February 1, 2004 In True Hawaiian Style, Paddling Goes Places KAILUA-KONA—Black lava fields glitter on the dramatic, sun-drenched Kona side of the Big Island, a reminder that here, on the youngest of Hawaii's key islands, the volcano goddess Pele is still restive. Kona is also where you'll find the calmest, clearest water year round: The tranquil shores are curvy with sheltered coves and lagoons, and a leeward western location makes the Kohala coast --the northern part of the Kona side—the sunniest place in the state. November through May, thousands of humpback whales make their seasonal migration to the warm shallow waters here. Kona also is home to excellent surfing and scuba diving, and outdoorsy types flock here every year to catch some waves and go night swimming with manta rays, another local phenomenon. The Big Island also produces some of the top outrigger canoe teams anywhere, and every September plays host to the Queen Liliuokalani Race in Kailua-Kona, the largest long-distance outrigger canoe race in the world. For many children growing up here, paddling is second nature, and the traditional Hawaiian sport is steadily growing in popularity all over the mainland. The historic Fairmont Orchid hoteloffers a crash course in outrigger canoeing. With 32 acres of prime real estate on the Kohala coast abutting a healthy, thriving coral reef, the Orchid has a powdery white-sand beach lagoon that is the perfect setting for water sports: snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, and outrigger canoeing. Gary Medina, the recreation director and a paddler since age 12, is an accomplished competitor: His team has won the last three titles in the Golden Masters division of the annual Big Island Championship Sprints regatta, and he has competed a whopping 10 times in the Molokai Hoe long-distance race, a rough, 41-mile, open-water crossing of the tempestuous Kaiwi Channel between the islands of Molokai and Oahu. A relaxed and cheerful taskmaster, Medina heads a crew of "beach boys" (which includes one beach girl, Mele McPherson, a championship paddler on the University of Hawaii at Hilo's women's team in the mid-1990s). Once a Fairmont beach boy himself, Medina now runs an intensive outrigger training program for hotel guests, the only one of its kind. "We like to educate our guests so they have a greater appreciation of Hawaiian culture and history," Medina says. "It's not just about the physical sport." First used as a mode of transportation by Polynesians thousands of years ago, outrigger canoes have always been an integral part of daily life and recreation for native Hawaiians. The Fairmont's one- to three-day program introduces participants to the mechanics of paddling, coaches them in the finer points of technique, and brings them out on the open water down the coast as a final test of skills. Medina starts by guiding his students around the protected lagoon with practice strokes. Most modern racing canoes are made of fiberglass, but boats made of koa, a native Hawaiian hardwood, are still used. After he is satisfied with their paddling technique and tipping over and recovery skills ("It's all part of the learning process!" he says, laughing), he leads them out of the lagoon through a rocky gantlet and into the open seas. The outrigger canoe stroke is a powerful, levering action that involves pushing forward on the handle with the top hand and pulling back with the bottom hand, drawing the paddle straight back in line with the hull of the boat. Medina shouts encouragement and pointers from the rear steering seat in the canoe. When paddles finally catch the water in unison, the boat drives forward with a telltale whoosh and glide, an intoxicating feeling. Honu, or green sea turtles, bob up in the waves and dive down to the coral reef below. The wind blows up a cooling spray off the surface of the water, catching the sun's bright, glinting rays. There are other quintessential Hawaiian water sports to consider. In the town of Kailua-Kona, Kahalu'u Beach is a popular surfing spot for beginners. Rick Green, founder of Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors, dispatches his patient crew for one- to five-hour lessons; the primary criterion for his teachers is that each one must have at least 20 years of surfing experience. Sandy Kamaka, one of his best instructors, takes students out to the surf break just offshore. They straddle their boards to scope out the scene. At first, the waves curl in on calm, even sets. With Kamaka's positive reinforcement (and help with timing) some students are able to pop up on several of the waves. As with outrigger canoeing, the sensation of cruising on a force infinitely bigger than oneself—and being in control of it for just the briefest of moments—is addictive. The fun is indisputable. After a couple of hours, the students come in. The next day, the biggest storm of the season blows in, pummeling the eastern shore of Hawaii with 50-foot waves. The western side of the island stays relatively tame, though the weather prevents dive operators from getting to the manta ray dive site near Kona International Airport the next evening. At another, calmer location, on a sunset charter with Jack's Diving Locker, long, spotted eels twist about in abundant coral caves and a colorful panorama of pyramid butterflyfish, parrotfish, sea urchins, and swishing red nudibranches fires up as the sun goes down. As dusk settles in this paradise, a sleepy-eyed sea turtle rests in a lava shelf. Some guys, it seems, have all the luck. IF YOU GO HOW TO GET THERE: At press time, flights between Boston's Logan Airport and Kona International Airport were about $780 round-trip, connecting through Los Angeles on American Airlines. WHAT TO DO: At the Fairmont Orchid (One North Kaniku Dr., Kohala Coast; 800-845-9905; www.fairmont.com/orchid), outrigger canoe lessons are $75 for one day, and $150 for a three-day program. Rooms are $299-$819, and suites $729-$2099, depending on the season. The Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors (P.O. Box 390664, Keauhou; 808-324-0442; www.surflessonshawaii.com) offer two-hour lessons for $115 and more intensive five-hour surf camps for $165. Surfboards, rash guards, protective footwear, sunblock, and refreshments are included. Jack's Diving Locker (75-5813 Ali'i Dr., Kailua-Kona; 800-345-4807; www.jacksdivinglocker.com) takes scuba divers on manta ray night excursions when conditions permit. Two tank dives, weights, and dinner are $105 (snorkeling is $70); other equipment rental available at additional cost. WHERE TO EAT: With fresh, contemporary Pacific cuisine, The Grill (Fairmont Orchid, One North Kaniku Dr., Kohala Coast; 808-887-7320) is the place to be for an upscale romantic dinner; ask for a table on the outdoor terrace and watch the sun sink in an inky blue sky behind rows of soaring palms. Must-haves: Hawaiian walu (butterfish) with a fennel pollen crust ($31) and a side of Waimea sweet corn, grilled and sautéed in butter ($7). The casual local favorite Island Lava Java Café (75-5799 Ali'i Dr., Kailua-Kona; 808-889-5577) serves up excellent coffee and espresso drinks, breakfast plates (banana nut waffles, $4.95), soups and salads. South Kona Fruit Stand & Nursery (84-4770 Mamalahoa Hwy., between mile markers 103 and 104, Captain Cook; 808-328-8547) has a stunning array of tropical fruits for sale—starfruit, mangoes, papayas, passionfruit, pineapples—most of it grown on the adjoining farm. |
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