Snorkeling on the Big Island of Hawaii

[SupraSaltyReefer]

I was on the Big Island this past weekend. Had a fun time snorkeling at Kahalu’u Beach Park which is great for beginners. Saw a bunch of Yellow tangs and other fishes as well. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience swimming with our little friends in the wild.

***Change setting to 4K so video is not blurry.***

 

[gmdcdvm]

Awesome! I was there in July at the captain cook monument. So many tangs!!
Gerry

 

[sfsuphysics]

Awww man I miss that so much, never been to the Big Island, I have been to Maui and Kauai. It has been probably 10 years too, but I never really saw yellow tangs that close, did see some at larger depths, plenty of those stripped ones (Sergent majors?) which if memory serves were not native to there (but they are now), also lots of orange shoulder tangs and unicorn tangs big MFers too like it felt like they could gut me in the water with their tail spines.

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

Awesome! I was there in July at the captain cook monument. So many tangs!!
Gerry

Check out this school of Moorish Idols I saw at Two Step as well. It was crazy to see them in such shallow waters.

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

Awww man I miss that so much, never been to the Big Island, I have been to Maui and Kauai. It has been probably 10 years too, but I never really saw yellow tangs that close, did see some at larger depths, plenty of those stripped ones (Sergent majors?) which if memory serves were not native to there (but they are now), also lots of orange shoulder tangs and unicorn tangs big MFers too like it felt like they could gut me in the water with their tail spines.

I’ve been told Big Island has the most Yellow tangs. I didn’t see any when I was snorkeling at Sharks Cove on Oahu. Every tang was the size of dinner plates. It was nice to see them in their natural environment.

 

[sfsuphysics]

So all that rock is basically lava run off? And I guess algae grows which feeds the tangs and other herbivores?

 

[dochou]

So all that rock is basically lava run off? And I guess algae grows which feeds the tangs and other herbivores?

Yes, you're correct.
I love snorkling on all of the islands in HI but the Big Island seems to have the most yellow tangs. Shark's Cove has a ton of Achilles tangs! None of the fish seem to mind humans.

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

Yes, you're correct.
I love snorkling on all of the islands in HI but the Big Island seems to have the most yellow tangs. Shark's Cove has a ton of Achilles tangs! None of the fish seem to mind humans.

Ohh wow I missed the Achilles tangs?! Which part of Shark’s Cove do they hang around? So sad. Would’ve been nice to see them in the wild too.

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

So all that rock is basically lava run off? And I guess algae grows which feeds the tangs and other herbivores?

Felt like the entire island is covered in lava run off. Both sides of Hwy 19 had tons of miles of old black lava.

 

[RandyC]

Ohh wow I missed the Achilles tangs?! Which part of Shark’s Cove do they hang around? So sad. Would’ve been nice to see them in the wild too.

When I was there a couple months back I saw a ton of convict tangs and Achilles. No yellows though.

I went swimming around here a lot:

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

When I was there a couple months back I saw a ton of convict tangs and Achilles. No yellows though.

I went swimming around here a lot:

View attachment 42883

Ahhh darn. I didn’t make it to that side since it started raining and felt bad having my gf wait in the car lol. Will be sure to start on that side next time.

 

[JVU]

Shark’s Cove is on Oahu not the Big Island, in case there was confusion about that.

 

[Adauqua]

Yes, we always come to Kahalu'u Beach Park on Ali'i drive south of Kona.
Great snorkel place for kids too with big turtles, a lot of yellow tangs, convict tangs, yellowtail coris,..

 

[Chromis]

It’s great for reefers to see how fat these tangs get in the wild when they can eat as much as they want. I’m surprised they were in such shallow water. Maybe just my yellow tang is afraid to go within a foot of the water surface.

 

[Zumareef]

Check out this school of Moorish Idols I saw at Two Step as well. It was crazy to see them in such shallow waters.

So cool! We snorkeled at Two Step last summer as well and I was amazed at the large yellow tangs that were hanging out in tide pools with maybe 6"-12" of water in them. Love the Big Island.

 

[dochou]

Ohh wow I missed the Achilles tangs?! Which part of Shark’s Cove do they hang around? So sad. Would’ve been nice to see them in the wild too.

I found a bunch of Achilles at the mouth of the cove where the water was about 15 to 20 feet deep.

 

[JVU]

If you go early in the morning at Two Step and head to the right (deeper water side), you can swim with a pod of dolphins who have come in from a night of hunting and are just chillin’ in the cove

 

[Schmitty]

I LOVE TWO STEP!!! One of the best places I’ve ever snorkeled