The Na Pali Coast

While we were in Kauai we took a "sightseeing & sunset cruise" along the Na Pali coastline with Holo Holo Charters. We were really hoping to see some whales, but we had decided that even if we didn't, the scenery would be worth the trip. It really was.

Unfortunately most of the whales had already headed out of the area on their way back north, so we weren't lucky enough to see any. We did get lucky enough to pass through a pod of spinner dolphin, though, and got to enjoy watching them jump through the waves.

Ah, the waves. They were really rough. Really. Looking back at my pictures they don't look that bad but they really were!! The kids and I have a tendency to get motion sick, but I came prepared. I even had prescription strength anti-nausea medicine for the kids. The first part of our cruise involved heading way up the coast as fast as possible so we could spend the majority of our time sightseeing as we meandered back. The waves were big and we were going fast. We hit those waves so hard that we flew into the air time after time. We were actually a little concerned about losing Danielle over the back, so Ron kept his arm draped around her! The medicine worked and we had a lot of fun...at first. There were several other people who did not fare as well, and they were handed buckets. One lost his lunch before we made it to our turn around (& slow down) point.

Once we got to the start of the Na Pali coastline and turned back south, our captain slowed the boat to a crawl so he could narrate and we could take pictures. The slow bouncing up and down is what did me in. I had planned to take lots of pictures with my nice camera, but I could barely move for fear of joining the bucket brigade. Instead I snapped most of these pictures with my little point & shoot waterproof camera (which was covered with salt by this point!). Although the pictures are beautiful, they really don't do justice to the grandeur of seeing the cliffs in person. This was Ron's favorite part of our vacation.

Here is a little background information about the Na Pali coast from a National Geographic article: The Nā Pali Coast is the scarred shoulder of an ancient shield volcano that once rose more than five miles from seafloor to summit... As tectonic forces moved the island off the hot spot, its volcanic fires cooled and water, Earth's elemental sculptor, took over. Rain—nearly a hundred inches a year in parts of Nā Pali—carved out the deep valleys from above and draped white-plumed waterfalls over the precipices. Giant winter waves exploded against the basalt cliffs as sea level rose and fell, gouging steep, unstable slopes. The result: a series of plunging valleys, fluted walls, and razor-sharp ridges soaring thousands of feet from the Pacific....Nā Pali has come to represent paradise on Earth.

It really was absolutely beautiful, I just couldn't move too much to take in the sights! We went by several spots made famous in movies such as Jurassic Park, South Pacific, 6 Days 7 Nights, Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, etc. After awhile we had dinner. Well, those whose stomachs had settled down had dinner. After dinner and a little more sightseeing, we picked up speed to get closer to port before the sunset. That was a rough ride, too. Another adult lost her dinner and the kids and I were feeling rather lousy. By the time the sun set, the 3 of us were holding blue buckets, too. Thankfully none of us actually had to use them! I did manage to turn my camera around long enough to snap a picture of the sunset. By that time, though, I was just thinking about solid ground!

The crew on our trip was wonderful!! They were funny and attentive and overly helpful to the kids. If I thought I could handle the waves, I wouldn't hesitate to take a trip with this outfitter again. Even with the motion sickness, I'm really glad we went. The amazing landscape was worth the discomfort (once). Even the kids agreed.