o Marine life is abundant and tame. They're protected after all, and the fish know that people feed them. So they come to check you out. Just don't feed them harmful things like peas (which look like fish eggs to them). They are larger than usual (as you can well imagine), but colorful and varied. Lots of sea turtles, both swimming along shore and sunning on the rocks - more than we've seen anywhere else, including the famous black sand beach at Punalu'u.

o The water is clear and shallow (4-8 ft) over a wide area. So you can see the fish feeding on the bottom (up close) while swimming on the surface. That's because an ocean current seeps through a porous breakwater a few hundred yards out. And because most of the bottom is rock and coral, not sand. Close to shore, there's some sand and some fresh water springs which keep that part of the water slightly cloudy.

o It's a safe swimming area - enclosed by a breakwater, not too deep, not much current. Except when high surf crashes over the breakwater - then the current picks up and poor swimmers should stay where it's shallow and quiet.

o The turtles. We almost always see them. And you can walk right out to them on the rocks. But don't touch - they're protected. They come to eat algae off the underwater rocks, and because the shallows and the breakwater protect them from sharks.

o The facilities: a pavilion, concession trucks to vend food and snorkle equipment, good parking, showers, and restrooms. Or just loll on a wide though rocky beach.

o And nearby, historic cultural sites from old Hawai'i and an outdoor market with fresh fruits and lots of (good) touristy stuff.

o It's fun too, to watch the expert surfers - out beyond the end of the breakwater. Or to watch the locals party in the pavilion. Some of the locals sell crafts on the grounds.

o Oh by the way: Kahalu'u is Hawaiian for "A place for diving". They got that right!