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.

Kauai #2: Sleeping Giant, Secret Beach, and Sunset from Ke'e Beach

Our second full day on Kauai and we were still getting a handle on what we wanted to do and the "lay of the land." Right hear where we were staying was a mountain called "The Sleeping Giant."  We climbed it.  Here's we're looking at the head and it's head/chin facing upwards towards the sky.  I didn't ever get a good picture of the entire "body" of the giant.

 

The view towards the southeast and Kapa'a town/valley in the foreground.

Towards the northeast.

Towards the north coast

And looking east towards Mount Waieale'ale which is hidden in the clouds.

After lunch, we decided to drive to the North Coast and the first stop was Kilauea lighthouse.

Our guidebook noted that just west of the lighthouse was a place called "Secret Beach."  It was a slippery, muddy hike down but here it is.

The waves, it's a truth during the winter, were much too big in which to swim.

Once on the North Shore, we drove as far west as possible to Ke'e beach and the start of the famed Na Pali coast.  We spent a few hours here to watch the sunset.

Onions HATES the sun, so here's the sun shelter.

I, however, have no problems with the sun and sand.

My attempt at a warrior pose.  Oohhhh, not so pretty.

This would be our first of three trips up to this end of the island, however this first trip was the most dramatic in watching the sunset with Asia on the other side.

Kauai #1: Waimea Falls and Kalalau Valley

The Math Final was given on December 14th and on December 16th, Onions and I flew from Oakland to Kauai.  We rented a car, found the food court at the local mall and then drove up to see Waimea Falls.

We got excited by the rainbow, but it turns out Hawaii does rainbows OFTEN and WELL, so this first rainbow picture at Waimea Falls isn't the most stunning I'll post.

On our first full day on Kauai, we drove up to the far end of the road to the top of the famed Kalalau Valley.  Yes, this is the one you've seen in the pictures.

The clouds move in and out fast.  Rain comes and goes.  Rainbows appear and disappear.

We saw a trail go off along the ridge line, so we decided on our first hike of the day.  This is what we found.

The state of our boots at the end of the hike gives you great insights into our marriage.

At the end of the hike, we were planning on doing another hike in the next valley over but....downpour.  So we punted and went to the mall to buy flip flops (he didn't bring any, mine had ripped) and then to Costco instead for dinner.

As the sun set, we found a quiet beach to end the day.

Me and my new flip-flops.  The reason why there is a difference in lighting in the photos is the darker ones are taken on my iPhone 6 whereas the lighter pictures are taken with Onions new iPhone 7, his birthday and Christmas present rolled into one.

It was cool watching the storms come in.  Turns out the waves in the winter are too big, so it's advised not to swim in the ocean.

Is there nothing Onions can't do?  He made a fire.  Too bad we didn't have any S'more's supplies.

A great day to end our first full day in Hawaii.