There are lots of fun ways to explore the waters surrounding the Big Island. You can take a boat or a raft along the coast to snorkel in crystal clear water. You can scuba or snuba or catch the biggest fish you've ever seen! Or perhaps you'd rather enjoy the sea and its inhabitants through the translucent floor of a glass-bottomed boat. To start your aquatic explorations, consider one of the following tours:

Atlantis Submarines www.atlantisadventures.com

Explore the underwater world off Kona in a special 48-passenger submarine that can descend as deep as 100 feet!

Dolphin Quest www.dolphinquest.com

Get to know dolphins, up close and personal. The activities center on a special lagoon at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. There are programs for both adults and kids. It is not inexpensive, and reservations for this popular experience can be made up to two months in advance.

Snorkeling and Cruising

Body Glove Cruises: Snorkeling and whale-watching (December through March) excursions. Snorkeling gear is provided, and the boat features a popular 15-foot slide and high-diving platform for water fun. info@bodyglovehawaii.com

Captain Zodiac: Raft tours down the Kona Coast to Kealakekua Bay. www.captainzodiac.com

Ocean Eco Tours: Diving, kayaking, and surfing. www.oceanecotours.com

Kailua Bay Charter Co.: Glass-bottomed boat cruises. www.konaglassbottomboat.com

Fair Wind Cruises: Snorkeling by catamaran or rafting in beautiful and historic Kealakekua Bay. www.fair-wind.com

Sea Quest Rafting Adventures: Snorkeling and sea adventures off the Kona Coast in motorized rafts. The trips include a stop in Kealakekua Bay. Whale-watching, too. www.seaquesthawaii.com

Adventures in Paradise: Guided snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking trips. www.bigislandkayak.com

Snorkel Bob's: Sells snorkeling and other gear for water fun. www.snorkelbob.com

Go Fishing

The waters off the Kona coast are world famous for their biggame fishing. Giant blue marlins weighing more than 1,000 pounds have been caught here along with a variety of other large and tasty fish including tuna and swordfish. There are quite a few charter captains available to take you out for a challenging and fun ocean fishing adventure to catch the big ones. Here's a sample for starters:

Captains Jack & Billy Ross: Expert fishing and instruction aboard the 37-foot Eclipse. eclipse@bigisland.com

Captain James Dean: Fish for the big ones aboard Kona's largest big-game fishing charter boat, the 53-foot Blue Hawaii. pisces@aloha.net

Captain Gene Vanderhoek: The captain of the 39-foot Sea Genie has a reputation for success. seageni@aloha.net

Sea Wife Charters: Accomplished fisherman Tim Cox captains the 38-foot Sea Wife II. seawifeII@hawaii.rr.com

Captain John Jordan: In operation since 1968. geckogaby@aol.com

Captain Del Dykes: Experience light-tackle sportfishing aboard the 25-foot custom Reel Action. 325-6811 wwww.fishkona.org

For more listings, you can visit the Hawaii Fishing Directory online at www.hawaiifishing.com

Scuba and Snuba

Are you a diver? Even if you've never tried it, diving might be something that you're interested in doing. Here are a few companies that can help you out on the Big Island. You can also try that new combination of snorkeling and scuba: snuba!

Kona Honu Divers www.konahonudivers.com

Sandwich Isle Divers www.sandwichisledivers.com

Jack's Diving Locker www.jacksdivinglocker.com

Aquatic Perceptions Kayak and Scuba Center 935-9997

Nautilus Dive Center www.nautilusdivehilo.com

Big Island Watersports www.bigislandwatersports.com