The Place of Refuge (also known as Two Steps) is a 'must-do' site. The drive to get there is wonderful, the entry is easy, and the diving is great. Turtles abound! The facilities are a little sparse. Take some water and a picnic lunch. There are porta-potties on the site.

Directions: From Kealakekua Bay, you can continue to travel South on Highway 160 for 3.2 miles to find the turn off. If this is your first destination of the day, you can take a faster route: from Kailua, drive south on Highway 11 for about 19 miles, well past Captain Cook. Take a right on Highway 160, Ke Ala o Keawe Road, (about mile mark 104) to Kealakekua Bay, and wind your way about 3.5 miles down to the ocean.

Place of Refuge (Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park)

Fairly easy to get in but the swell came up after a little while. Nobody there at 7:30 am, but when I got out an hour later it seemed the whole island showed up. Makes it difficult to get in the water with all the newbie snorkelers trying to get in and out. Great coral and lots of fish but not many eels. Only saw 1 white mouth. Other divers saw a large snowflake but I couldn't fid it. Saw a blue fin trevalley, raccoon butterfly and 4 spot butterfly. I only dove to the right of the ALOHA blocks on the sandy bottom. Great place but expect crowds.

Desert Diver's Dive Log

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