Does everyone really love Hawaii?

Why did I Google this question? I did not love my trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, but before I could write that, I asked the internet if I was the only one. As I looked through the first few hits (which unsurprisingly offer a pretty strong "yes"), I wondered why it mattered to me what anyone else thought. On the surface, it seems to indicate a lack of confidence in my own opinions, but that's not usually true. I think the real reason I wanted the internet's answer was that I couldn't tell how much the pandemic affected my experience of being in Hawaii, and I didn't want to share my negative opinions if they were mostly caused by bad timing--like if we had only been disappointed by the weather on a trip. (Okay, so I was actually disappointed in the weather, too.)

Our trip to Big Island was in May 2021. Hawaii had reopened to tourists, but an array of pandemic restrictions remained in place. Since Hawaiian tourism was just beginning again, all of the testing requirements were new, and there was a fair amount of stress and anxiety surrounding them. Delta would not answer any questions before boarding about the testing requirements, so the man seated next to me had boarded the plane without confidence that his negative test was the correct type.

After thinking over my mixed feelings about the place, I realized that some of the things that dampened my enjoyment would have been issues even without Covid. If I ever do go back to Big Island, I think I would enjoy it more, not just because the Covid issues are over, but because I would know what to expect and be better prepared mentally.

Non-Covid Issue #1: Island Fever is real and some of us can get it quickly.

I knew I had reservations about going to a chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I'm not a boat person, and I worried that the Hawaiian Islands might feel more like a boat than a continent. When planning our trip, I thought that Big Island would be okay because it is, in fact, big. But I did not like being on an island in the middle of the Pacific.

The website Surfer Today has a good article about island fever—a sense of “being trapped” that leads to “feeling anxious, desperate and claustrophobic.”  The problem is particularly associated with the Hawaiian Islands. It is a real psychological disorder that can cause serious disruptions in the lives of sufferers who must live on an island. The article points out that most tourists don’t experience island fever because their time on the island is brief.

I absolutely experienced island fever on Big Island, though I didn’t know what it was. I think it could have helped me manage my emotions better if I had understood what was happening. As a tourist, I was naturally doing some of the things recommended to combat island fever—appreciating the features of being on an island; taking part in water-based activities; and, ultimately, getting off the island. Still, if I had known that the odd claustrophobia I felt was related to my general feeling of irritability, I think I could have enjoyed myself more. Interestingly, the Surfer Today article also points out that the “feeling of imprisonment” is “similar to living through lockdown during a pandemic.” I do wonder if the overlap of pandemic lockdown restrictions and being on an island made my island fever worse.

Non-Covid Issue #2 : Underlying Tensions over Tourism

Hawaiians are grappling with how to control overdevelopment and the damage caused to their fragile islands by mass tourism. Randy and I are tourists, but we try to be the kind of tourists any place interested in tourism wants. We try to spend money at local businesses whenever possible, we practice leave no trace outdoor ethics, try to learn a little of the local language and we respect the beliefs and customs of the people we are visiting.

Although we caught glimpses of the hospitality Hawaii is famous for, several times we felt unwelcomed, and we left two parks recommended in our guidebook because of strongly hostile vibes. Some of this was Covid-related, but some was not. The authorities have placed more areas off limits to tourism since we went.

Non-Covid Issue #3: The Weather and Water Temperature

I don't really know how to explain how cold I was when we were snorkeling and diving in Hawaii. I have looked back at historical sea temperature charts for May 2021 and the water was in the high 70's. It rained both in Hilo (which we expected) and in Captain Cook and Kailua-Kona (which we didn't). Rain can make the water cooler so maybe at certain times of day the water was cooler? Or,  more likely, I had expected really warm water (like south Florida in the summer) and to this southern girl, 78 degree water still feels cool.

I know I am not the only one who feels that way, though. After a beautiful but cool morning snorkeling at Two-Step, a breathtaking place in Captain Cook, a kind man saw me shivering in my 3 mil wetsuit and shared one of the gallons of warm water he had brought for his wife to pour over herself when she got out of the water. She loved the place and swam there every morning, but she was always freezing when she got out.

Prior to trip, I had been reassured by a dive shop in Kona that no one needed more than 3 mil wetsuit to dive comfortably in Hawaii. If I go back, I will wear more neoprene, even if I'm the only one in the whole state.

Truth be told, if Hilo were a coastal city on a continental landmass, I would plan to go back. Maybe now that we are totally past the pandemic, I would love Hawaii enough to overcome the strange claustrophobia of island fever. It is undeniably fascinating and beautiful. Still...it's a big world to see, why risk it?