With a head start from Keauhou Bay, Sea Quest’s four rigid-hull inflatable rafts offer three varieties of Kealakekua Bay snorkeling cruises and one excursion to swim with spinner dolphins, which may also include a Kealakekua snorkel. The Zodiac-style rafts hold 18 passengers, but Sea Quest takes just 14; rafts on longer tours include shade. Both the 5-hour Expedition South Kona and 4-hour Deluxe Morning Adventure depart in the mornings and include snorkeling among the incredibly diverse marine life of Honaunau Bay, within view of the towering wood tikis and restored cultural sites at Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park; the Expedition includes a third site and deli lunch. The aptly named 3-hour Captain Cook Express heads straight to Kealakekua; all three tours explore Kona Coast lava tubes and sea caves that larger boats can’t. Operating under the name Blue Ocean Dolphin Encounters (www.blueoceanhawaii.net), Sea Quest also offers a 5-hour tour that starts by locating a pod of wild spinner dolphins to swim with, under the tutelage of a certified divemaster, before their late-morning sleep (which is why they’re often spotted closer to shore that time of day). Afterward, you head to Kealakekua or another Kona Coast reef for snorkel and lunch.