I had never been this close to so many bees before, and it was wild to see their behaviors change from alarmed and defensive (they want to protect their queen from intruders, after all) to soothed and relaxed with just a few puffs of smoke. I was handed a smoker to "soothe" the worker bees so Doell could safely scrape off chunks of propolis and ensure the hives were in tip-top shape for our buzzy lil' friends. We were there to clean the hives, which can get gunky from propolis, a waxy substance used to line their nests, and check for honey, which, unfortunately, was not quite ready to be harvested.ĭoell (left) and the author (right) perform a wellness check on the bees. "That's Obama Ray."ĭoell explained each hive was home to hundreds (if not thousands) of bees, including one very important queen whom the worker bees will protect at all cost. Some were smaller, two to three feet in width, while others were huge One impressive big guy was five-feet wide, wing to wing."That's Jolene Ray," James said as he pointed below. Beneath us were eight to 10 angel-like manta rays feasting on zooplankton and putting on the greatest show I have ever seen. Photo: Manta Ray AdvocatesĪs I ducked my head into the water, any jet-lag or fatigue that was weighing me down instantly disappeared.
A few minutes later, we had arrived to the spot (just 20–25 feet offshore, not far at all) where we were invited to hang on to said pool noodle and float on our bellies with our faces in the water to enjoy the show below.Ī reef manta ray swims past. Once suited up, we waddled out (flippers on, to avoid them floating away in the surf) into the waves with our guide, James, who was carried a pool noodle and a flashlight for each of us. Exhausted, my swim-mates and I made our way down to beach to meet Marina, who greeted us with a snorkel, mask, life jacket, and flippers. I had literally just landed four hours before and was completely jet-lagged after a long day of traveling. I dived with these friendly rays the first night I arrived at Mauna Kea. And they are incredible to be in the water with. They're totally gentle-they don't have teeth or barbs, so they can't harm you in any way. Each evening, the rays swoop and spin while they filter tasty, microscopic aquatic organisms into their ginormous bucket mouths. This is the time when the rays come into the bay to feed on zooplankton, which are illuminated by lights divers hold. The boat is equipped with lifevests and we would be willing to get you in the water if you are comfortable floating.Yes, moonlight-all of the swims are held at night after the sun goes down. We do ask that they are comfortable in the water floating for up to 40 minutes. I have young children, are they able to join?
We want to do everything possible to not disturb them and simply observe their majesty. It is important to remember they are wild animals in their natural environment.
Approximately 40 minutes in water.Ībsolutely not. Spend the time you paid for in the water with the Mantas. The boat ride is less than 5 minutes from the dock. You can add a private lesson to your tour when you check out. You can fit up to 6 people in your group. We will send a certified lifeguard to the location of your choice for a one-hour private lesson to walk you through the basics of breathing through a snorkel. If you have never snorkeled before we will teach you how. You will be floating and don’t want to risk kicking the Mantas. We provide you with a wetsuit, snorkel masks, and a pool noodle to stay afloat.Ībsolutely, but please no fins.
#Night swim with manta rays kona full#
No-shows will be charged the full price.Īll you need is your bathing suit and a towel. Please use the contact information on our confirmation email to cancel your trip.
We require a minimum of 48 hours notice for a full refund.
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