Night 1 / Day 1 - Saturday Jan 22nd / Sunday Jan 23rd 2005 - at the Kona Tiki Hotel

The surf was rolling in bigtime when I got into Kona. Sleeping through the noise was "interesting". (Can you say "recent tsunami"?)

The surf pounded all nigth long outside our room at the Kona Tiki Hotel on Ali'i Drive in Kona. The Kona Tiki is "old Hawai'ian" hospitality. Mostly older folks here with lots of comeraderie between the guests. Every morning breakfast is served beside the salt water swimming pool. Fresh papaya, pineapple, and other fruits unique to Hawai'i, plus sweet breads that are to-die-for. The Kona Tiki's pool is right beside the sea wall. Apparently when the surf got really high the week before I arrived, the waves came crashing over the seawall, across the swimming pool and up into the first floor of the hotel, flooding some of the rooms. Yikes!

The view I woke up to the first morning in Kona. Nice, eh?

The view from our balcony in Kona at the Kona Tiki hotel.

This 3-sail ship is actually a big dual-hull party boat that leaves from Kona's downtown harbour. It cut's a very nice silouhette though. Especially against the beautiful Hawaiian sunset skies.

This was down at a beach by the airport by an old cold-water research station. I love the blue colour of the water as the waves pound the lava. This wavesplash was about 20ft high.

Mark, from Wisconson spends a chunk of the year in Kona selling these kite-sail-flag-banner things. They were so colourful I had to get a shot. They remind me of my stunt-kiting days. They 're actually made in Seattle.

The surfers outside the Kona Tiki, waiting for a wave.

Video of the surfers outside the Kona Tiki. These dudes are NUTSO!

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