The Body Glove Hawaii Blog

Cute as puppies, Hawaiian monk seals always cause delight when spotted sun bathing on the beach or the lava rocks along the Kona coast. Most seal species make their home in the cold waters of the Antarctic and on northern shores. The Hawaiian monk seal is a rare exception. Around the world, warm-water monk seals are struggling to survive. In fact, the Caribbean monk seal, a close relative to the Hawaiian monk seal, was listed as extinct in the 1970s. The Hawaiian monk seal is named for the folds of skin that resemble a monk’s cowl. The Hawaiian name for the seal is `Ilio holo I ka uaua, meaning, ‘dog that runs in rough water.’ Monk seals spend most of their time at sea, and come ashore to lounge on the beach or seek vegetative shelter from storms. They prefer…

Do you like takos? Not the yummy meat stuffed tortillas we all look forward to every Tuesday, but the eight-armed kind who live in the ocean. Tako is the Japanese word for octopus. Since Hawaii is the most ethnically diverse state in the nation, it’s common for residents to adopt words from other languages. While it’s uncommon to spot an octopus while snorkeling, some snorkelers occasionally get lucky when they know what to look for. In Hawaii, when someone has the gift for spotting octopi, we say they have “tako eye.” Here are a few tips to help develop your tako eye, so next time you go snorkeling in Hawaii’s beautiful waters, you’ll know what to look for. (Disclaimer: The person in these photos is a professional free-diver and tako fisherman. Snorkel tours do not allow guests to touch sea…

Summer is here and Body Glove Cruises is in full swing with our snorkel trips on Hawaiʻi Island. With perfect weather and intense sunshine, it’s important to protect your skin from the sun and those nasty sunburns. However, before packing the sunscreen, it’s important to understand what type of products are considered to be both effective and safe for ocean life. Even if you don’t plan to snorkel or swim near coral reefs, the sunscreen you choose still has an effect on our fragile marine ecosystems. Body Glove is proud to offer complimentary Reef Safe by Tropical Seas® Oxybenzone Free SPF 50 sunscreen on board our snorkel tours. Today our coral reefs are experiencing the most profound coral bleaching ever recorded. Researchers say that some chemicals in sunscreen are one of the variables contributing to this tragic environmental effect. Picking…

Body Glove Cruises Designated a Kuleana Green Business! Body Glove Cruises is proud to be recognized as a Kuleana Green Business by the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce. The Kuleana Green Business Program recognizes and honors businesses who promote environmental responsibility and implement sustainable business practices throughout Hawaii. In Hawaiian, the word “kuleana” means responsibility. Businesses designated Kuleana Green are those who recognize and understand their responsibility to create and sustain positive environmental impacts within their communities. As businesses and individuals, they maintain high standards and a strong commitment to their communities and the world around them. Extensive criteria must be met before being recognized as a Kuleana Green business, including environmental, social and economic sustainability. The business must prove responsible interaction with the environment that avoids depletion or degradation of natural resources, and their business model must allow for long-term…

  If you’re taking a trip to Hawai’i, then you probably have some idea of how magnificent the Pacific Ocean is. This majestic body of water provides the setting for countless adventures and memorable vacations. The climate in this region is one that people across the world may envy, and the water itself is home to millions of unique plants and creatures. The land nearby has been populated for several centuries, and this makes sense since the land and water offer the perfect backdrop against which to live, work, and play. Exploring some interesting facts about the Pacific Ocean may help you to explore how complex and fascinating it actually is.   Depth and Size Unless you’ve seen the Pacific Ocean up close, you may not realize how enormous this body of water is. It’s the largest ocean on the planet, and it…

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…

At some point in time, everyone is searching for a unique and perfect place for a special occasion dinner. Whether celebrating an anniversary, birthday or setting the backdrop for a romantic proposal, the perfect dining experience is paramount for pulling off a successful event.    Diners commonly search for a restaurant with an oceanfront view and a perfect table for sunset. However, for those living near the ocean or visiting tropical paradise, forget being near the water— be ON the water for your special evening. A sunset dinner cruise is about as ideal and unique as one can imagine for a romantic night out, and Body Glove Cruises in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi offers delicious food with stunning scenery. A beautiful sunset is lovely, but add to the experience a pod of spinner dolphins jumping out of the water, and live Hawaiian music…

The Big Island of Hawai’i is an island of superlatives. It is the youngest but also the largest island of the Hawaiian chain with the world’s tallest mountain, the world’s most active volcano, is the southernmost point in the United States, and then there are some of the most magnificent coastlines. There is more to see and to do than the average vacation schedule can hold! You might plan to return soon or just stay a little longer! Just to give you a few more reasons … Did you know that the Big Island of Hawai’i is home to four other National Park Service managed attractions? Explore the history of Hawai’i Island and feel the magic of these ancient places: Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site: Perhaps you have seen the large stone structure when driving north on highway 19 just before…

Guess where one of the most talented musicians on our island spreads his magic several times per week? We are proud to be one of the locations that Bula Akamu blesses with his amazing voice. Soulful, passionate and with a voice spanning several octaves, Bula is at home in a variety of genres and especially when you experience him live, you will find that his enthusiasm and love for music is contagious! Bula graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music and has since released 2 albums “Innovation” and “Wahi Pana”. Meet Bula and his music several times a week on the Body Glove Historical Dinner Cruise. Enjoy a local-style, made-from-scratch dinner buffet by our Chef Jason Lofland, amazing insights into the history of Kona and its southern coast shared by one of our historians Michaela or Kalei, and let the…

In 1986, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home brought the plight of the humpback whales to the big screen. However, it was actually in 1970 when these whales were listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Conversation Act. Just recently in April, 2015, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed to revise the endangered listing for humpback whales. Conservation efforts have worked to bring back the population of this species, especially in the Southern Hemisphere and Northern Pacific regions. A Brief History of Whaling and Regulations From the 1920s through the 1950s, humpback whales were heavily hunted and exploited. In 1946, commercial whaling was regulated by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. It took another 20 years for them to prohibit commercial hunting of humpbacks. By this time, efforts were being made to protect whales…

May 8th, 2016 is the day to celebrate our Moms. To help share the love, Moms are free on the Body Glove Morning Snorkel Adventure on Mothers’ Day. Enjoy a fun morning out at sea, see dolphins and snorkel or float in the Big Blue to your heart’s content. We’ll keep you safe and well fed with a great continental breakfast, followed by a delicious BBQ Lunch. Coffee, tea and all soft drinks are included. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options are available. We have all snorkel equipment ready for you as well as floating tubes, a fun “lily pad” to rest, noodles and much more. We also offer a SCUBA upgrade. If you have never done it before, no problem. Our well trained and experienced instructors will teach you how. Just bring your towel, we even provide a reef…

Dads snorkel for free on June 19th! Get wet this Father’s Day on the Body Glove Morning Snorkel Adventure. Enjoy a fun morning out at sea, see dolphins and snorkel or float in the Big Blue to your heart’s content. All that fun comes with a great continental breakfast, followed by a scrumptious BBQ Lunch. Coffee, tea and all soft drinks are included. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options are available with a 48 hour notice. All snorkel equipment is provided as well as floating tubes, a fun “lily pad” to take a sunny break on, noodles and much more. We also offer a SCUBA upgrade. If you have never done it before, no problem. Our well trained and experienced instructors will teach you how. Just bring your towel, we even provide a reef safe sunscreen lotion for you.