Surprisingly, when we arrived last night we found temperatures in the seventies and it was in the nineties today. That's crazy weather for San Francisco! It's like we took the sun from Hawaii and brought it here! Check out the rest of the pictures.
South Kohala Coast From Kohala Ranch
Hot Lava Flow, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
The heat from the molten lava was incredible, even from fifty feet away!
Cooled Lava Flow, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
The molten rock began to cool right in front of us--awesome!
Fabian, Melissa, Santiago, and Belinda, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A bit overexposed, but not bad for a 3.2 second tripod exposure in
scary I-don't-want-to-fall-over-and-burn-my-ass conditions!
View From the Tee, 13th Hole, Kona Country Club Ocean Course
I really should practice this game--I suck!
Melissa and Fabian on Boat, Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort
One of Many Pools, Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort
Private Bay, Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort
Made from natural features, the bay hosts many sea turtles that feed off algae
growing in the fountain (right of frame)--incredible.
Fabian and Melissa at Private Bay, Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort
Dolphin Clearing Blowhole, Dolphin Quest Exhibit, Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort
The resort has a dolphin exhibit and allows guests to swim with them for a fee.
The following pictures were taken by Melissa's dive instructor on her open water check out dives. Thanks again to Wayne Burger, from Jack's Diving Locker, for taking his underwater digital camera and snapping these shots.
Fish View
This must be what fish see as we approach them underwater--not very elegant.
Melissa Entering Collapsed Lava Tube
Surgeonfish in Lava Tube
This fish is actually swimming upside down, because it thinks the roof is the ground.
Us Exiting Collapsed Lava Tube
Butterflyfish
Hawkfish on Rock
Looking at Goatfish
There were literally thousands of these fish swimming in schools there.
Acting Like Fish, Sorta
It is surprisingly hard to look cool underwater.
Aloha
Yes, it says "aloha" on that sea slug.
Safety Stop
The boat's safety stop bar is 15 feet deep.
It's hard to come up with words to describe our week in Hawaii. There were so many memorable events: Melissa became a PADI Certified Open Water Diver; we did five dives in Hawaii, including Place of Refuge; we celebrated Santiago's birthday, Melissa's birthday, our wedding anniversary; and we saw molten lava ooze out of the earth. We'll never forget it!
Very very awesome underwater pix!!!
I enjoyed the pictures. Happy Birthday, Melissa!
Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday to Melissa. The Waikola Hilton is our favorite hotel. Our time share is on the same property, up the hill from the Hilton. Doreen and I are leaving on October 7th for 4 days in Kuaui and 7 on the Big Island. We are staying at our time share and can't wait to go back "home" to Hawaii. We love it there and try to make it back every year. You are so close, that Hawaii is even a possibility for a long weekend. Great pics. Maybe we can meet someday over there too !!!!
Upside-down fish is a surgeonfish, round fish with two whitespots is a butterflyfish, fish on rock is a hawkfish, common fish with yellow stripe is a goatfish (did you see them feeding?)
I mean, you can still get a book, too, but mostly you just have to dive, dive, dive!
Happy birthday Melissa! And happy anniversary!
Thanks for the fish names, Larry. We're still going to pick up a couple of books so that we may identify them on sight. And don't worry, we plan to dive, dive, dive!
Those pictures totally rock. It looks like you guys had a great time. Welcome back! Oh and happy birthday Melissa! And happy anniversary you guys!
cool pics...I didn't even know it was melissa's b-day?
Technically, Melissa's birthday is tomorrow and our anniversary is next week, but we celebrated them there.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes, guys!! Fabian & I celebrate three years next week! Woo Hoo!!
Happy Belated B'Day Melissa and Happy Anniversary to both.
Great underwater Pics.
Great pictures! Loved the underwater pics. We have not been to Hawaii, but after seing these pictures- I know where I am making my next trip!
Happy birthday to you Melissa and a very happy anniversary in advance!
Best wishes- Sonal & Rajeev.
These are great photos!! It makes you feel like you are in Hawaii too! The Lava photos, it's really a good idea to take them at night. The under water photos, it's like you are swimming with the fishes. I can't wait for our trip in Dec.
Happy birthday Melissa and Happy anniversary to you both!!