Captain Cook & the Big Island

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17 Ianuarius 2023 - Captain Cook

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Sitting on the lanai here overlooking the ocean at the bed and breakfast I stayed in last night I'm overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. There's a cacao tree outside my window. There was bugsong in the night and now a cacophany of birds greeting the dawn. The only downside is that I have no cell signal and their internet wifi doesn't really work. Or maybe that's an upside since I've spent the morning out here reading. I feel recharged by the creeping warmth although at the same time depleted by the stomach bug I can't seem to kick. On Saturday I'm running a half marathon on a nice flat course, and I'm hoping for a PR . . . or at least not to be passed by Dillon with the stroller as he's running the 10K on the same course but starting 15 minutes later. Kristen, who just had a baby 6 months ago but looks as fit as she did 10 years ago, is running the 5K.

The big island is much more rural than the million person metropolis of Honolulu. I'm going to pick the brain of Rebecca, who runs this place, about what I can learn about agriculture today. I already know the history of Cook who discovered these islands and claimed them for the British. Hawaii is the only US state to fly the Union Jack, but Cook was killed by Hawaiians like so many European explorers who saw only their superiority and not their weaknesses. Magellan comes to mind. Still the island teaches humanity humility as lava flows slowly, unstoppably destroying everything in its path. And then cools to form new land.

I went for a proper swim at Kealakekua...

And then began my drive around the Big Island. Along the way I visited the southernmost point in the 50 states and saw a pod of humpback whales. Then I went swimming again at Punalu'u with some new friends...