Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Today's kayak trip was much more than I expected.Dad dropped me off at Kailua Park at 7:45 as he had to be in Honolulu.I waited around and walked around and finally met up with the guys from the company.They bill themselves as ecologically minded and folks who believe in educating and instructing rather than just renting kayaks.
First we got some lessons on how to paddle (the paddles even had a left and right) and then we got into the kayaks.I got to share with the guide as everyone else was a couple. One couple was Chinese, in their 20s, and rather over their heads.Another couple was in their fifties from Montana and the final couple were parents of the guide!Matt, our guide, explained everything as we went along.He helped us launch in the ocean and the waves weren't particularly big but you still had to paddle strenuously to keep from going back to shore. (I think we got the premier tour as he was impressing his folks.)
We paddled about 15 minutes, stopping to look for green turtles (saw one) and then he noticed the Chinese couple had dumped over.So we had to double time it back to help them right their kayak and get back in and then rescue all their stuff.Kind of cool going to the rescue!
We decided to beach at Lanikai, a gorgeous powder sand beach next to Kailua.It was time to snorkel..So you go through all this stuff and breathe through your mouth and see a bunch of coral and some fish.Okay, been there, done that.Not really my thing I guess.We even had swim fins and my snorkel was brand new.Kind of a yawn but I can say I did it!
We then paddled out through 3 foot swells to the twin islands.One can't be landed on and the other is a bird sanctuary. The waves were a little scary as they were 3 feet tall and splashed right over the front.I was pretty well soaked without ever being in the water. It was tricky landing as there is swell from both side of the island and you have to beach "in the crack" - where the waves meet.I was glad we had some instruction as later we watched people beach in fairly amusing ways!
We had lunch and I realized my legs were killing me.I guess that meant I was kayaking correctly.Then for the walk through the bird nesting grounds (some sort of bird that hates land and only comes in to lay eggs.)The chicks were cute.The parents grossly overfeed them, then fly away, allowing them to mature while living off their fat for a month.There were over 60,000 nests on the island.
Matt took us on a trail that led around to the back (windward) side of the island.Very rough lava paths.Okay, not paths - just boulders.Finally we were hugging the side of the cliff while finding our footing, 20 feet above the raging surf!No mis-steps allowed!Matt told his parents that he hadn't had anyone back there in over a month as the seas have been way too rough.
There was a huge part of the island that had sheared off leaving an L-shaped channel.The water crashed up against ones side, send 10 foot swells into the channel.On the other side, water randomly gushed in depending on the waves.Matt told us that this was a perfect place to swim. We all laughed as it seemed the most dangerous place in the world to go in what with currents and waves crashing at both ends.But in he went.His Dad jumped off the cliff into the pool.I figured I was on a roll for new things and popped in the pool also.
It was a great experience.I met Dad back at the dock and he was all excited about hiking up Diamond Head.That's his story to tell.We went up the north shore road again and stopped at turtle beach to see the huge turtles sunning on the beach, then stopped to get garlic shrimp at one of the trucks that pull upon the side of the road.Then back home to pack as we have to leave for Oahu on Thursday morning!
- comments