SEE THE REEF BY NIGHT WITH LIGHTSUP
We checked out this Kohala Coast outfitter’s unique stand up paddling tour for a new lease on how we see the reef. We walked away with the most authentic experience we’ve had in years.
On a quiet cove hidden in the trees in the sleepy hamlet of Puako, we joined LightSUP’s Raymond Schmidt and his partner, Kelly Nedved, for one of their evening stand up paddling tours. LightSUP is the only outfitter running in the Puako area, the residential oasis between the over-developed resort areas north of Kona on Hawai’i Island’s Kohala Coast. Before launching into the inky sea, Raymond talked about the importance of the Kohala reef—one of the largest in the state—to the ecosystem.
We paddled into the waves and, as the sun set, Kelly came by and popped LED lights into the receptacles of our boards. What once seemed dark and scary was now fascinating as the reef came alive through the window of the board. Down on all fours, haunches in the air and face pressed to the glass, we watched the aquatic night scape glide by: a pufferfish here, a zebra moray there, a parrotfish tucked in its nightly cocoon of mucus. Even the quick flit of the tail of a small reef shark was more surprising than terrifying.
As we paddled back in, Raymond welcomed us with a vegetarian feast from local restaurant Under the Bodhi Tree, set on a picnic table on shore. We dined under a spectacular starry sky as we excitedly recounted what we saw.
Photos courtesy of LightSUP
Raymond, originally from Oahu, moved to Puako a decade ago and fell in love with the area and the community. When his tween daughter, Bella, came up with the idea of putting a window in a standup paddle board while on their regular snorkel session at Ma’alea Bay, he thought it was a good idea. It wasn’t until she later came to him with the drawing of a prototype that he really took it seriously. Flash forward to multiple drawing drafts later, the addition of LED light receptacles, and trips to California to design the prototype in the most eco-friendly manner possible, and LightSUP was born.
When the reef outside his home suffered from bad coral bleaching in 2016, Raymond was inspired to educate the public about the coral reef. He launched the LightSUP tours using his patented boards to not only educate Bella about running a business, but also to be of service to the ocean he called home. He is convinced that these small-group, special experiences will make a big impact on visitors by educating them about the ocean.
The following day, we joined Kelly for the sunrise tour. We launched the boards in the water alongside turtles waking up on the sand, and were chased by dolphins as the sun rose over Mauna Kea. What had been a sleepy universe beneath the board’s window the night before was now bustling with schools of brightly colored fish dancing between the coral heads and turtles cruising between their cleaning stations. A breakfast of homemade banana bread and fresh fruit waited for us on shore— the perfect end to an experience we won’t soon forget.
Kelly Nedved and Raymond Schmidt
Tours held daily at sunrise, morning, and sunset. $128 - $148 per adult (depending on tour), $38 for children. (808) 854-0548, lightsuphawaii.com