Kauai 360 - We did so much!

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May 30, 2008 - I can't believe I'm just now posting these pictures. The trip happened back in March, but it's taken me awhile to pic my top 200 pictures, to load all the pictures onto the site, tag them and rearrange. I would have just loaded them into Kodak Gallery or something, but I had already written this blog, so I didn't want it to go to waste! This is more of a blog site than a picture site, so I'll probably need to move to a different website that's easier for me to load so many pics onto - if anyone has any recommendations - let me know! Maybe I just need my own site.... Anywaysssss - I had an amazing time in Kauai - it's one of the most beautiful places I have ever experienced. The blog is really only for those who have time or wish to read it - for the others, please enjoy the pics!

Friday, March 7
We arrive in Kauai (the northwest island of Hawaii) in the early afternoon and head straight to the car rental pick-up. Our driver is very outgoing and offers a map of the island and promises us Kauai is the most beautiful island in Hawaii. It is the only island, he points out, that does not have a building taller than the tallest coconut tree (although the coconut tree is not in fact indigenous to the island - brought over by the hotel chains to appeal to the tourist…but, I have to admit, I do like them).

You really can’t get lost on this island either. There’s only one main road that goes almost all the way around the island (bumper to bumper with the Napali Coast). We follow this road up to the North Shore to Kilauea, where our rental house is. The pictures weren’t lying - this place is gorgeous. We have our own hidden drive way with tree-lined palms. There were roosters, hens and chics walking about, and beautiful white Egret’s throughout the surrounding acres. Spider webs were incasing the house, but we got to know the critters, watched them eat at night and learned to live with them. There was a banana tree field, and the two and half acres were lined with other fruit trees. All of this in combination with a hot tub on the back porch and the place all to ourselves, I would say we had relaxing haven. (Well, that’s until on Day two, I have a cockroach incident).

We head near Princeville and to the beach and we watch the surf/swell coming in. There’s some big waves in the distance and we observe the surf-riders. There’s a Russian Fort Dave’s excited about on top of the hill, so we post there for a minute and watch the sun set from the top of the hill. I keep seeing these beautiful red-headed cardinals and I try to take a picture, but I have yet to buy a zoom lens!

We head to Hanalei Bay to check out the scene and we bump into a surfer who’s just gotten out of the water and offers some valuable local advice about where to eat, and what to do. We dine in Hanalei and it’s soooooo freaking expensive. We had two 4oz fish for 30 bones each. Ouch! The food was still pretty good, but we decided to pick up some groceries and kick it at the house as often as we could. Rest of the night is spent relaxing in the hot tub.

Saturday, March 8
We woke up leisurely the next day (followed up on some work email), and then went to the Hanalei river to Kayak. The day was soooo sunny and warm, and being that close to the equator, you can easily burn in 25 minutes. Well, with 15 SPF, needless to say, I did burn my arms, my ears (who really remembers their ears?) and neck. Dave seemed to survive just fine. We kayaked for a couple hours up and a couple hours back. Saw some endangered geese, turtle family and blue heron on the way.

Not to laugh at someone else's expense, but we passed a couple who was really bad at kayaking…which, I really didn’t know you could be. The guy would paddle one way, and the wife would make them go the complete opposite way. They were struggling to say the least and we had a short chuckle about it as they bumped us as they passed.

We needed to get out of the sun, so we head to the end of the road near Ke’e beach. This is where the northern cliffs of the Napali Coast begin. We watched roosters and chics pass us by and fell asleep on the beach. We checked out some dry and wet caves on the way back to the car and headed to the store to buy some grub to cook…seared tuna, seaweed salad, asparagus and other vegetables…mmmm. I swear every night we took advantage of that hot tub too. Soooo freaking relaxing.

Sunday, March 9
The next morning, we took a horseback riding tour on the north shore. The grounds were beautiful and there was a peacock roaming around that caught my attention, so I followed him around until everyone was ready to saddle up. The person who owns the ranch owns like a bazillion acres of land near the outskirts of the canyon and the entire horseback ride was on his land. We made it to the waterfalls; I popped a squat in the middle of the woods; we had some lunch with the crew, and received a massage from the waterfalls against our back. The guide told Dave to slide down one section that was covered in moss, so Dave did, we all thought it was crazy, and then I tried it, too, after he begged. It was actually really fun and surprisingly didn’t hurt my bum.

Afterwards we were eager to check out the south shore, so we drove down and around to Waimea Canyon Drive. The day had been so beautiful that we thought the skies would be clear up around the canyon. Our horseback riding guide reminded us that Waimea Canyon is the wettest place on Earth with over 430 inches of rain each year. That’s at least an inch a day, and during our ride, the mountains were clear, which is a rare happening. Anyway, as we drove up and through the canyon, the clouds crept in more and more, and when we got to top - the canyon was soaked with fog. We still got a peak at the beauty as we first drove into the canyon, and the fog was actually really mystic and pretty. We heard hunters and their dogs huntin’ for pig throughout the hills. There was even a dog shelter in the middle of nowhere on the canyon drive, because so many dogs are lost while hunting out there.

We stopped in Poipu on the way home and ate a delicious seafood meal. I think I ended up having sashimi tuna almost every night - but that was what I was hoping for…dipped in soy and wasabi sauce….mmmmm.

Monday, March 10
Monday we were set for the helicopter and waterfall tour, which Dave was dearly dreading. He was sure we wouldn’t make it. I guess three helicopters go down each year on average. It’s dangerous if the pilots don’t cancel the trip due to weather. Luckily I researched the companies good and well, and we had reservations at with one of the most highly recommended. They’re so dependable that they were called in to help out with an emergency call, and had to cancel our flight. We had to reschedule for Friday without the waterfall portion. The weather wasn’t that clear this day anyway, so we were kind of glad.

We thought about going back to the same beach we visited nearby before the helicopter ride was scheduled. It was a peaceful beach with grey mud on the beach floor. Some young sisters covered themselves completely in it and everyone around laughed. Instead, we head to the nearby town to grab some beers and one of the famous ice cones. Then, we drove up the far west side to the start of the southern cliffs of Na Pali. We had to travel a pretty rough dirt road for about 30 or 40 minutes and Dave starts having these huge stomach aches. I swear I thought he was in labor. I didn’t know what to do, because the nearest town was 30 minutes behind us, and I kept thinking we were close to the beach, but the bumpy dirt road didn’t end. It was so hot I couldn’t just pull over to the side of the road, and Dave just kept insisting that I get there, or turn back around. Torn, I just kept driving, and wondering if he was going to be okay as I nervously went further and further away from the hospital and closer and closer to our final destination on the beach. Well, finally his stomach ache passes after about 15 minutes of torcher, and we finally arrive at the beach. The west coast waves are really harsh, so not many people swim at this beach. We were amazed when we got there. The waves, the beach and the hills around us were all soooo massive. It was really beautiful and really freaking hot! We couldn’t take it without an umbrella. We were already torched from the car ride over, and with it being that hot, I really needed to get in the water, but not where this harsh surf was. We took in the beauty and headed to a new beach. We had some snorkel gear with us, so we went back to Poipu and snorkeled at their main beach. The underwater sightings weren’t that spectacular, but still entertaining and the water felt amazing. Nearby a beached seal was asleep and everyone smothered around to gather pictures. The signs ask you to be quiet around the seal, because stress is harmful to its health…aint that the truth.

Leftovers for dinner that night. Oh, and did I mention that all week we survived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I swear we made 20 while we were there on vacation and had at least two packed with us at all times. Pretty funny. Oh, then hot tub again, reading, and bed. Oh how I wish I could go back in time.

Tuesday, March 11
This is Dave’s day. The one day he gets, right? Just kidding - he thinks so, but I know he enjoyed all that we’d done so far. He wants to go deep sea fishing, so he rents a private charter. We leave the dock around 8am and watch the sun rise. So pretty. This is on the north shore and we can see the nearby lighthouse and many secret beaches from the boat.

This day ended up being one of the most amazing in regards to wildlife. We saw pilot whales, humpback whales (a mom and her kid jumping), dolphins, a hammerhead shark, sea turtle and many many skipjack tuna fish. We caught about 10 fish that day. A big tuna to start out with and then we found a circle of skipjacks and followed them around until we were satisfied. I’m not a big meat-eater anymore, but I still love to eat fish. However, it was a bit disturbing how they hit the top of the fishes head to kill them and their reflexes go off for five minutes afterwards, with blood spewing every which way from its spasms. The fishing poles were so big and me and Dave were the only ones reeling them in. We’d catch a few at a time and the boat would be in a frenzy to get them all out of the water without tangling the lines. Dave and I would wear some fishing belts to hold the rod in to support the weight, while the captain and his partner helped keep the lines from tangling. It was a unique experience - something I’d never done before.

The captain gutted about five fish for us, and I was excited to eat it sashimi style, too! Mmm, never caught my own raw tuna to eat. We finished in the afternoon, rested back at our place for a second, and then went first to Queen’s pond. This is supposed to be a good place to swim when the surf is calm, but again this is the winter when the surf is a bit rougher. When we arrived, we realized quickly that it was not going to be possible with how rough the conditions were. There were two crazy boys in the water, but a bunch of people just watched them frolic around and almost drown as the waves kept crashing in. Dave and I hiked around the volcanic rock and took some scenic pictures of the coast.

The next stop was Hideaways beach. It’s a straight hike down, with ropes to help support you. It’s a big surfing spot. I’m not sure I could handle carrying a board up and down this hike. Anyway, we lounged on the beach, watched the surfers in the far distance, saw a turtle popping it’s head out of the water in curiosity, witnessed another whale in the far distance lift up its tale and splash it up and down eight times like something you’d see on the discovery channel . It was fantastic! The surf was a bit rough, but I thought I could get in the water with my goggles and say hi to the turtle, but no such luck, it was too rocky. We watched the sunset (one of the best ones), and took off back to our place. This beach was hard to say goodbye to. It really was so gorgeous.

We went home and grubbed on the seafood we had caught that day. So delicious. You’ll see a picture.

Wednesday, March 12
The next day is all about Scuba. We found a place that offers intro lessons and a two tank dive for a descent price, so we go for it. We’d both never been and this dive is supposed to count towards certification, so we’re stoked. Our guide was super nice and made us feel secure in the water. It was nerve racking at first because water kept creeping into my goggles and I couldn’t figure out how to get it out without getting more in. I had to surface back to the top with the guide so he could explain what I was doing wrong. It was kinda silly when I think back to what I was doing wrong. For one, you're not supposed to smile because water creeps in around your cheeks and I think I kept trying to breathe through my nose. I just smiled with my eyes and held my nose for much of the time there afterwards.

We used two tanks, so we went down two separate times. The first time seemed like a blur because I think I was so focused on what I was doing, so I wouldn’t die or hurt anything in my surroundings. The second time was more enjoyable and I started to feel more comfortable. It had just rained that morning, so visibility wasn’t that great, but we still saw quite a few fish. We also saw a sleeping sea turtle. I can’t wait to get certified - I will be after June!

Next up was the Botanical Gardens, and then to Wailua Falls. The gardens were gorgeous and I took a lot of pictures. We drove to the scenic overlook of the Wailua falls afterwards, but the overlook didn’t allow you to really see the full length of them. The book recommended a hike down into the canyon to get up close and enjoy a dip. I was determined to check out this trail, so Dave and I trekked down a scary slope to the bottom of the river banks. It was so gooey with the water being low. I swear Dave wanted to kill me for making him do this. He was starting to get a little worried that the sun was going down pretty fast and we might get stuck in the canyon with no light and no trail. There really wasn’t a trail at all. We were just charging up the sides of the bank and through the river. The views were worth it though - the two falls were absolutely beautiful. I was seriously only allowed 10 minutes in the water before we had to turn back around before the sun went down all the way. Which it just barely did when we made it back to the top. Great day. We enjoyed another bar-b-que back at the pad to cap off the evening.

Thursday, March 13
The next morning we take it easy. We snorkel at this amazing beach, Tunnels. There was so much reef that it made the waves mellow, so swimming was fun here. Dave needed to do his baseball draft, so I went hiking to another beach - Logan’s Beach and snorkeled some more there. The waves were a bit crazy, and with the sun starting to set, it was pretty cold; but, the fish were even better than I had seen before. I took hundreds of pics underwater. There were only a few other people on the beach and it was a very peaceful place to be. Even the hike to and from the beach was along the edge of tree roots and it was a fun adventure. Since the sun was starting to set, I took advantage of being near the Princeville Resort and watched the sunset from their lanai. Peaceful and gorgeous. I bought some Hawaiian tunes from their gift shop that Dave and I jammed for the rest of the time.

Friday, March 14
This morning was our rescheduled helicopter ride. It was a windy day, so Dave was scared a bit, but the ride was so fun. The views were so breath-taking. I couldn’t soak it in enough it seemed. It was about an hour ride, I loved it every minute. One book said it’s like going to the Sistine Chapel and not looking up - so I was so glad we went.

After the ride we booked it back to the north shore for some surf lessons from Titus’ shop, a famous surfer. The waves were so mellow and I was on a 10 foot board, so I was able to get up almost every time. Dave was supportive and just took pics of me while I took lessons. When the lessons were done after about 45 minutes, Dave and I kept using the board. We tried to ride tandem our last ride, and my foot jammed into the sand sideways and backwards. Ick. It hurt so bad, and by the time we got to the luau, I couldn’t even walk or put any pressure on it. It was completely swollen from toe to ankle by the end of the evening.

Dave had to go around the luau breakfast buffet for me. I was in tears it hurt so much. While Dave got the car at the end of the luau, some of the hotel workers got me ice. It was nice of them, but Dave was laughing. I felt kinda bad for ruining the luau night, but we still enjoyed the show and the nearby beach. I took advantage of the chocolate cake too, hmmmm.

Saturday, March 14
Since my ankle was busted this day, (I mean I literally was hopping on one foot to and from the bathroom only), we decided to take it easy. We tried to kayak on the Wailua River, but you have to take a tour to do this, and Dave and I just wanted to keep it chill. We walked through some of the shops in Kapa'a, and ended up at another beautiful beach, Moloa'a Bay, and just laid out for awhile. We ate all the leftovers from our fridge, packed up, and took advantage of the hot tub for one more night. Soooooooooo relaxing.

I can’t fully express how bad I wish I could go back in time to that place again. We flew out the next morning and made a promise to the island that we would be back. Mahalo, Kauai for a beautiful time!

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Comments

[Hails]

Wow Erin, this looks like an incredible trip...now I really wanna go!