Tuesday August 26, 2014 Hawaii Vacation

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Daily Blog -
I woke multiple times as usual and finally we got up around 6am. It was raining and overcast so we decided to drive around the island to Koke'e State Park. It is a 70+ mile drive around the island (clock-wise) to end up 10 miles (as the crow flies) from our condo. The mountains are impassible, so there is no way to get to the park counter-clockwise from the condo.
We stopped at the Safeway in Kapaa to purchase water (buy the 1 gallon jugs for $1.50, instead of the $11 24-pack bottles). Next we drove highway 56, then highway 50. We stopped for gas next to the Hanalima Bakery ($4.59/gallon) then got bakery items - 1 coconut turnover (very good), 1 apply turnover (very good) and banana bread (okay).
We continued driving, stopping at Hanapepe Valley Lookout for pictures. This is on Kaumuali'i Highway (50) between Kalaheo and Eleele. In Waimea community we stopped at the Ishihara Deli to pick up food for lunch. Kathy got a turkey sandwich with bean sprouts (wow!) and Alan bought a bunch mostly seafood Poke (sounds like Pokey) a Hawaiian lunch staple. We drove up highway 560 “Waimea Canyon Drive” toward Koke'e State Park. Starting at sea level, the drive is 20 miles and rises to 4176 at the Puu'o Kila Lookout. Along the way we stopped and took pictures at a bunch of the turnouts. The turnout was at around the 2.5 mile mark and had great views of the south ocean and the 2 uninhabited islands of Ni’ihau and Lekua. The second turnout was at the 1500 feet elevation sign and was hard red dirt with several small waterfalls. Waimea Canyon Drive turns into Koke’e Road a few miles further (be careful when driving back down the hill). We skipped the third lookout Waimea Canyon Lookout due to super slow car. The fourth stop was an actual parking area Pu’u Hinahina Lookout. We took pictures of the Waimea Canyon (Grand Canyon of Kauai). We stopped and picked up 2 hitchhiking French Canadian Quebec girls looking for a hiking trail. We drove by the Koke’e Air Defense System (radar). We stopped at Kalalau Lookout and took pictures and then finally stopped at the end of the road at Puu'o Kila Lookout. There were beautiful views of the northwest coast of the island Na Pali Coast, Kalalau Valley and Ka’a Alahina Ridge. We took lots of photos. There was a hiking trail to Wai’ale’ale, one of the wettest spot on the earth at 5148’, and to Alakai Swamp (highest swamp). We were too tired and lazy to hike. We then drove the hitchhiker back down to the canyon trail. We stopped along the way to take more pictures of the Waimea Canyon and Waipo’o Waterfall on the way down. The trip down was faster due to less traffic. Some people drive at 10-20 mph (speed limit is 25). It is a super curvy road with many steep drop-offs.
Back at the coast, we drove to Salt Pond beach. There we had lunch in one of the pavilions with a group of Hawaiian families. The waves were huge this day 4-8 feet, crashing on the rocks just off the beach. Alan tried to snorkel even with the foam making the water visibility from clear to almost zero. Kathy snorkeled for a few minutes, and then ended up talking with a couple for a half hour. Alan kept snorkeling around the area and finally hit a jackpot finding puffer fish (1 blew up when he tried to touch - yeah) and a baby moray eel. They truly are aggressive. I got within 4 feet and it darted out about 12" with open month looking mean, and then retreated back under the rock. Luckily it was only about 1" in diameter and maybe 18" long. It was still exciting and scary all at once. We got out and dried off and continued our touring back toward our condo.
We stopped at Spouting Horn and got quite a few good videos. Looked at the vendors setup at the park (mostly oriental products).
Across the road was the National Tropical Botanical Garden office for the Allerton and McBryde gardens. We decided to take the Allerton tour, since it went by the trees filmed in the Jurassic Park movie. The tour started at 3pm and we didn't know that the tour was 2-1/2 hours walking until we were on our way on the bus to the gardens (2 miles away). We also didn't think about the fact that evening is when the mosquitoes come out. Luckily Bob let us use some of his bug spray. We had 2 guides - Bob (20 year veteran of the park) and Star (2 year veteran). Bob had been the nursery manager, so he knew almost every plant in the garden. We stopped at almost every one. There were many edible plants in the park and we were able to sample some of the fruits - some sweet, some sour-sweet, some not so good! Read the www.ntbg.com website to learn more about the park. I took many photos while on tour - plants and flowers, water ways, ponds, streams, and also of Kathy at the Banyan (dinosaur) trees. We finally finished the tour just before Alan ran out of power.
We drove back along the coast to look at other RCI timeshares (they looked pretty old and not as nice as the Cliffs) and to look at some of the south coast beaches (a lot of waves - good for surfing, bad for snorkeling).
We stopped at Mark's place for dinner. Kathy had a hamburger and Alan had the Tuesday Special - Ahi with mushroom and a sour tomato, rice and pasta (only good).
On the way back we drove thru a few of the RCI properties and went by Lyndgate Beach (has a small rock harbor for snorkeling that was small and had lots of big waves and wind). We drove back to the Cliffs arriving around 8pm. Showered and in the bed within 30 minutes and asleep with a few minutes.

Videos -
View of Na Pali Coast and Ka’a Alahina Ridge
View of fast moving clouds at Pu'u Hinahina Lookout
Spouting Horn #1
Spouting Horn #2
Mini-Spouting Horns
Lawa'i Stream (tiny fish jumping)
Soothing sound waterfall

Photo Groups -
Hanapepe Valley Lookout
Ishihara Market
Turnout at 2.5 mile
Turnout at 1500 Feet Elevation sign
Pu'u Hinahina Lookout
Kalalau Lookout
Puu'o Kila Lookout
Waipo'o Waterfall
Spouting Horn
National Tropical Botanical Gardens
Allerton Gardens
Dinosaur Trees
Mark's Place - dinner

Hanapepe Valley Lookout
View Hanapepe valley on Kaumuali'i Highway (50) between Kalaheo and Eleele

View Hanapepe valley

Ishihara Market
Great deli counter with sandwiches and local Poke for lunch

4 star (flavor good, squid slightly chewy)

3 star (flavor too strong, Ahi fish very good)

3 star (flavor too strong, Ahi fish very good) - recipe on PBS

4 star (flavor good, Octopus good)

5 star (seaweed salad very good)

Turnout at 2.5 mile
View of Ni’ihau island (uninhabited)

View of Lekua island (center) Ni’ihau island (on left)

Panoramic view of the south coast of Kauai Island with Kekaha community

Turnout at 1500 Feet Elevation sign
Kathy at the turnout

Alan and Kathy

Red dirt and small waterfalls

Waterfalls

Waterfall

Kathy taking photos

View of ocean from 1500 feet elevation waterfalls

View of rocks at 1500 feet elevation

Pu'u Hinahina Lookout
Kathy at Pu'u Hinahina Lookout

Waimea Canyon

Birds soaring in Waimea Canyon

Kalalau Lookout
Kalalau Lookout (2nd to last lookout)

Na Pali Coast (northwest coast of Kauai) - no access except by water of foot

View of Na Pali Coast, Kalalau Valley and Ka’a Alahina Ridge

Boats along Na Pali Coast and Ka’a Alahina Ridge

Ka’a Alahina Ridge

Kathy and 2 Quebec hitchhikers

Kathy

Kathy and Alan

2 Quebec hitchhikers

Waterfall on Ka’a Alahina Ridge

Koke’e Air Defense System radar

Puu'o Kila Lookout
View from Puu'o Kila Lookout of Kalepa Ridge (left), Na Pali Coast, Kalalau Valley and Ka’a Alahina Ridge (right)

Na Pali Coast

Boast along Na Pali Coast

Sailboat along Na Pali Coast

Sailboats along Na Pali Coast

Speed boat along Na Pali Coast

Ka’a Alahina Ridge (angled photo)

Ka’a Alahina Ridge

Kathy is Queen Henapipi of Kauai

Kathy

Alan

Sign of trail to Wai'ale'ale

Chickens begging for food (they are everywhere)

Hen and chicks

Waipo'o Waterfall
Picture of Waipo’o Waterfall taken over guard rail (no turnout) south of Waimea Canyon Lookout

Waimea Canyon

Salt Pond Beach
Salt Pond Beach - west end (pictures right to left)

Salt Pond Beach

Salt Pond Beach - east end

Snorkel area (when seas are rough)

Spouting Horn
Screen grab from videos of Spouting Horn (see videos above)

National Tropical Botanical Garden
Ferns at NTBG

Allerton Gardens
Private beach at end of valley at Allerton Gardens - driving 3 miles from NTBG to valley

View of Lawa'i Stream

View of Lawa'i Stream (location of Pirates of the Caribbean movie)

Home to Home of Queen Emma

Better view of beach in Lawai' Bay at end of Lawa'i Stream - private Green Sand Turtle hatching grounds

Lawa'i Bay

Grounds near beginning of Allerton Garden tour

Pond area that used to be basement of Sugar Cane Plantation - now filled in and turned into a habitat for frogs and fish

Pond Habitat

Mountain wet habitat plants sign

Mountain wet habitat plants

Fruit

Flowers

Flosers

Flowers

House Plants gone wild

Reflecting Pond

Statue

House Plants gone wild

House Plants gone wild - growing on tree

Waterfall

Reflecting Pond

Jungle Path

Ferns

Waterfall

Unknown photo

Flowers

Long Stem Flower

Flowers

Drainage Ditch

Tour Guides

Location of bridge in Pirates of the Caribbean movie

Golden Bamboo

Budda

Kathy loves to hug tall, fat objects

Bronze Statue (people rub butt for good luck - but ruins patina)

Soothing sound waterfall

Bronze Statue

Sunken Palm Tree

Dinosaur Trees
Banyan Trees - filmed in Jurassic Park movie

Banyan Trees

Kathy inside Banyan Tree roots

Alan and Kathy in Banyan Tree roots

Alan and Kathy closeup

Alan and Kathy

Alan and Kathy closeup

Closeup of location of eggs in Jurassic Park movie

Roots

Toors

Top of Banyan Tree

Panoramic view of Banyan Tree

Banyan Trees from other end

Allerton Tour Guides

Kathy sitting on Banyan Tree roots

Kathy laying on Banyan Tree roots

Wield Plant (not Corn)

Waterfall and Pond

Flowers

View of opposite side of Allerton Garden - view of McBryde Garden

Lawa'i Stream view toward ocean

View of opposite side of valley

Queen Emme's staircase down to home

Queen Emme's house

Leaving Allerton Garden