hawaiiturs

Let me be honest, I was not expecting to go on any official Hawaii tours on my vacation. Beach, sun, drinks with umbrellas, rest, relaxation - this was my idea of an ideal Hawaiian vacation. Besides, I was staying with some Kamainas (locals) while in Hawaii, and the last thing I expected was for them to suggest any organized tours of the island.

But in Hawaii, especially on Oahu where I was staying, every Kamaina has a friend, or a cousin, or a brother, or someone who is just like a brother, who works in the tourism industry. And any Hoaaloha (friend) of theirs is a Hoaaloha of yours.

I expected something boring, and my friends just laughed at my skepticism and told me this would be a tour like nothing I had ever seen. We left early in the morning and drove about an hour north to Haleiwa Harbor. We unloaded some snorkel gear they had brought along and we were welcomed warmly onto the boat by their tour guide friend. Yes, there were some whispers and some laughter pointed my way as my friends talked to the guide, but I didn't really expect anything out of the ordinary.
And then I saw the cage.

That's right, a cage. And that's when I found out my leisurely snorkeling experience was going to be in a submerged cage, surrounded by sharks. Not your grandmother's vacation tour by any means. It was an experience like no other. Until you've been eyeball to eyeball with a 10 foot Galapagos shark and surrounded by his 20 best shark buddies, well, you just haven't lived.

My assumptions of what an organized tour was like were shot. I was invigorated, pumped, and in awe of the amazing world that lived under the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. And I was ready to go on another Hawaii tours. And as luck would have it, I think my friends, have a friend, who has a friend, who flies a helicopter.