We enjoy seeing the cruise ships that come to see the Big Island while we are there.   there have been several!  Today was a special 1, The Queen Mary 2 sailing from San Francisco to Sydney!  I’d only we could jump on her for the next leg of our journey but we wouldn’t arrive in Sydney in time to catch our Viking ship to Bali!  We will just wait and fly there next week!

Earlier 2 ships had to firm away because is the high surf.  Kailua-Kona is a tender port and big waves male it difficult for the tenders to dock.   Right now,  this is the only tender port in Hawaii, since ships do not stop in Lahaina.

We have company from home! My son and grandson Bodhi joined us today.   They spent 4 days on Oahu first.  Bodhi didn’t know where they were going until the airport! 

They stayed in Honolulu and visited the North Shore big waves,  and hike the Diamond Head Crater!

Our first day on the Big Island!

Some years ago,  a hotel near our resort was destroyed by a hurricane but the only part that remains is a saltwater pool,  fed by waves.  Since we have had huge waves for the last 3 of 4 days,  it was at capacity!  the kids often stand on the pool edge closest to the ocean and wait for the waves to wash them into the pool.   Today,  the waves were still too powerful,  so the kids just played in the water.  

It is a beautiful place for sunset,  even when the sun is shrouded in clouds

Royal Sea Cliff maintains beautiful gardens.   On a short walk around we saw all these

Our resort has an entertainment lady,  Papua, who not only organizes the events here. but dances too!  she brought be 2 young daughters this week to dance for us too.  They were so cute, very self conscious but this was ony the 2nd time they have danced for an audience like this.

This is Napua, mother of 10!  7 boys and 3 girls.   The oldest son is a Marine and the youngest is 14 months!

Yesterday Kathy and I made Orchid leis. 

I brought mine to our friend Henry,  who is not

Our dear friend Henry Sent love these gorgeous flowers for my birthday!  what a sweet gentleman!  Thank you,  Henry!

We had dinner at my favorite restaurant,  Huggo’s too!

The last couple of days have been high surf!  Crashing waves!  As we lay by the pool,  this is our view!

My favorite way to go to sleep,  listening to waves crash on the rocks.

This morning we were able to visit this little beach park by the Kaila- Kona harbor,  where there is an ancient Hawaiian fish trap and pens.   They have built a wall under the waves at the opening of a quiet lagoon, and the waves at high tide wash fish in that can’t get out!  it is also a perfect beach for kids and turtles! 

Can you tell,  I love the Turtles!  We found out they swim 800 miles north to the farthest,  oldest of the Hawaiian chain,  to mate,  build their nests,  and lay 100 eggs!  The sand is perfect temperature there for incubation of their eggs, to produce both male and female young! 

They have Algae for lunch and we did too…. sorry of!  seaweed salad and Ahi poke!