Kauaʻi 2010

August 25 – September 5, 2010

Our trip to Kauaʻi in 2010 wasn’t primarily a hiking trip, but we did do some hiking while we were there. We stayed at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, for 1½ weeks. The Mortons and the Van Cleefs were with us for the first five days.

We landed in Lihuʻe well before sunset, but the five-hour time difference meant it was after 22:00 back home, and it was approximately midnight by our internal clocks when we reached the cottage after picking up luggage and rental cars and making a 45-minute drive to Barking Sands, with a stop for groceries at the Big Save Market in Waimea along the way. And we still woke up early on the 26th because our internal clocks hadn’t adjusted yet, and because of the calls of the wedge-tailed shearwaters that nested in the sand all around the cottage. We got used to the shearwaters, because it was Hawaii.

P1000056-beach-thumb.jpg Our almost private beach—not truly private but so uncrowded that it usually felt like ours
P1000058-Niihau-thumb.jpg From the deck of our cottage, we had this view of the beach and the cliffs of Niʻihau about 16 miles away.
P1000094-Late%20afternoon%20straightened-thumb.jpg The sunsets were always pretty and usually beautiful. We took lots of photos.
P1000103-Lehua late straightened-thumb.jpg Lehua Island as sunset approaches

Thursday, August 26

The first day we drove to (nearby) Waimea Canyon, took in the overlooks, and continued up to Kokeʻe State Park.

P1000061-WC-thumb.jpg Waimea Canyon
P1000062-WC-thumb.jpg Waimea Canyon
P1000063-WC-thumb.jpg Waimea Canyon
P1000066-WC-thumb.jpg Waimea Canyon with the Mortons and Van Cleefs
P1000068-Kalalau%20point-thumb.jpg Kalalau Lookout, farther up in Kokeʻe State Park
P1000071-Kalalau-thumb.jpg Kalalau Lookout
P1000073-Puuokila-thumb.jpg Puʻu O Kila
2010 08 Kauai Kokee Park Chickens-thumb.jpg Chickens are everywhere on the island. These three were in the park.
P1000076-WC-thumb.jpg Waimea Canyon again when we stopped on the way down from Kokeʻe State Park

Friday, August 27

On Friday, Doug rented a bicycle for the day, and the rest of us drove around the island all the way to Keʻe Beach. We saw and photographed the Kilauea lighthouse, spent some time in Hanalei, and visited Queen’s Bath. Photos later.

Saturday, August 28

On Saturday the whole group took a tour of the Na Pali coast with the Na Pali Explorer company (later Blue Ocean Adventure Tours). Neither Mary nor Keith took a camera on the boat. (Our friends took some photos.) All of us enjoyed the tour.

Sunday, August 29

On Sunday, Mary and the Mortons drove the short distance to Polihale State Park to get thumped by the waves. But mostly it was a day to relax and enjoy each other’s company before the three couples had to go their separate ways again the next day.

Monday, August 30

Monday was the day our friends left us. We were sorry to see them go, but we had no trouble finding activities to keep us busy.

P1000109-Sunset-thumb.jpg Sunset, August 30

Tuesday, August 31

We intended to take a doors-off helicopter tour on Tuesday, but the helicopters were broken that day. So, we hiked the Kalalau Trail and Hanakapiʻai Trail instead.

P1000115-Na%20Pali%20straightened-thumb.jpg The Kalalau Trail in one of Keith’s better shots
P1000116-Kalalau%20Trail-thumb.jpg Kalalau Trail
2010%20Hanakapiai%20Beach%201-thumb.jpg Approaching Hanakapiʻai Beach, where the Hanakapiʻai Trail begins
2010 Hanakapiai Beach warning-thumb.jpg Warning sign—I would pay attention. If you get in trouble here, you’re a long way from help.
2010 Hanakapiai Stream-thumb.jpg The Hanakapiʻai Stream
2010 Hanakapiai Stream crossing-thumb.jpg Crossing the stream—one of many times we did this
P1000118-Hanakapiai Falls-thumb.jpg First view of Hanakapiʻai Falls from the Hanakapiʻai Trail
P1000121-Hanakapiai Falls-thumb.jpg Hanakapiʻai Falls
P1000124-Big step-thumb.jpg Big step for Mary
P1000125-Hanakapiai Beach-thumb.jpg Hanakapiʻai Beach on the way back
P1000127-Hanakapiai Beach-thumb.jpg Looking back down on Hanakapiʻai Beach as we turn onto the Kalalau Trail again
P1000128-Kalalau Trail-thumb.jpg Kalalau Trail in the late afternoon sun
P1000132-Kee Beach-thumb.jpg Keʻe Beach, where the trail began

Wednesday, September 1

The helicopters were working Wednesday; so, we took the tour, which was pricey but worth the cost.

P1000137-Heli 2-thumb.jpg All of us here had postponed tours from Tuesday to Wednesday. The couple on the left had just finished their tour and were telling us about it.
P1000142-Heli takeoff-thumb.jpg Takeoff
P1000148-Heli flying-thumb.jpg Mary holds on. She never got completely comfortable with the doors-off thing, but it was still fun.
P1000154-Going west-thumb.jpg We head west from Lihuʻe. The tour went clockwise around the island.
P1000155-JPW 1-thumb.jpg The famous Jurassic Park waterfall comes into view.
P1000161-sisters-thumb.jpg The five sisters
P1000162-sisters-thumb.jpg The five sisters
P1000163-flying low-thumb.jpg Flying low
P1000173-Barking Sands-thumb.jpg Looking toward Barking Sands, with Niʻihau and Lehua Island in the distance
P1000178-Na Pali-thumb.jpg Na Pali coast
P1000179-Na Pali-thumb.jpg Na Pali coast
P1000185-Na Pali-thumb.jpg Na Pali coast
P1000187-Puka-thumb.jpg A few days earlier we had taken a boat tour up the coast and the boat had gone into this hole.
P1000195-Trail-thumb.jpg Looking down on the Kalalau Trail
P1000197-Kee Beach-thumb.jpg Keʻe Beach
P1000225-Wailua Falls-thumb.jpg Wailua Falls—Ze plane!
P1000226-Wailua Falls swoop-thumb.jpg Chris, our pilot, starts to turn just as Keith is getting ready for this picture.
2010 Helicopter w Chris-thumb.jpg Posing with Chris and good old N842LA
P1000232-Wailua Falls-Mary-thumb.jpg Before heading back to Barking Sands, we drove up to Wailua Falls for a closer look. Mary poses here with a coconut we bought from a street vendor.

Thursday, September 2

We spent the day hiking the Nuʻalolo Trail, the Nuʻalolo Cliffs Trail, and the Awaʻawapuhi Trail.

P1000235-Nualolo-thumb.jpg The Nuʻalolo Trail, which isn’t very scenic at first
P1000236-Nualolo-thumb.jpg The Nuʻalolo Trail
P1000238-Nualolo-thumb.jpg The view starts to improve.
P1000240-Nualolo-thumb.jpg Finally it begins to get interesting.
P1000241-Nualolo-thumb.jpg More interesting
P1000242-Nualolo-thumb.jpg First glimpse of the Na Pali cliffs
2010 Nualolo Lolo Vista Keith-thumb.jpg OK, this is definitely an interesting part of the trail. Keith stops to take a picture. Notice that he stands far to the left. Notice also that he has clipped his hat to the back of his shirt to keep the wind from taking it.
P1000243-Nualolo-thumb.jpg Keith’s photo
P1000244-Nualolo-thumb.jpg Mary at Lolo Vista Point, at the end of the Nuʻalolo Trail but near the beginning of the cliffs trail, which was still open in 2010
P1000249-Nualolo-Mary-thumb.jpg Mary starts back toward the cliffs trail. Soon after we turned onto the cliffs trail, we met two young women who had started it but turned back. One of them said it was intense.
2010 Cliff Trail intense 1-thumb.jpg Keith looks back at the narrow, eroded section that makes people nervous. Apparently it has become more dangerous since 2010, and the trail is closed.
2010 Nualolo Cliff Trail sign-thumb.jpg Warning sign
2010 Cliff Trail intense 2-thumb.jpg Here is another view of the dangerous section from a short distance ahead.
2010 Nualolo Cliff Trail grass-thumb.jpg Part of the Cliffs Trail, certainly not the best part, consisted of a maze of paths through tall grass.
2010 Nualolo Cliff Trail shelter-thumb.jpg We were happy to find a landmark that indicated we weren’t lost.
P1000252-Cliff Trail-thumb.jpg A better view from the Cliffs Trail
P1000259-VP-thumb.jpg Vista Point is a pleasant spot to sit and enjoy the view.
P1000256-Vista Point-thumb.jpg Looking back from Vista Point toward Lolo Vista Point
P1000257-VP looking back-thumb.jpg Looking back at the Cliffs Trail
P1000264-VP-thumb.jpg Looking down from Vista Point
P1000267-VP w knee-thumb.jpg We stopped for several minutes just to enjoy the location. From here we hiked up the Awaʻawapuhi Trail back to Kokeʻe Road.
Hiking down Kokeʻe Road wasn’t interesting; so, we were glad when a Russian immigrant in a rented Mustang gave us a ride. We warned him about our scent but he said it was OK. He worked for Blurb, and he was surprised to learn that Mary already knew and approved of the company. He was a good guy who represented his company well.
P1000275-Sunset straightened-thumb.jpg Another day, another sunset
P1000278-Sunset straightened-thumb.jpg
P1000279-Sunset straightened-thumb.jpg
P1000282-Dusk straightened-thumb.jpg

Friday, September 3

On Friday we spent half a day with a ziplining company. We did the ziplines, a monster swing, and a climbing wall, and then ended by climbing 100 ft up a Norfolk pine tree—in the rain—and rappelling down. We also visited Poʻipu, a nice resort area with good beaches.

Saturday, September 4

On Saturday we toured the Kauai Coffee Company and visited some salt ponds on the south side of the island. Photos later.

This was our last full day on the island. Even after 1½ weeks we were not ready to leave.

P1000317-Sunset Mary-thumb.jpg Mary on the beach
P1000319-Last sunset-thumb.jpg Last sunset—very sad. Keith has used this photo as the desktop background on his Mac ever since.
P1000326-Sunset zoom-thumb.jpg Zoomed
P1000330-Sunset fading-thumb.jpg And it’s gone.

Sunday, September 5

Our last morning on the island, we took a walk up the beach to Shenanigans. We liked how the waves caught the sunlight, and it was fortunate that we had our cameras with us. Then we cleaned the house and packed and—eventually—drove to Lihuʻe to turn in the rental car and wait for our overnight flight home.

P1000331-Last morning-thumb.jpg Last wakeup
P1000332-Last%20walk-thumb.jpg Last walk on the beach
P1000343-Green%20line-thumb.jpg The green line, which you see in clear ocean waves when the sun is just right
P1000346-Green%20line-thumb.jpg Again

We went back to Kauaʻi in November 2013 and spent two weeks there, again with the Mortons and the Van Cleefs. At the end we still weren’t ready to leave.