The Mauna Lani / Waikaloa area is a man made resort area that lies about an hour north of Kona. It was built because of the series of sandy beaches exist on the shoreline in this area, and has since become a major international resort destination following the construction of a series of big name resorts. Because of the consistent offshore winds and steady amount of visitors that are found here it has proven to be an excellent venue for Mauna Lani Sea Adventures to offer their various sailing excursions.
We entered the gated parking lot and made our way down to the small boat launch where we were to check in and meet a small motorboat that would shuttle us out to the boat. As soon as we were within view of the ocean I could make out the “Winona” held in place by anchors right offshore. As we got closer to the boat launch I could see a uniformed representative with a clipboard waiting to check us in.
After we gave our information to the check in agent we boarded the shuttle boat. A moment after we loaded onto the boat, another group arrived. Once they were situated the Captain flipped on the motors and we were soon on our way out to the “Winona”.
We pulled up next to the “Winona” in the shuttle boat, as soon we were directly under the boarding ladder the captain shut off the motors and tied off to the larger vessel. We then climbed the boarding ladder of the “Winona” where the crew was waiting to assist us.
After everyone was boarded the Captain went over some safety features of the boat before pulling anchor and setting a course out of the bay and out to sea. As soon as the boat was underway the crew began making their way around, gathering drink orders from all of the passengers. The bartender went over the drink selection, it included a variety of soft drinks as well as a massive assortment of different alcoholic concoctions including a variety of signature cocktails.
The layout of the boat was nice, there was a sheltered cabin that extended from the middle to the back of the boat. It contained seating, as well as restroom facilities. The front deck of the boat consisted of a pair of trampoline nets that were stretched out between the two hulls. Except for the occasional minor splash, these were ideal areas for laying out and enjoying enjoying the scenery.
The Waikoloa coastline is on the west side of the Big Island so our view of the sunset was unobstructed by the island. As we watched it sink into the ocean the cloud of VOG coming off the shoreline to the south of us made a massive orange stripe that added a very dramatic effect to the already breathtaking view.
After the sun had gone over the horizon we made our way back to the mooring where we boarded the shuttle boat and made our way back to shore. When talking with the other passengers on the shuttle it became apparent that everyone really appreciated the calm setting of the boat to share time with their friends and family. I liked the relaxed tone of the cruise, but I think the thing I appreciated the most was the unique sailing conditions that exist here. The cooling air dropping down the slopes of the mountain provided a mellow, consistent breeze that was perfect for a relaxing sail on board the beautiful sailing catamaran of Mauna Lani Sea Adventures.