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You are here: Home / Archives for hawaii

Kayaking Kauai’s Na Pali Coast

September 20, 2017 By Jillian

Kayaking the Na Pali  Coast is not a leisurely paddle through some pretty scenery.  It is a full on, strenuous 17 mile ocean kayaking experience that happens to have some of the most breath taking views in the world. Deemed by National Geographic as the second best adventure in the country, it doesn’t disappoint.  We were fortunate enough to set off in early July, when the weather was calm (read: no wind), the seas were calm (read: no helpfully strong current) and the wildlife active (read: can you ever get tired of seeing sea turtles?).  But it wasn’t until we set off from Ha’ena Beach Park and kayaked a mile around to the “last take out point” at Ke’e Beach that I had a real idea of what we were getting into.  Like any activity, the first few miles are exciting, exhilarating, and most often than not a period of “breaking in”.  Not exactly an avid ocean kayaker (not too many oceans here in Charlotte), and since I haven’t been regular in the whitewater boat for several years my kayaking skills were a bit rusty.  Not to mention we were placed in a tandem kayak (read: divorce boat).  With so many adventure races behind us that required tandem paddling, you’d think we would have learned to work together in the boat better.  Alas, we have not and the tandem boat is still a cause for discord. Our boats always come with too many captains and not enough sailors.  So the first mile was a bit of an adjustment, but we were flying high on the fact we had hiked in and out from Kalalalu beach in a day and felt invincible.  With 3,000 foot cliffs looming ahead and the promise of some amazing sea caves, unspoiled beaches and wildlife views, I ignored the questioning feeling in my head and set my paddle to moving us down the coastline.

The first seven miles along the Na Pali Coast to Kalalau beach were beautiful.  The full Na Pali Coast is in view and you feel like you are on a secret path between the soaring cliffs and the immense Pacific Ocean.  The water is a perfect cerulean color, like something straight out of a crayon box, and perfectly clear.  You can see the bottom of the ocean 40, 50 in some places 60 feet below.  It was incredible to catch a glimpse of an endangered green sea turtle or the many fish swimming below. Our group of 7 got a great kick out of seeing the scenery we had hiked two days before, this time from a different perspective.  The trail, which had looked so high while walking, seemed impossibly steep in some areas from a few thousand feet below.  When we arrived to Kalalau beach we were all thrilled to see the white sand beach again and spent some time loosening our muscles by swimming off shore.

The stretch to Kalalau Beach was boring in comparison to what happened after we left and paddled further up the Na Pali Coast.  Dipping in and out of pitch black sea caves, open-ceiling grottoes, under waterfalls that drop into the ocean, the coast’s twists and turns, we felt as though we had discovered a place of magic.  It is hard not to be emotionally swept away by the impressive rock formations bathed in warm sunlight with turquoise water crashing on them as the waves come in.  This area of the coast is sacred to the ancient Hawaiians who used the coastline as a training ground.   There are some beaches on which it is forbidden to land a boat out of respect for the ancient traditions.  Our guides filled us in on the human and natural history of this breathtaking area.  And then the endangered green sea turtles began to appear.  A few had graced us with their presence earlier in the trip, but at this point we started to see so many it was virtually unbelievable.  It seemed that dozens of green sea turtles swam under and around us for the next few miles, with our fellow kayakers shouting “turtle” every few minutes.

As we passed a green sea turtle nest on shore we came to Milolii Beach, at the tip of the Na Pali Coast.  I wish we had planned ahead to spend the night there.  Not a lush paradise, the beach felt like a shipwreck settlement with a few trees, a faucet for running water and a small shelter for picnic tables.  But the peaceful ease of the place, and the sense of being completely at the end of the earth looking out at the vast ocean – that is what drew me to want to stay.  Camping is allowed on the beach by permit of the Hawaii State Park system for up to three days.  One of our kayak compatriots spent a night there with his children years ago and said the monk seals come at night to rest and relax, making it a wild wildlife experience. No monks seals graced us with their presence while we were there, but all the better.

Past Milolii the geography changes with the wind.  Less foliage and smaller cliffs make it less interesting, but no less beautiful.  As Catamarans began to pass further out at sea, and boat traffic increased it was clear that civilization was rapidly approaching.  Within site of our take out point at Polihale State Park we suddenly spotted dolphins far out to sea.  Paddling furiously (read: this is a subjective term, remember we are still on divorce boat) we caught the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins playing in the water.  Swimming directly under us and around us, the pod of dolphins was not shy and spent several minutes entertaining us.  Doing their namesake spinning jumps, our whole group realized how lucky we were when our guide, a native to the island, got excited. We never got a truly accurate count, but perhaps we saw two dozen dolphins in our area.

Finally we reached Kauai’s Polihale State Park.  Our arms and torsos were tired, our legs were cramped, but we were in great spirits.  Attempting to body surf our way onto shore, we looked something like beached whales to the families enjoying an afternoon picnic on the beach.   As the water glimmered in the late afternoon sun we packed up our gear and headed back around the island (in a van!)  to complete the full circumnavigation of Kauai.

If you go

We booked our Na Pali Coast Kayak Tour through Kayak Kauai.  Our guides were highly skilled, professional and fun.  Our equipment was in good condition and we would highly recommend using this tour operator.  Both of our guides were locals and the organization also helps sponsor a Na Pali Coast annual clean up.  This was a strenuous ocean paddle and not for children or people in poor physical condition.  We spent nearly 8 hours on the water – bringing adequate sun screen and shade is essential.

Filed Under: Headline, USA, Weekend Warrior, Whitewater Tagged With: hawaii, kauai, kayak, kayaking, Napali coast, ocean kayaking, sealife, wilderness, wildlife

Tempted By A Honolulu Sunrise

July 27, 2012 By Lauren

When I planned a trip to Hawaii last February, I immediately rejected the idea of spending much time in Honolulu.

It’s a city, I reasoned. Why bother?

I forgot one crucial fact: it’s a city in Hawaii. That automatically makes it a little bit more bearable. Yes, the traffic is horrible, and no, it’s not exactly an accurate representation of the islands, but that doesn’t mean you should skip it.

Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor - Honolulu, Hawaii
The memorial for the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor.

I’m by no means a history buff, but it felt wrong to skip Pearl Harbor when we were so close. Although we were staying on the windward coast, we drove down for a morning to check it out. But Honolulu? I still wasn’t tempted. We left the infamous site, bypassed the city, and drove back along the north shore of Oahu.

Waikiki Beach

Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii
Surfboards await you at Waikiki Beach.

This is one of Hawaii’s most famous beaches, but ‘famous’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘good.’ The day before we flew out, I had an afternoon to kill in Honolulu, so I checked out this tourist attraction. The verdict? I was glad I’d visited. A city beach has a different vibe than a country beach, and I found myself really enjoying the people watching.

Group Hula

Hula Lesson, Honolulu, Hawaii
I hope I’m still hula-ing when I’m her age.

In that one afternoon, I realized that I’d made a grave mistake: I’d overlooked the shopping. If you’re coming from the US, this may not tempt you. But I’d been living in rural Korea, where finding a store with clothes that would fit me required making a 2-hour journey to Seoul. I tried to cram in a few shops but I was sidetracked by this amazing group hula session in the middle of a courtyard.

Sunrise in the City

Sunrise in Honolulu, Hawaii
And it was a thousand times more impressive in person.

Seeing that sunrise was like finding a Lotus in Honolulu on my last day in Hawaii. Against the backdrop of the ugly high-rises was this melting morning sky, and suddenly I wanted more. Next time, I’ll plan to explore what else this city has to offer.

 

Filed Under: Destinations, Headline, USA Tagged With: hawaii, honolulu, Travel & Planning

Lava

March 9, 2012 By Danny

This is the closest I’ll ever get to Lava in my entire life.  Thank you Hawaii!

molten lava

When we flew to Hawaii we took the time to take a drive around a few of the islands and one of the high points was obviously these lava flows.  In this photo the lava is flowing via the lava tubes under the hardened lava out to the sea.  It is literally traveling right beneath my feet in this photo and I could have actually reached in and touched it if I were stupid enough.  We got as close as we dared and even taking these photos was painful due to the heat and smell of the molten rock.

IF YOU GO:  Be sure to island hop a bit.  Your stay in Hawaii will likely begin and end with one of the Waikiki Hotels but when you’re done with Waikiki and the Pearl Harbor Memorial don’t be afraid to check out other islands as well.  There is plenty of hiking (both normal and with lava) as well as more adventurous activities such as zip-lines.  Bottom line is that Hawaii has a lot to offer and is well worth the trip.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

Filed Under: photos Tagged With: hawaii, lava

Hanakapiai Falls of Kauai’i

February 24, 2012 By Danny

When we took our honeymoon to Hawaii we made it an absolute must to spend some time on the Island of Kauai’i.  The reason for that is simple, it’s beautiful.  This is the island that Hollywood often turns to when it needs a tropical shooting location and it’s no wonder why with its jungles and beautiful rivers.

We reached these falls after hiking for a few hours, first along the coast and then turning inland to follow the river to falls themselves.  We hiked in our sandals and jumped right in the fresh and cold water and got to having as much fun as we could…then we quickly got out and dried off because that water was cold.  Having now traveled the whole world and ‘seen it all’ I can safely say it’s days like these spent finding a hidden gem that makes travel special.

IF YOU GO: It’s easy to travel Kauai’i so long as you have a rental car to do it in.  We just booked a stay for one of the many Hawaii hotels and drove clockwise and counterclockwise around the island.  On one side of Kauai’i is a canyon and on the other side is this beautiful coast.  If I did it again, I’d spend more time in Kauai’i and not even bother with that canyon….it’s filled with sawgrass!

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo series.

Filed Under: photos Tagged With: hawaii, hiking, kauai, waterfall

New Land in Hawaii

February 10, 2012 By Danny

One of the highlights of our trip to Hawaii was visiting Volcanos National Park.  The Hawaiian islands were formed by volcanos in the middle of the pacific and those volcanos continue to add land to the islands as we speak.  Usually, they are quite tame but sometimes their lava flows can and do change direction.  Rarely is this an emergency as visitors usually have several hours to move away from the slow moving lava, but nonetheless it can impact the scenery a good bit.

When we visited the volcanos we were impressed by the trail over the lava rock.  We took this photo at the start of the trail just beyond the end of the road.  It should be clear why the road has come to an end!  We were able to hike out on the lava rock for several kilometers and could actually see it running several feet below where we were standing.  We have pictures of molten lava as well but this photo is pretty compelling to us.  Later we sat and watched as the lava created new Hawaiian land, it was memorizing!

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

IF YOU GO:  The Hawaiian Islands are a great place to get away from it all.  Almost all flights to the islands land in Honolulu so check out some Oahu Hotels and then feel free to island hop to your heart’s content.  No trip to Honolulu is complete without a visit to Waikiki and Pearl Harbor!

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know some of your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo series.

Filed Under: photos Tagged With: hawaii, national park, nature, signs, volcano

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