Touring South of Kailua-Kona Below Kona Coffee Country Provides History Lesson About Hawaii’s First Western Contact
Kona Coffee lovers will likely spend most of their time in the Kona region touring Kona coffee farms and sampling the fine estate coffees of this unique gourmet coffee-growing region.
While you are in the Kona area one wonderful place to visit is Kealakekua Bay, where British explorer Captain James Cook anchored when he first arrived at the Big Island of Hawaii. This is also the place where Captain Cook died on a return visit to the Big Island in 1779.
A large white obelisk monument marks the spot where Captain Cook’s death occurred along the shores of Kealakekua Bay. This memorial is known as the Captain Cook Monument, and it stands 27 feet tall!
You can reach the Captain Cook Monument by driving about four miles south of the town of Captain Cook and then driving down Napoopo Road.
Also see: The Top Ten Coffees in the World
How Did Captain Cook Die?
Captain Cook first spotted Hawaii Island (the Big Island) in 1779 from off the coast of Kailua-Kona, and then landed his ship at nearby Kealakekua Bay.
After Cook first visited Hawaii he sailed north to look for a purported “Northwest Passage,” a way to get to the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean. Unable to find such a route, Cook then returned to the Big Island of Hawaii, arriving at Kealakekua Bay on January 17 in the year 1779.
Cook stopped at the Big Island in order to let his men rest from their long journey and also to restock his ship with food and other supplies.
Cook had arrived at the time of Hawaii’s Makahiki Festival - the ancient harvest festival celebrated by Hawaiians each year. The Makahiki is a time of feasts and celebrations including sports competitions and other activities all meant to honor the god Lono who is the god of agriculture.
Some historians claim that the Hawaiian treated Captain Cook as if he was the god Lono, but others disagree and say he was merely treated like a royal visitor. Captain Cook was taken to a very important Hawaiian heiau (sacred place) known as Hikiau Heiau. Cook was adorned with red tapa barkcloth and sacred Hawaiian chants were intoned.
Cook sailed out of Kealakekua Bay on February 4, 1779 but soon after departing the foremast of his ship broke. To repair the ship Captain Cook sailed back into Kealakekua Bay.
More than one week later, on the evening of February 13, one of Cook’s small boats was discovered missing. On the morning of February 14, Captain Cook and nine of his crew went ashore to look for the stolen boat. Their plan was to take an important chief hostage until the boat was returned.
The harbor was blocked so no one could leave, and when a canoe of Hawaiian tried to pass this blockade they were fired upon and a Hawaiian chief was killed. This greatly angered many native Hawaiians who then began to gather in a large group onshore of Kealakekua Bay.
Cook and his men then arrived at the same area with the chief they had captured, whose name was Kalaniopuu. They were planning on boarding their small boat to get out to the main ship.
Encountering the group of Hawaiians who were angry about the death of one of their chiefs, Cook’s group fired upon them. As Cook’s men paused to reload their guns, they were suddenly attacked by the Hawaiians.
“Take to the boats!” yelled Captain Cook, but the natives had the upper hand. Cook was stabbed in the neck, and he fell into the water where he died along with four of his men. The rest of Cook’s men were able to make it to their small boat and then quickly get to the big ship.
During the following days there was fighting between Cook’s crew, and people on both sides died. Cook’s crew demanded that the remains of Captain Cook be returned to them.
The remains of Captain Cook were finally returned by a procession of Hawaiians who help white flags and were accompanied by drumming. A feather cloak covered the remain of the famous explorer. Cook’s remains were also wrapped in tapa barkcloth.
Not all of Cook’s remains were returned. His feet and his hands had been preserved with sea salt, a treatment often used for Hawaiian royal deaths. Cook’s flesh had been stripped off of his bones and set afire.
After receiving remains of their captain a burial service was held by Cook’s crew and cannons were fired to salute their fallen leader. The remains of Cook were then lowered into Kealakekua Bay. They were later retrieved at the request of the British government.
If you are visiting Kailua-Kona because you are a premium Kona coffee lover, then planning a day trip down to Kealakekua Bay will provide a great history lesson about this famous explorer who was the first Westerner to discover the Hawaiian Islands. When you see the Memorial you will be able to look at this beautiful shoreline and reflect on how the famous seafaring explorer met his fate on the shores of this Hawaiian bay.
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