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Grab this book off of Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Hawaii-Big-Island-Revealed-Guidebook/dp/0996131825/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3IFB0UTWKFE61&keywords=big+island+revealed+2019&qid=1562868065&s=gateway&sprefix=big+islan%2Caps%2C328&sr=8-2

I'm always an "internet first" person - but this good is F'n awesome.

1 - makes for great reading and passing the time on the air plane

2 - its FULL of helpful hints, things to do and see.

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• This snorkeling trip was worth every penny
  
• Eat breakfast at 808 Grindz in Kona
  
• Eat Poke at Da Poke Shack
  
• Drive north from Kona and see waipio valley - breath taking
  
• Keep driving around the north end of the island and down to Hilo
  
• When on hilo side go check out the Hawaii Botanical Gardens. Unlike any BG I've ever seen before - absolutely amazing
  
• Drive up and down Ali'i drive in Kona. Some really good open air markets to get great stuff. Also some really nice small beach areas to jump out and walk to the water
  
• There's also a small surf shop down from Da'Poke shack that rents snorkle gear for like $25 for the week - I think that included 2 sets (goggles and snorkel.
  
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  Have fun and just explore - its an absolutely amazing place and you wont want to leave.

There is a really fantastic historic photo based book called "Kau District", if you have kindle its included. It tells about some of the studies done down there, the 1950 Kennith Emory excavations of the area, largest finds for ancient fish hooks and the oldest ever found at Pu'iAli'I, possible first settlement area for Polynesians and perhaps even Marquesas before them. There is a Heiau dedicated to the god of fisherman, very unique petroglyphs, the original hand caved mooring holes for canoes and lots of salt drying stones/pans. 1972 excavations revealed an Ali'i complex, presumably the home of Kalaniopu'u when he was in the area. There are some of the oldest grave sites in Hawaii down there too determined through radio carbon dating. Then you just have the geological uniqueness and significance of the area too, there are only like 3 green sand beaches on earth and we have the most well known and dramatic down there.


Over all its just a great book to have for the historic pictures of the Ka'u area, so much history in this area between the culture, the ranching and the sugar cane, they have a few volumes, I know there is one for the volcano and puna area as well.

In Hawaii there's humidity everywhere and it can be bad in Hilo. If you have things you really need to keep dry like camera gear, important personal stuff I would suggest going to Costco, buy a big cooler, put you important stuff in there and also put in there some big silica gel canisters which will keep the cooler's contents nice and dry. They look like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Dry-Packs-Gram-Silica-Canister-Dehumidifier/dp/B003QZ6PZ0/

For closets you can buy dehumidifier rods. You can find them locally at stores like ACE Hardware and probably Walmart, Kmart or Target. They look like this: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DBTCFGY/

For a beer you can drop by Hilo Burger Joint, Hilo Town Tavern, Cronies, I've had friends go to Margarita Village (by the pier), you can also do some tasting at Mehana/Hawaii Nui Brewing (I believe they will refill your growler if you've got one from Kona Brew Co.). I'm not really a beer drinker so other folks may know better.

As for the rain, yes Hilo can be a rainy city but the Big Island has been kind of going through a drought so I wouldn't worry too much about it right now. Kona Longs Drugs usually has sunglasses near the entrance, Hilo Longs Drugs usually has umbrellas near the entrance if that's any indication.

Any enclosed cabinets are going to retain moisture. Most houses should be built with this in mind. If you absolutely have to have something closed in then yes, you'll want something in there (full dehumidifier, heating rod, rechargeable dessicant) to absorb excess moisture. These work great for me:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD0FN8A

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1WYXR0

Here's the story about the March 26 incident. Excerpt:

>“He comes back to my canoe and latches onto the back end of it. He’s not about to let go,” Bernstone recalled. “So I turn around and start beating him with my paddle.” Finally, the animal released the canoe from its clutches...The shark made a third pass, this time capsizing the watercraft and sending the 74-year-old Bernstone spilling into open ocean...“He was right there (when I was in the water)....“I was beating him over the head with my paddle to get him to let loose.”

(An initial news account that says Bernstone was bitten was later corrected to say he suffered a small cut while falling off his canoe.)

>In addition, only shark encounters that involve someone being injured are listed, not when a shark bites a board or boat.

If DLNR wants to consider this a non-incident, thereby excluding it from the listing, that is their prerogative. The man in the March 2018 attack was also knocked into the water from his paddle board. He then lost part of his leg to the shark.

• • • -
      
      >For more on sharks in Hawai‘i and ocean safety tips...
      
      For more on the historical pattern of sharks-human encounters in Hawaii, please visit THE ANNOTATED LIST OF SHARK ATTACKS IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS,1779-1993.
      
      I also suggest reading former Honolulu Advertiser reporter Jim Borg's book Tigers of the Sea. Borg, who extensively reported on the early 1990s Shark Task Force, discusses how the authors of Hawaii's prominent 1994 shark study excluded several incidents from qualifying as a shark attack, including the disappearance of Bryan Adona on Oahu's North Shore in Feb. 1992 and missing diver Ray Mehl (p. 53-54).
      
      Apparently some parties find it convenient to have the list of Hawaii shark incidents be as short as possible. It is unfortunate that researcher George Balazs, author of the Annotated List, is no longer available to provide accurate, detailed information about human-shark encounters in Hawaii.