Captain Kris Henry has been owner and operator of Sea Hawaii Rafting for over 3 years and spent many previous years on the water as both captain and crew for various boat operations.

Sea Hawaii Rafting's Adventure Snorkeling & Boat Tours are operated in Kona on Hawaii's Big Island.

 

Sea Hawaii Rafting's captain and crew are First Aid and C.P.R. certified. Our crew is knowledgeable, experienced and provide personal attention to each individual aboard our boat. We will also get into the water and escort those that need additional attention.

We have one boat, a 25 foot Hurricane 733 rigid hull inflatable zodiac. Her name is Tehani, named after Kris Henry's (owner/captain) daughter and it means “My Love” in the Tahitian language. Our boat is certified for 18 passengers plus captain and crew for a total of 20 passengers with a minimum of 4 passengers. All U.S. Coast Guard required safety devices; life jackets, life ring, E.P.I.R.B., fire extinguishers, VHF radio, safety lines and braces, safety beacon/light, running lights and anchor.

Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona Coast of the island of Hawai'i (Big Island) about 12 miles south of Kailua-Kona. An historic location well known for the death of Captain James Cook, the European who made first contact with Native Hawaiians in 1778, and Kealakekua Bay is also one of Hawai'i's most spectacular coral reefs.  Kealakekua Bay encompasses 315 acres and measures 1.5 miles in length and one mile in width.  It is the largest sheltered natural bay on the island of Hawaii.  The spectacular marine sanctuary at Kealakekua Bay offers an abundance of colorful tropical fish, a variety of beautiful coral reefs and visibility often to 100 feet.  The calm, protected waters and sunny skies of Kealakekua Bay provide superior snorkeling and diving year round, with the water temperature averaging 76 degrees.  Expect to take a lot of pictures and prepare yourself by bringing an underwater camera if possible.  Kealakekua Bay's waters are nearly pristine, and its diversity of marine life is spectacular.

The northern coastline is bordered by a sheer cliff (Pali-kapu-o-Keoua). On the pali's face numerous lava tube openings are visible, some of which are ancient Hawaiian burial caves.  The sheer cliff face overlooking the bay was once the burial place of native Hawaiian royalty. A child would be given the bones of the deceased royalty to place in one of the many volcanic holes in the cliff and the child would then be lowered by a rope down the cliff face. Once the bones were buried, the rope was cut, sending the child to his or her death and keeping the location of the burial a secret. It was considered an honor to be chosen for this task.

Captain James Cook, the British explorer who discovered Hawai’i in 1778 with his ships, the Resolution and Discovery first sighted Kealakekua Bay (Pathway of the God) on the morning of January 17, 1779.  Unbeknownst to him, he had entered the bay during the height of a local religious festival in honor of the god Lono. Some Hawaiians believed Cook was an incarnation of Lono since his ships resembled a symbol used to represent Lono. Cook and his crew stayed for several weeks, returning to sea shortly after the end of the festival; but after suffering damage during a storm, the ships returned two weeks later on February 14, 1779.  After some Hawaiians took one of Resolution's small boats, Cook attempted to lure a Hawaiian chief aboard until the boat should be returned. A skirmish ensued during which Cook was killed on the shores of Ka’awaloa Cove on nearly the very spot where he had first set foot on the island.  In 1878 a 27-foot white obelisk monument was erected in Cook's honor by his countrymen near the site where he was killed. On the lava flats behind Cook Monument are the ruins of the ancient village of Ka‘awaloa