Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, Oahu, HI

Hanauma Bay is a marine embayment formed within a volcanic cone and located along the southeast coast of the Island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Island.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrhgYNOgod0

DCIM101GOPRO

During the first week of our travels, we stayed on Oahu.  We took the kids to Hanauma Bay for their first time snorkeling.  Wylie captured the underwater marine life with his new GoPro.  Wow, does this camera take amazing videos!  We saw so many colorful fish and had the pleasure of swimming with this friendly sea turtle.

Just Another Morning in Kauai

 

The original plan was to leave Kauai for a ten-day stay on the Big Island or Maui and then return to Kauai before heading to Tahiti. Unfortunately we had no luck finding accommodations on either island, so we decided to stay on Kauai. Not a bad idea, considering this is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

We left our house in Hanalei and are now in Princeville. We have always tried to avoid Princeville – the land of condos and Hoalies – and instead stay in or near the town of Hanalei, where there is more of a local flavor. We ended up finding a place on the cliffs overlooking “Hide Aways” surf spot. We were not disappointed.

These pictures were taken sitting on the lanai, eating a breakfast of pancakes with kiwi, mango, apple bananas (yes they do taste like apples), topped with coconut syrup, 300 ft above the waters edge, looking out over an endless sea to the horizon. Down below, Willie is the only one out in the water catching perfect glassy, head high waves, there is a rainbow framing the view and a pod of whales breaching directly in front of me. Somebody pinch me.  Is this for real?

 

 

Willie Surfing Hideaways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMwt-KN2MQQ

Hide Aways

 

More whales.

more whales

 

Yummy breakfast.

breakfast

 

Queens Bath

warning signstream

We finally made it to Queen’s Bath today. During winter, there are few times you can actually visit the bath without eminent death or at least danger. Queen’s Bath is a natural pool formed in the lava rocks along the coast of Princeville, Kauai. After driving into the land of condos and haoles, we parked the minivan and began the 10 minute hike, descending down the muddy, red clay trail to the black lava cliffs along the waters edge. The hike is akin to a Disney theme park Ride from the Jungle Book with a perfect waterfall flowing beside the trail, that leads to a small fresh water pool; palm trees rustling, birds singing and the sound of water trickling. From here we took a moment to assess the size of the swell. Things can change quickly in the ocean and the waters can become angry in the time it takes to park the car and hike the trail. Luckily, for us, the waves were still relatively small for Hawaii in winter. We walked out along the rough rocks, passing tide pools, with one eye looking for crabs and little fish, and the other looking for that rogue wave that might wash us out to sea. We were just here 2 weeks ago and the high surf was covering these same rocks with 30ft waves. We watched too casual tourists standing at the cliffs edge, taking photos, oblivious to the fact that at any moment a huge wave could come in, making them another slash mark on the warning sign. Within a few minutes, we were standing on the rocks above the pool, bathing suits donned, GoPro in hand, jumping into the Bath. The water was calm and clear until a huge wave came crashing onto the cliffs and water cascaded over the pool’s edge creating a wave of excitement as the current pushed us around and the suddenly aerated water felt like we were sitting in a drunk man’s champagne glass or nature’s Jacuzzi without the heated water. Then the water and our heart beats became calm again and we waited for the next big wave to roll in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFDyGySYazk (click to see us in the bath)

Hiking The Okolehao Trail

The other day when the waves were too big to surf, we hiked the Okolehao trail. It was muddy and a bit slippery, but very rewarding. We saw an assortment of native plants including a wild orchid. I had just put the camera away and was too lazy to take it out again. I am still regretting not taking a picture of it. At the top of the hike we were rewarded with a view of the Kilauea Lighthouse, waterfalls and beautiful set waves rolling into Hanalei Bay. On our way down, Willie got up close and personal with a spider the size of a squirrel.

pathwaterfallaimee downclimbingstart of hikeview from above

spiderwillie and spidermud

Rombuton

Rombutons are a local fruit on the Hawaiian Islands. If you peel off the beautiful thick red outer skin, there is a big grape like fruit inside. We buy large bags of these at the local farmers market. We are lucky if there are any left by the time we get home.image

A National Geographic Moment

A special treat at Kapaa

A special treat at Kapaa

We were all out surfing at Kapaa, Kauai when people on the beach started pointing. For the next hour, we witnessed a pod of whales putting on a show of a lifetime. I was so glad I invested in a good camera and lens for this trip!

The humpback whales migrate 3000 miles from the Gulf of Alaska to  Hawaii to breed and give birth to their calves in the warm shallow waters of the Hawaiian islands.  Their average weight is 45 tons and length is 45 feet!  Because they give birth in Hawaii, they are considered native born.  The peak viewing time is January to early April.