The west side of the Big Island offers protected bays teaming with sea life. Snorkeling at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau, or two-step as it is commonly referred to is some of the best adventure the Island has to offer. Last Friday the students and staff set out to explore and learn about the unique underwater ecosystem. The group identified a number of brilliantly colored and exotically shaped fish, ranging from trumpet fish to boxfish to Picasso triggerfish, unicornfish and even the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a!
Next, the group went to Place of Refuge park for lunch. They explored tide pools and collected sea cucumbers, green sea urchins and hermit crabs. In addition, they saw a green sea turtle resting on shore. The outing then focused on the palace where the 23 dead Hawaiian chiefs were buried. This is a historically rich area and more information can be found on the US National Park website