started walking in.  A very nice lady stopped and asked if we'd like to move our car inside as long as we didn't tell anyone about her nice deeds.  Of course we were game and Lance rode with her to bring in the car while the kids and Racheal kept walking.  On the way Anika scored us a coconut and saw many different flowers. 
The entrance to the ponds was a short lava rock/cement wall that went around someones vacation home.  There was a ladder down into the water with little surrounding ponds.  The water is so clear, warm, soothing, calm, and beautiful it seems like it was made intentionally for the enjoyment and relaxation of Big Islanders. 
We enjoyed swimming with the kids in the water, having our picnic on shore, and taking in the waves and sunshine.  Here are a couple pictures of our views that day.  Glad we made it there before we left.

Is anyone tired of fish pictures yet? 'Cuz we're not!

After writing the title to this post, I went back to see what pictures of fish we had posted so far.  I then realized we haven't been publishing nearly enough pictures of the fish!  Here we go...

Manta rays

Here are some pictures Sara took when diving with manta rays at night.  There were also some spinner dolphins that were playing in the wake of her boat.  Pretty cool!

I guess these spots are like fingerprints, totally unique to each ray, so the divers use them to identify the rays.

Somehow this picture flipped upside down during the uploading process.

Pineapples!

We have a couple pineapple fields here at our rental property.  Racheal suggested that we walk out to check on how they were doing yesterday.  Anika spied 2 yellow ones.  Lance was iffy about it but was convinced to pick them anyway.  Here is a picture of Anika with "her" pineapple and a grapefruit from the farm (over her left shoulder are some ice cream bananas ripening).  We did enjoy the pineapple last night.  Quite sweet, juicy, and tasty with no added hormones/pesticides.  We picked one more to eat once it gets a little more yellow.  We will definitely miss fresh tropical fruit when we come back to the Midwest.

Second to last visitor



Last week we had our second to last visitor for our time here on the Big Island.  We completed another whirlwind tour of the island.  Thanks to Sara for visiting!  She went snorkelling with manta rays at night and took pictures - stay tuned to see the magnificent creatures in the open ocean.  (All photos seen here courtesy Sara Hovland)

Sara and the kids at 69 beach, N of Kona

7 turtles at Punalu'u beach

Curling wave at New Kaimu beach near Kalapan

Glow of Kilauea Caldera at dusk.

Earth Day

 It was a beautiful Earth Day here in Hawaii! We decided to honor the earth by going as a family to pick up garbage along our dirt roads.  The sun was shining and with it a cool breeze. Birds were singing as we picked up rubbish along a 1 mile stretch of road near our house. Skinks and lizards also stopped by to say "Hey thanks!" or perhaps "What the?!? Hey, that pop can used to be my house!" When all was said and done we cleared $6.84 at the recycling station, nice.

Sign at the beginning of the road we cleaned up.
Apparently, there are a lot of people who don't want to be smart -



because we picked up quite a bit of rubbish from the side of the road

Unfortunately the 3 TVs didn't fit in our trunk
So we left them in a more visible locale along the road

Hopefully someone with a truck, perhaps those who tossed them
in the first place, will get the hint and take them to the dump.

Pictures

Okay so now that we've been almost everywhere on the island, we have less to say or add.  So instead I decided to find a couple pictures that I (Racheal) like and post them.  Hope you enjoy.  The ones of the kids are at Honolii looking for hidden treasures (sea glass, shells, or special pebbles) and Henry is building a rock sclupture.

Anika and I with the volcano in the distance.  Courtesy of Kim P.

The kids and I at Honoli'i while dad "surfs".  Courtesy of Colette G.