Hawaii- Big Island -Dolphins, Dragons, Seahorses
Trip Start
Jul 24, 2008
1
4
13
Trip End
Aug 25, 2008
Kona, the Big Island, Hawaii
Monday, August 18, 2008
Ever been to a seahorse farm? I thought not.
Have a look at www.seahorse.com
This island is reputably the only place in the world where the endangered seahorse is being bred in captivity, and you can do tours of the farm, and even touch them, once you have been dipped in a sterile solution.
Christine liked this the best- she says watching red hot lava is nothing compared with having a seahorse hug you by wrapping it's tail around your finger. And this is the only place you can do it, as yet.
Did you know that Seahorses are monogamous?
Are you ladies jealous of the female seahorse who makes her partner pregnant by putting her eggs in his pouch where they get fertilised, and then he gives birth in due course while she has nothing more to do with the kids?
(except she might eat some of them?)
Do you feel sorry for Mr Seahorse who is impregnated again the moment he has given birth to the last lot of babies?
Are you sick of all these silly question marks?
Shall we move on to the dolphins?
Up the coast past the airport from Kona we found what we thought was possibly the best swimming beach on the island, Hapuna Beach, but as the last thing you need in an NZ winter is to see pictures of us stretched out on white sand under palm trees and hard blue skies, we will talk about the nearby Hilton hotel instead. It's unusual for being created from nothing but a black lava field, and for having both monorail and boat options for getting about the place, which has no real beach but is set around a huge man made seawater lagoon complete with sand beach, waving palm trees, and fish and dolphins. Yes, dolphins. And yes, you can play with them! If you can afford US$195 for three minutes! Which we cant! But taking photos was free.
Putting aside considerations of whether you think 12 dolphins should be contained in a man made lagoon (we don't) this must be one of the most extravagant hotels we have seen.
www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com and watch the video.
So that just leaves dragons. You didn't think we could show you a dragon as well, did you?
Well, the little girl told us it was a dragon. But she might have been joking, as it had tusks. And we didn't see any flames, but it might have run out of methane or whatever dragons use.
You sure don't get pets like this in New Zealand. MAAF would certainly have something to say about it.
Next time we will give you a brief round the island tour
Bye for now.
