Kauai #3: Waimea Canyon, Dolphins and Awa'awapuhi Trail

It was on our third day on Kauai that we learned our lesson.  It rained in the morning, so we cancelled our hiking plans.  WRONG.  In Kauai, if it rains, you just go on because it will eventually be sunny.  So that afternoon, we headed out West for a second time to Waimea Canyon.

Looking on the map, we then decided to head out to the beach furthest west at the end of the island.  Unfortunately, our Ford Fiesta couldn't handle the muddy road and I freaked out at the possibility of getting stuck, so we backed out.  Never made it.

On our fourth day, we started with the only packaged tour/activity we participated in during the entire trip.  We booked a dolphin, snorkeling and Na Pali Coast boat tour with Captain Andy's.  The snorkeling was meh, much better in Thailand (for Onions) and Australia (for me). We were able to see the Kalalau Valley from the water and because we were on a small boat, we went into the caves along the coast.  However, the highlight was when the spinner dolphins came right up along the boat and just hung out with us. To savor moment and not get our phones wet (although apparently Onions new iPhone 7 is waterproof!) we didn't get any pictures.  Pictures in my mind!

After the boat ride came the best hike of the trip.  Just before the Kalalau overlook is the Awa Awapuhi Trail.  It's a hike down to the end of one of the ridges of the Na Pali coast.  It's about six miles round trip.  Downhill first.....

The hike is mostly forested but about a quarter mile before the end, it opens up into some tall grasses and you can sense the amazing view to come.

And all of a sudden you are at the tip of a ridgeline between two deep valleys on either side of you.

To the right, east, is Honopu Valley.  And you see those boats on the water, that was where we were earlier in the day with the boat tour.

On the left, west, is the Awa Awapuhi Valley.  We were here around 3:30 in the afternoon so the shadows were already present in the valleys, but I think the contrast was awesome, in its true sense of the word.

Onions at the end of the world!

Where he is in this picture...if he fell, it would have been down to the bottom of a valley.  Smartly, he didn't let me go to that point.  I didn't fight him on it.

Here's a last view of Waimea Canyon at sunset on our last drive down the Kalalau Road.