Sandcastle Contest & Snorkeling Again

We went to the beach today. The trade winds have abated and that usually means unusually calm water in Kailua Bay - perfect for a calm swim or, in our case, return to the sea. But when we drove down to the parking lot, the beach was packed with people - very unusual when the wind is calm since we're known as the windward side of the island.
Anyway, it turns out that this weekend is a sandcastle contest, so we took several pictures while walking the beach in our wetsuits. We must have looked ridiculous, but oddly enough, wetsuits just don't attract attention on these beaches. Everyone else is wearing a minimum amount of clothing, but we were totally covered in black Neoprene! After finding a spot to put our towels, we headed down into the water to prepare for some snorkeling.


The water these days is not nearly as warm as it was last fall. It's not bad for splashing around in the waves, but if you're going to be out in the water for 30 minutes to an hour, it's much better to wear a wetsuit so you can stay warm(er). I say warmer because the water is still cold when it first seeps into the wetsuit and your body heat makes it warm.




For those who don't know, the wet suit lets water in next to your skin, but that water is insulated so you remain encased in warm water. Oddly enough, it also makes you feel safer or more protected as well.


After swimming out several times in the past and almost getting clipped by kite boarders and wind surfers, we decided to purchase and use a dive flag to indicate our presence. Getting wetsuits, flippers, masks, dive flag and cameras all organized in the water took several minutes, but eventually we were on our way. The water was clear and deep with lots of coral and fish.
We swam out from the shoreline and eventually ended up on Popoia Island (Flat Island). Popoia Island is a bird sanctuary, but around the edges, people can explore.




The island is made of old lava that is being beaten into sand by the waves. The rocks are porous and very very sharp in places. We rested and explored until the sun made us too hot (remember, we were in black wetsuits) so we swam back to Kailua Beach.


Although we were only out for a couple of hours, it was good to be back in the ocean. Everything is rinsed and dry - ready for the next opportunity to explore paradise here in Hawaii!