Midday Meander: Kayak and Snorkel Kealakekua Bay’s Historic Shores

The sun hangs high over Kealakekua Bay, its rays flickering on the water’s surface as you prepare your kayak at Napoopoo Pier. The gentle lap of turquoise waves against the hull dares you forward, inviting a midday escape into one of Hawaii’s richest marine sanctuaries. You push off with a seasoned guide at your side, paddling the mile across the bay toward the storied cliffs of Ka‘awaloa, where Captain Cook’s Monument stands watch. Along the way, dolphins may surface briefly, their sleek backs slicing through the liquid glass, while whales sometimes breach beyond the horizon — nature’s own heralds of this protected haven.