Put Your Explorer Hat On

Time to explore the area south of Kona – Captain Cook, Holualoa and in between. Driving HI Route 11 is pleasant for a while, but the constant stopping does get old fast. Nonetheless, we made it to Captain Cook after a coffee stop by Green Flash Coffee for some delicious Kona coffee. Captain Cook is a modest town along the coast. Supposedly, it is nearby that Captain Cook was killed. We decided to check out a hike along the coast (which is very rugged here) to enjoy the views and see the spot of his death. No luck. Despite a guidebook with very strange instructions (“look for telephone pole #4 and go left…”), we couldn’t make out the trail or a clear path through the very thick vegetation. Between the rain and the very spooky locals, we bailed on the trail and decided to find better and safer activities. 

The seas were too rough for good snorkeling.

We continued further on Rt 11 for a stop for more coffee and fresh baked goods at Kona Mill coffee. Good stuff. I noticed a road sign for the Painted Church with an arrow pointed down the hill toward the coast. So off we went. The church was cute with a beautifully painted interior. Built by a Belgian Catholic in 1899, St. Benedicts Roman Catholic church has stood the test of time against salty ocean winds. The ocean views were as stunning as the painting. After a stop at the church, we continued down the hill toward the coast. We found small, winding roads enclosed with lush fruit trees and macadamia nuts trees. I felt the need to pick a papaya and bananas from trees along the roadside.

But the surfers enjoyed the high wave action. I love the little kid surfer.

We did some more random wandering up and down this portion of the coast and finally decided that the small town of Holualoa was our best bet for lunch. We were correct. Lunch at the quaint Holualoa Café offered sandwiches made with local meats and veggies. This was definitely one of the best lunches of the whole trip. The town was adorable too – wonderfully lacking the normal tourist junk shops.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon hunting, to no avail, for good snorkeling. The water was just too rough for good snorkeling at this time. But we found some secluded beaches, strange libertarian locals and desolate roads with nice mountain views. We made it back to Kona for sunset. We enjoyed the sunset as the surfers enjoyed the huge waves.