Hula Kai Offers ‘Seriously Tasty Meals’

October 7, 2016, 8:47 AM HST
* Updated September 8, 11:19 AM

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When planning a fun day on the water with a snorkel tour company, the last thing most people think of is amazing food. Cheese and crackers, fruit trays, a few store bought cookies and a variety of sodas are the typical lunch fare.

Well, move over boring finger foods—the Hula Kai morning snorkel serves up some seriously tasty meals for guests who board the first-class 55-foot catamaran.

A sister vessel to the Fair Wind, the Hula Kai ventures into more remote snorkeling locations along the South Kona Coast. The boat departs Keauhou Bay for a five-hour cruise, which allows guest to enjoy both breakfast and lunch aboard the luxury party boat.

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The captain chooses two snorkeling spots for they day, usually Pali Kahlo, Red Hill or possibly Keahlakekua Bay. Breakfast is served at the first location and lunch at the second location. There is no skimping on the quality of food prepared for guests.

“For breakfast, we offer fruit salad, yogurt, croissants, granola and fresh home made egg frittatas,” said Johnny Prehn, public relations coordinator for Fair Wind Cruises. “The egg frittatas are made every morning prior to the cruises. We have great coffee! All of the coffee is picked, pulped, and dried at the Fair Wind Cruises farm, then sent to the Holualoa Coffee roasters for roasting and packaging.”

The farm-fresh hot frittatas, croissants and fresh tropical fruit are a perfect way to start the day.

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After a fresh breakfast, guests enjoy snorkeling and stand up paddle boarding. A little exercise is necessary to get ready for round two—lunch!

After the breakfast snorkel, the captain gives guests a bit more time to digest their delicious meal by cruising along the coastline and pointing out historical sites and sharing stories of old Hawai‘i. Some of these sites may include Kuamo‘o Battlefield, the Royal Holua Slide and Captain Cookʻs Monument.

Once breakfast has settled, the Hula Kai sails into the next snorkel spot and begins to prepare lunch while guests take their second dip in the ocean. Crew members prepare Hawaiʻi-raised, grass-fed Angus burgers, teriyaki chicken tenders, vegetarian garden burgers, fresh green salad, homemade salad dressings and pasta salad. The Atebaraʻs sweet potato chips are dusted with ginger and disappear quickly!

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The company does their best to source all of their ingredients as locally as possible.

“We get our greens from Living Aquaponics, also known as Hā Farms,” said Prehn. “They are a small local family with a now commercial hydroponics farm in Ke‘ei, near Honaunau. We get all our buns for both boats from Standard Bakery, which is operated by a local family and has been in business for 70 years. They are the leading supplier for baked goods in Kona. They are best known for their brioche buns and their chantilly cake.”

The beef for the100% grass-fed Big Island burgers comes from JJ’s in Honokaʻa and the produce is also locally sourced as much as possible.

“It’s very important to us to support other local businesses,” said Prehn. “We home-make quite a few other items in the certified kitchen. And the pickles! People really love our pickles! We also make teas. We order our dry leafs from the Monterey Bay Spice Co. and like to keep a few different flavors on-hand. We change the flavors every few months. They are all ‘un-caffinated’ herbal iced teas, sweetened with agave instead of sugar.”

No doubt, guests will leave the cruise stuffed with great food and pleasantly worn out from a day of sun and surf.