Meet the Body Glove Team
Body Glove Hawai’i has terrific employees that have seen it all on their whale watching and snorkeling trips. In preparation for your holiday in Hawai’i, our team compiled a list of questions that may come up, everything from a typical day at Body Glove to the best dance moves they have seen on a cruise. Enjoy!
1. Do you have any advice for first time snorkelers?
Relax. The more you relax the better your experience. Choose a spot with calm water. Make sure you defog your mask with spray or spit. Check the seal on your mask to make sure its good. Don’t smile when you have your mask on to prevent the seal from breaking. If you have facial hair, use Vaseline to help create a better seal. (Jermie Betts – 1st Mate & Alec Armijo – Crew)
2. What are some of your favorite spots to explore on the Big Island?
Green Sand Beach located at the South Point of the Island, which is the southernmost tip of the US. This is one of the only green sand beaches in the world. You can hike or off-road to this spot from the end of South Point Rd. It is about a 4 mile round trip over rocky terrain and dirt roads. (Adam Glickstein – Sales)
The Valleys – Waipi’o, Waimanu & Pololu – At the Northeast tip of the island sits a string of remote and beautiful valleys. These deep valleys with long black sand beaches are home to some of the largest waterfalls in the world and are truly a sight to behold. Tons of hiking and exploring to be done here! (Jason Lofland – Chef)
Mahai’ula Bay to Makalawena Bay – Some of our favorite beaches are a trek to get to. About 10 miles north of the airport are some of the nicest white sand beaches on the island and in the world. You can drive to Mahai’ula over a bumpy lava field (4×4 not required) and from there it is a 30-minute walk over lava field to get to Makalawena. The journey is well worth the effort as it is one of the nicest and least crowded beaches in all the islands! (Jon Harvey – Captain)
Red Hill – We explore the coral gardens and incredible marine life here almost everyday on our morning snorkel trip. On our days off we like to get a different perspective and go out to this historic site by land. (Jeremie Betts – 1st Mate)
3. Describe what a typical day is like at Body Glove?
A typical day at Body Glove is filled with joy, laughter and all around positive vibes! For us, every day is about making people happy and bringing smiles to the faces of our guests. On a daily basis we hope to create memories that last a lifetime, protect our local environment through sustainable practices, and educate our friends and family on Hawaiian history and reef-safe practices. Being constantly surrounded by the ocean, wildlife, and beauty of Hawai’i makes it easy for us to do what we love and love what we do! (Alec Armijo – Crew)
4. What is your favorite thing about working for Body Glove?
Our favorite thing about working for Body Glove is the environment of people we work with including team members and guests. Everyone has such a great attitude and there is a real sense of teamwork. Another aspect of the job we really enjoy is providing excellent customer service. Making people happy makes us happy! (Jason Lofland – Chef)
5. How close have you ever been to a whale?
Basically on top of it. The whale swam right underneath the boat multiple times. If you were on the bottom deck looking over the railing it was probably about 5ft away, when suddenly the whale blew a huge spout from its blowholes and soaked the guests in the vicinity with a mix of water and whale mucus. Yes, we said blowholes, as humpback whales actually have two! Talk about getting up-close and personal with these creatures… It was great! (Jeremie Betts – 1st Mate)
6. What are the funniest dance moves a passenger has performed on a cruise?
• Indian guy doing Russian box dancing (Alec Armijo – Crew)
• An old guy doing the sprinkler (Kim Imker – Head Bartender)
• Guy dancing like Elaine from Seinfeld– totally off beat (Kim Imker – Head Bartender)
7. Do you prefer the water slide or the high dive platform and why?
• Split decision!
• Water slide for the thrill
• High jump for momentary feeling of weightlessness