The Hand of God

There is natural beauty everywhere but here it is abundant and dramatic.  God did quite a job, and in this Blog we would like to share.  Ryan was visiting last week and wanted to see another Island so off we went to Kauai (the "Garden Isle").  This is the oldest and furthest North of the Hawaiian Islands.  Only 20% is inhabited (mostly a few towns along the coastline) while the interior is agricultural, forested and lush green.

We paddle boarded up the Wailua River as our introduction and the winds made us work!

Next we hiked the breathtaking Waimea Canyon. For Kathy and I it was our second time...this is the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" according to Mark Twain.  The colors and waterfalls are amazing.

Next, we "catamaraned" (45 footer) from Port Allen in the South to the Na Pali Coast in the North...and snorkeled along the way. We were about 10 ft from a 300lb monk seal in the water who was on the surface looking over the fish below like we would look over a menu in a Seafood Restaurant.  Dolphins (Spinners and Bottlenose) accompanied the Catamaran on several occasions, enjoying the free ride on our bow waves. Once we passed the west (leeward) coast we headed north into heavy winds and 8-9 foot seas...wow...the the beautiful coastline made up for the turbulent ride.


So we saw the Island from land and sea, what was left... Air of course.  On our final day we took a helicopter tour to see the inaccessible areas of  beautiful Kauai.  Several locations of movies, early settlement sites of fisherman and farmers etc.

All we could say at the end of our trip was... AMEN...enjoy the photos...see you soon

Roaring waterfalls and rainbows

This one shot through the Copter window...looks like it could be a Lewis and Clark scene from the Old West

Central region of the Island...more waterfalls and rainbows anyone?

Taken from our hiking trail...setting for Jurassic Park filming....I swear I sensed a Velociraptor stalking us !

All together now sing the first few lines...Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea.....keep going til...in a land called HANALEI..yup this is it the place PPM sang about...a beautiful, mellow town on the Northern Coast...green Taro fields growing in this shot.

Here is a shot of Hanalei Bay from the air...nice place to retire gang !

OK enough of that... time to go to sea...our cat on left

Spinner Dolphins...lots of them

Notice the water gets bluer as it gets deeper...see Mom with her baby on the right side of the screen

The Na Pali coast...doesn't look real

God's Handiwork

Have to end with flowers...they are not cultivated in a garden we visited somewhere...they just grow all over it seems...we will miss them

Why did the chicken to cross the road?  To show you even wild chickens have lots of color here.

Thar She ...Blew?

One of the many images that Hawaii conjures up are WHALES !  They migrate to the tropical waters from Alaska and give birth around the islands here.  Two weeks ago we had a smaller visitor to our Bay right here in Kailua.  A six-seven foot melon head whale was seen swimming up and down in about a 100 yard range about 30 yards off shore.  It appears that whale parts were found on the beach and the prevailing theory was that Mom was attacked and killed by sharks and the juvenile calf followed the remains close into the beach.  She was pitch black, stayed under for 2-3 minutes, then would surface to breath.  NOAA officials reported to the beach and kept watch over the calf.  Two sharks were observed coming into the Bay and heading toward the whale but turned away. Shark signs were posted on the beach to inform swimmers. (Sounds like Amity in JAWS?)  Kathy and I watched for days hoping the whale would make it...we did swim very close to shore...I swear I heard John Williams music when swimming!!! About day 6 the whale seemed to weaken and was hardly swimming...so NOAA officials pulled her to shore quickly and quietly and placed her under a tent where she was euthanized....they said she could not survive without mothers milk and we were happy that she was not left to the sharks who might then get the idea that "our swimming beach" was a great new dining spot.

On another adventure, Kathy and I rode our bikes around an old neglected rail trail that surrounds Pearl Harbor...it used to carry supplies and goods in and out from Honolulu and elsewhere during the War and was now largely overgrown and hosted a power plant and some small industry and lots of homeless people camped along the bay.  It was converted into a bike trail of sorts ...so off we went.  Every imaginable tent, broken down van, plywood sheets, and tarps of all types and colors were forged into shelters.  Philippinos, Hawaiians, young people, and others were in groups of two or threes living there.  Not far was a public park with running water and showers, and a big Goodwill Store.  Many of the homeless were fishing right next to the DON'T EAT CONTAMINATED FISH signs.  We saw plenty of fish in the murky Bay waters.  As they say when choosing your real estate it's all about Location-Location-Location.  Being homeless is horrible but here it seems less harsh here than in Boston or New York.     PS: Old Industrial trail all right...we both got flat tires from old nails !

Finally, we are planning our "Triumphant Return" home after a year here in Hawaii...looking forward to seeing New England and especially, family and friends... sometime before Thanksgiving...Aloha.

HMMMM seems like a good day to read on the beach

Pearl Harbor from the Bike Trail

Far from the Memorial...not the worst place to live in a tent

Hey any of you New England dudes know what this blossom is???

Neither did we...yup this is what they turn into...Pineapples...they grow on plants like squash then get bigger and bigger...until,  they end up at Stop and Shop !

SHARKBAIT

We have been fortunate to have  had a number of adventures here in Hawaii, but thanks to our daughter Micaela, this one should remain quite memorable.  Finding out about " Snorkeling with Sharks" off the coast of Hawaii through our adventurous neighbors, Tom and Kieri...Micaela was "all in",  So, Kathy, Micaela, and I ventured to the north shore of Oahu where "Shark Adventures" took us about three miles off shore in rough waters and tied up at a morning in about 400 feet of water.

The history is interesting.  This is an area where the bottom drops off to deeper ocean and is frequented by large numbers of crabs.  Over the years crab boats (similar to our NE lobster boats), would tie up, drop their traps, and haul crabs.  Once on the surface they would keep the larger crabs and toss the smaller ones overboard.  Sharks learned this over the years and respond to the sound of the diesel engines. They come to the surface for a free crab buffet, and eat the smaller crabs as they are tossed into the Sea...it is like ringing the dinner bell.

So, after tying up, the crew gun the engines a bit and up they come.  Soon we could see fins and sharks circling the boat. Next the cage is lowered over the side and in we went,,, with our snorkels and masks.  Fortunately, the top of the cage rises about two feet above the surface.  Next the cage is drifted about twenty feet away from the boat and evidently the electrical force of the metal cage in salt water produces an electrical field that attracts the sharks as they started circling the cage.  (I thought it might be the tender morsels in swim suits and rubber masks!)

They were Galapagos sharks about eight or nine feet long and to my surprise, once in the water one is more in awe of them than afraid of them...off course the bars helped ! Very exciting and exhilarating.

A few days later we snorkeled with Micaela in a bay known to have many, many beautiful fish. It is a common, "must do" tourist destination called Hanouma Bay on the South coast.  Kathy and Miceala waded out and began snorkeling...soon, they turned around, came right in and told me they saw a six foot reef shark swimming by (quite unusual in this area)...this time, no cage.

OK....time to go for a hike !

Hmmm..no crabs...wonder how those people would taste?

A little too close for comfort

Hope sharks don't jump !

"Keep your hands and feet inside the cage at all times please"

Male in foreground female behind...don't they make a nice couple?

Nice LITTLE fish at Hunama just before Kathy and Micaela saw the reef shark...time to hike

This is a Lava tube where the hot lava burned right through the rock to the ocean...in we go

Two funny looking folk at the ocean end of the tube...well one anyway

Can you find the Monk Seal resting?

Beautiful rock formations

Dinner at Haliewa Joe's and Micaela was off to the Mainland !

DARBY...Came and Went

Well,

We weathered our first real Tropical Storm here in Hawaii.  Hurricane Darby diminished to a Tropical Storm before it hit...but it caused quite a stir none-the-less.  People rushed out to Costco to buy Water and Spam...in New England it is Bread and Milk...I picked up a a 12 pack of LongBoard Lager...each to his own I guess.  Kathy and I went to the Beach and the wind was howling and the rain blowing sideways.  The ocean was wild and confused (as sailors say) but not nearly as ominous as the North Shore in Winter.  As the storm passed the canals and streams were very high and a Brown water Warning ensued.  The rainwater saturates the mountains and the water run off fills the streams rivers and canals. The warning regards soil and debris carried down the mountains including small animals.  For about a week the water is brackish then it clears.  Hiking is discouraged as the earth becomes soft and unstable on mountain trails again for about a week.  The light show was awesome as a white/blue very bright lighting storm seemed to go on all night...even more spectacular than the Fourth of July !

Our daughter Micaela is coming for a visit soon..we are planning to fulfill her request and will be heading up to the North Shore to encounter...SHARKS !  We travel to Haliewa and board a lobster boat sized craft and head about two miles off shore.  There we enter a cage and curious sharks come to and circle the cage.  They are Galapagos and other species..I guess up to 10-12 feet.  Hopefully in a month or so you will reading another edition of the Blog...if not...well, never mind...Take care All

The Kai One Paddling Team practicing on the Kailua Canal...check out seat number 5 !

Always nice flora to appreciate on hikes

A welcome cool shower after a steamy hike

Ok Quiz...What the heck is this ???

Hint...this is the inside and we ate it !!!

Independence day...Hawaiian Style

We have found that Hawaiians love to celebrate...Christmas, New Years,  King Kamehameha Day, and  of course... the Fourth of July.  Kathy's celebration started at 3:30 AM when she left for a paddling competition at the beach on Waikiki.  There were 45 races and a huge turnout of spectators on hand (many tourists).  Quite a start to the day.

For me...I volunteered to help out at the Town Parade...as part of the Longs/CVS/Minute Clinic Float...we passed out freebies to the crowd along the parade route here in Kailua.  Great parade...Military vehicles, a 120 person marching band from the State of Washington, every organization in town, horses, antique cars and of course POLITICIANS up for reelection...how American.

Later there was an aerial show off the beach and then spectacular fireworks....A great day for Hawaii, Kailua, America and us...how lucky are we???

Wow a rainbow start to Independence Day !!!

Teams getting ready to compete...Go Kai Oni 

Meanwhile you can see me working hard in Kailua getting ready for the BIG PARADE

Hospital Float promoting new renovated Emergency Room...that's different...hope they don't fall off !

Antique cars with what...a surf board on top ...of course

George and the Patriots of course

We found Dory...she is here in Hawaii

A great deal of applause and respect

Even a group that preserves old Military Equipment...does that qualify under the second amendment

You never know what or who you might run into in Hawaiian waters

Neptune of course

No Boston Pops but spectacular none the less

God Bless America...Happy Fourth everyone  !!!