Page 64 of Big Island Sunrise
“Jump!”
She did, without thinking. His hands caught her waist and slowed her fall just enough that her feet landed softly in the fine black sand. As soon as her feet were planted, he lifted his hands off of her waist and stepped back.
“You’ve really never been here?” he asked.
“Never.” She looked around, taking in the vivid colors of the small cove. It was so drastically different from the white sand and turquoise water that people flocked to in Kona. Here the entire beach was dark black, turning the water beyond an intense shade of blue.
The black sand absorbed the sunlight instead of reflecting it, giving the whole place a calmer atmosphere than other beaches with their blinding light. The cliffs were black too, punctuated with vivid green of plants that had managed to gain a foothold on the steep slopes.
They walked along the beach, feet sinking into the soft sand, and a small crowd up ahead made her blink and look again. There were about half a dozen elders, every one of them as naked as the day they were born. They stood near the surf, casually chatting and looking out at the water.
“Alfie!” She turned to him and pressed her hands to her face. “Is this a nude beach?”
“Legally? No.” His mouth quirked into a crooked smile as a young couple ran past them and into the rough surf. “I heard that cops were handing out tickets not too long ago, but that doesn’t seem to have discouraged people much.”
She looked back at the elders at the far end of the beach. “I’m impressed they made it all the way down there. That trail was no joke.” She turned back to him with a frown. “But why Kehena?”
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
She took a deep breath and looked out over the jet-black sand and deep blue water. “Well, yeah.”
“I’ll keep my suit on,” Tenn said lightly. “Scout’s honor.”
She made a noncommittal sound, keeping her eyes on the crashing waves.
“Come on, let’s find a spot in the shade. The sand gets burning hot.”
They found a nice big piece of driftwood with a bit of shade, and Tenn set down the big bag he’d carried down. They sat shoulder to shoulder for a while, enjoying the beautiful day. Then, suddenly, Tenn put a hand on her knee and pointed out towards the horizon.
“There! See that?”
She followed his finger and frowned, not seeing anything but the bright sparkle of sunlight on dark blue water.
Then a thin gray shape burst out and flew through the air. It rotated rapidly, three or four complete spins, before landing with a splash. Another shape leapt from the water nearby, and another.
Spinner dolphins.
They were so far out that she could hardly see the spray of water when they came up for air, but their playful leaps through the air were easy to spot. The younger ones barely managed one spin before splashing back down, but some of the bigger ones executed an astonishing number of corkscrew spins as they flew through the air.
“That’s why we’re here.” Tenn bumped his shoulder into hers. “They’re here most mornings. I didn’t want to tell you, in case they didn’t show. Either way, really. I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“It’s a good surprise.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She watched with a twinge of envy as a slender, silver-haired woman in a long-sleeve bathing suit dove off the rocks and swam towards the dolphins. Lani was wearing her own suit, a simple one-piece, but she hadn’t swam any real distance in ages. Going all the way out to the dolphins without fins or a board was daunting. And with no mask…
She sighed, watching them jump. This was good too. Maybe next time she would bring her gear. She would need to buy some first.
Tenn pulled things from his beach bag, putting her towel and water bottle by her feet. Then, from the recesses of the oversized bag, he pulled two sets of masks and snorkels.
Lani gasped.
“Another good surprise?” he asked.
“Yes!” She snatched the smaller mask and pulled it on, then off again to fiddle with the straps. It might take ages, but she could swim that far. She had to get a better look.
“And this?” He pulled out a huge pair of fins, dropped them in the sand, and then pulled an adjustable pair of women’s fins from the bottom of the bag. “Good surprise?”
