SUNDAY

Love to view the sunrise from the lanai with my coffee in hand!  Was another beautiful morning but the heavy rains began soon after this view.  We settled in for a rainy day but by 10:00 the rain had stopped and the sun was shining and soon the sky was blue.  Bob was still recovering from a bit too much sun from the catamaran cruise so decided to stay away from snorkeling today.  Raymond & Deon went to Anini Beach to snorkel and Bob & I went on a walk and a search for Hideaways Beach.  We'd seen pictures of Hideaways Beach, people had told us about Hideaways Beach, we'd even seen it on the map, but we had never been able to find the path which led to the beach.  I finally asked a local woman for directions, she led me to the path.  When I remarked that we hadn't been able to find it, she smiled and said, "That's why it's called Hideaways Beach."  The steep stairs and path which lead to the beach have a rope strung so one can hang on for dear life while going down.  Bob waited at the top while I went to check it out.  It was worth the scramble down.  Just when you think you've seen all the pretty beaches you can see, here's ANOTHER one!   And we've been told the snorkeling is great.  So this will be the next snorkeling stop--at least for some of us.  We've been told there can be a surging tide, so count me out!   And Bob can't make it down to the beach, so that leaves Raymond and Deon to report on the water.  

On the way down to HIDEAWAYS BEACH

  

REST AND RELAXATION DAY

Hmmm, I can read your minds now....aren't ALL of their days Rest and Relaxation??

Beginning the day with coffee and a blog....

Brunch outside at Kalypso's---YUM!

BEACH SCENES

Yes, Gloria, MORE waves....

ANOTHER Monk Seal resting on the sand at Ke'e Beach

These legs don't need a comment.....

EVENING WALK SCENES

It's easy to walk with this view...

                                                 Red Crested Cardinal

The Albatross is still sitting on the egg--now 3 more Albatross are on nests nearby.

VERY easy to walk with this view....

                       

Sailing the Na Pali Coast - Fri, Jan 28

 Up at 5:00 am for travel to the south part of the coast to board Capt Andy's 55 ft catamaran, Akialoa,  for a 5 1/2 hr. snorkeling/dolphin/whale watching sailing adventure.  The trips are scheduled to travel up the Na Pali coast, but because of the big waves and swells in the winter, the boat is unable to go there many days--also the Na Pali coast has lots of mist and cloud cover which rolls in often.  It had been 3 weeks since they had been able to go up the Na Pali coast.  Now, how does one choose a gorgeous clear, blue sky day with calm water??  Just take along the weather fairies (Raymond & Deon)!!  It was a BEAUTIFUL day!  

Now, with MY water fear, what am I doing on this trip? 

I was wondering the same thing soon after we set out.

Breathe, Lorna, Breathe...in..out...SLOW..

Breathe...My paddle's clean and bright....in..out  
Flashing like silver....S-L-O-W...

It worked!  Soon I was able to enjoy my surroundings and even LOOK at the water!  And we sat in the front for a great view!

Raymond and Deon snorkeled for awhile--saw tropical fish and sea turtles. 

 Bob & I enjoyed the snorkeling from the deck

 We saw whales, including a mother and her calf...

Lots of dolphins and spinner dolphins....

         The day before we viewed the Na Pali coast from the top when we were at Waimea Canyon and it was fun to see it from the ocean view today. 

It's a steep, rugged coastline.

One of the many tunnels along the way

Enjoying the view and the wind!

ANOTHER INCREDIBLE DAY!! Thank you, Deon & Raymond, for talking....I mean encouraging me...to go on this adventure AND for bringing the amazing weather! 

YUMI'S COCONUT PIES!

Yumi's Restaurant is located in Waimea.  Every day her daughter makes fresh coconut pies--it's worth a trip to Kauai just to eat one of these!  We're not talking coconut cream, nope, they are little half moon pastries filled with fresh coconut filling.  Last week when Bob & I went to Waimea Canyon, we drove there with the thoughts of coconut pies salivating in our heads.  We drove up to the restaurant and there was a sign on the door:

 Sorry for the inconvenience, 

but we are closed today

because our cook is sick.

Sigh!  

Today we again headed to Waimea Canyon with Raymond & Deon and not only was Yumi's open but there were 4 pies left!  YUM!  

Eating Yumi's coconut pies overlooking the Na Pali coast--does it get any better?

Deon & Raymond

As we finished our hiking, the clouds rolled in, but it was gorgeous and clear before.

                                                            

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES!

Raymond and Deon's flight landed 45 minutes early yesterday evening at the airport.  It was a long day of traveling for them without much sleep--but that didn't stop them today.

They were up and at 'em in the morning and kept us hoppin' all day.  We had North Shore Orientation 101 today, stopping many places for photo ops, Raymond hiked the first part of Kalahau Trail while the rest of us enjoyed Ke'e Beach.  He's excited to hike more at a later date--Deon & I hope to try it also, but Bob has had enough of that trail.                     

The afternoon was spent snorkeling at Anini Beach.  It's 9:30pm and they are still going strong--Bob and I are ready for bed.  

 Deon & Raymond at Ke'e Beach

Bob & Lorna at Ke'e Beach

SNORKELING AGAIN

I finally found the PERFECT snorkeling place for me--
the water is crystal clear, there are no strong currents, there are a lot of tropical fish swimming about--it was great!  I was actually able to RELAX!

 


       AND BEST OF ALL--I DIDN'T EVEN NEED
         MY FLOATIE BELT!!

WAILUA FALLS

WAILUA FALLS

How 'bout this coconut palm leaf hat?

Just another wave watching day...

WOW!

Kilauea Lighthouse Point

What an amazing day!  We realized all day we just kept saying, "WOW!" as we took in all that was around us.  Started out the day at the Kilauea Lighthouse Point and the National Bird Sanctuary--as Albatross circled overhead we watched humpback whales, seals, and dolphins in the water.

Bob's wife had to gently remind him that he might want to consider holding his map another way the next time he looks through the binoculars.......        

               The North Shore, looking from Kilauea Point all the way to Ke'e Beach.

Next it was time to check out the Kalalau Trail.  We kept hearing the view was worth the hike.  But that's a lot of rocks for someone who can't handle an uneven sidewalk....
And then there's that gray area between bravery and stupidity....

             The view was incredible!   Another WOW moment!

We only made it to the .25 mile view,
and it still took 1 1/2 hr.  Coming down was much harder than going up, and it helped that Bob's #@!!$#@! Belgian determination (stubbornness?) kicked in or he'd still be up there somewhere!

Ke'e Beach in the afternoon

We stopped to rest and recover and watch the incredible waves in the shade at Ke'e beach.  The beach was closed to snorkeling because of the dangerous water today.   

While we were there a Monk Seal lumbered out of the water to rest in the sand.  WOW!  They are an endangered mammal and everyone backed away to let the poor fella rest.

                          

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE!

               Anini Beach Park                                 

Another laid back day at the beach......sigh!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNA!

              HOPE YOU HAVE A GEAT BIRTHDAY TOMORROW ANNA!

                              


                       HAPPY
     10TH BIRTHDAY!





(The earlier post published before I was ready--I'm
still on a learning curve with this blog stuff....)                          

WIAMEA CANYON - THE DRIVE BACK DOWN

And the weather report for today was for RAIN--but we decided to just go anyway and see what the day would bring.  We think the weather people get their training in Indiana.

WAIMEA CANYON-"the Grand Canyon of the Pacific"

The drive to Waimea Canyon is often rainy and often the clouds move in and all one can see is "white".  BUT NOT TODAY!  It was clear and gorgeous and the views were spectacular!

Looking down towards the Na Pali coast

Bob was determined to do the 1 mile hike to Pihea Vista, but after about 1/2 mile, saw it was not gonna work.  The path is not level and the red mud is slick in spots.  He sat and waited and I decided to go the rest of the way.  But he still got a really good workout!

Some of the path on the hiking trail to Pihea Vista.  Could you hear me puffing?  Was a good reminder that I'm NOT in shape!











I MADE IT!  It took an hour for me to get to the top and back to where Bob was--but the view was worth it.

The view from Pihea Vista