Captain Cook monument
Kealakekua Bay is the site where Captain Cook first made landfall and “discovered” the Hawaiian Islands. It’s also the place where he was killed – Cook led a party ashore to retrieve a boat that had been stolen, and he was knocked on the head while trying to kidnap the local chief to use as ransom for the boat.
Kealakakua Bay anchorage
We anchored for 2 nights in this beautiful bay. A set of large cliffs along one side is riddled with lava tubes (which were apparently used as burial sites in local culture), and the village of Napo’opo’o is nestled at one end.
Shaka brah
Kealakekua Bay is also a well known snorkeling spot. The area just beneath the monument features a ledge that rises from several hundred feet deep to within a few feet of the surface. Covered in coral, the variety and quantity of fish was impressive and made for fantastic viewing.
Abundant fish
Interesting coral
