Big Island Snorkeling Guide
Kapa'a Beach County Park
Kapa'a Beach County Park is the first destination on our Big Island Snorkeling Tour. We have had some wonderful experiences at this tiny park way up on the Northwest tip of the island in the North Kohala District.
The park has some interesting snorkeling, and it did have some bathroom and water facilities before the 2006 earthquake (6.7 on the Rictor scale!) did some damage.
Now there is no water and just some porta-potties. So the question is, is it worth it to drive all the way up here to snorkel? We think so, particularly on weekdays when the park is nearly empty.
Site Snorkeling Details - Kapa'a Beach County Park
Big Island Snorkeling
The snorkeling here is interesting. There is a little bay that is fairly protected, but we found that we quickly wanted to leave it to snorkel along the shore to the North.
This next picture is looking North along the coast that we snorkeled.
The water clarity was not the best in the bay, but very quickly became amazingly clear just around the corner. You can see the big difference in water clarity in the two videos below. (The first I took right after getting in, and the next one was outside the bay to the right). The depth drops off pretty quick so we just stayed close to shore.
Get Flash to see this player.
Get Flash to see this player.
We have never found any coral here, but there is some very interesting rocky topography to the bottom.
We really enjoyed finding lots of fish and there was a big variety as well, including some absolutely huge parrotfish. We found tons of Yellow Tang's, Bluefin Trevally, Trumpetfish, and many others. We also found some big starfish, and big sea urchins.
Click here for more underwater fish pictures at Kapa'a.
The entrance into the water is rocky. There is no sand beach here. So we had to be careful of waves and surge. Nicole choose to use a slightly sandy small rock entrance in the center of the bay, which worked for her (see picture above of bay). It would probably not work during a low tide though.
I choose to use a big boulder with a step down into deeper water (watching out for urchins in the rocks).
We have only gone into the water here when it was very calm because of the rocky entrance. The winds pick up here in the afternoons, so we always come early.
The site has Bathrooms (Porta-Potties), Picnic Tables, Shade, Barbecue Pits and Camping, and no water (until repaired).
Driving Directions - Kapa'a Beach County Park
Big Island Snorkeling
Coming from Kona, Kapa'a is a bit of a drive. This is a big island. And for some reason Hawaii likes small and non-existent street signs. So watch carefully.
Take highway 19 (Queen Kaahumanu Hwy) north out of Kona. Follow it through all of the resort areas until you come to the junction with highway 270 (Akoni Pule Hwy) and veer left onto 270 continuing to head basically north. Following 270, near the Kawaihae boat harbor, 270 veers to the right. (If you go straight you will quickly end up at a dead end at the docks.) Follow 270 until you come to Kapa'a Park Road on your left, just past the 16 mile marker.
More Snorkel Pics at Kapa'a Here
Check out the next Big Island Snorkeling Location - Mahukona
Return from Kapaa Beach Snorkeling to the Big Island Snorkeling Guide
|
