Kauai Bound!

Polihale Beach Driving

2007-08-30T12:10:00.000-04:00

Here is the video of the calm before the storm. You can see here what I suspected all along; beach driving really is not all that exciting. Witness the moments just before the downfall.

Jessica's Last Camping Trip

2007-08-29T23:22:00.000-04:00

Is camping really that bad? The wife seems to think so. I'm no Paul Bunyan but even Mr. N enjoys the occasional tent and sleeping bag excursion. Not so much with Mrs. N. The closest that she will get to camping is renting a log cabin with a shower, high-speed internet and a plasma TV of no less than 42 inches.

We tried camping once before and even I have to admit that it was a debacle. I ordered a tent off eBay and reserved a camping section complete with grill and parking spot. We were camping in the Shenandoah Mountains in May 2006 and things started off pretty well. We pitched the tent, started a fire and had a decent meal. We talked and looked up at the stars so things were looking good.

For Jessica, the problem isn't this part, it's the sleeping situation. I tried to make things as comfortable as possible by getting a queen sized air-mattress and a new sleeping bag. Little did I know that it was unseasonably cold that day and the lows hit 37 degrees. Add that to the fact that Mrs. N had bad allergies that night and you can probably guess who cleared camp by himself in the morning.

I was pleasantly surprised when Jessica suggested that we go camping before we left Kauai. I had always talked about how much fun it would be but she never seemed too thrilled. I think she kept hoping in the back of her mind that I would find someone to go with but she probably realized that you have to actually have friends in order to pull that off. She is a great wife so she eventually caved and proposed camping for a night at Polihale State Park.

To get there, you take a 5-mile dirt road filled with potholes, so we rented a Jeep for the night. Lets just say this this was the crappiest rental vehicle I have ever rented. When I wanted to put something in the glove compartment, I pulled the handle and the entire compartment came crashing to the ground. I think the engine was held together with duct tape. More on the Jeep later.

We got to the camp and started to set up. For those of you who know me, you know that I am not the handiest of men. In fact, I am the least. My dad built a deck by himself back when we lived near the ocean in Ireland and I can't put furniture together from Ikea without the help of my wife. Here are some shots of my futile attempts to set up a 2-person tent.

It appears that Mr. N knows what he is doing

The real Mr N. appears.

Once Jessica helped out, we were set for some nice R&R. For those of you that know me, you know that there is no such thing as "good enough". Our guidebook mentioned that you can take a 4x4 out onto the beach and drive around on the dunes. I wanted in.

I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed so when we saw another Jeep get stuck in the sand for a good 15 minutes, I wanted to do it the very second they finally got free. I followed the books instructions by taking most of the air out of the tired and keeping an air compressor in the car. Jessica looked at me apprehensively and said, "Are you sure you want to do this? I think this is a really bad idea", to which I replied, "I've never been so sure about anything in my entire life".

This is where the crappy Jeep comes back into play. We got a Rubicon so I thought we could tear around the sand like we were in a video game. The problem was that I could never get the four-wheel drive into 4L. You are supposed to be in low gear on the sand to prevent the tires from spinning. I literally pulled the gearbox with all of my might but we never got it into 4L. A smart man would have called it a day, but I am not a smart man.

View from the cockpit

We pulled onto the sand and things were a little shaky at first. After I a while I got the hang of it and we were rolling around in the sand. Even Jessica seemed to be having a good time. That good time came to an abrupt end when I tried to turn the Jeep around. The beach was on a slight decline as you went towards the water so we were driving into progressively deeper sand. Within seconds we were stuck. I jumped out and stuck the floor-mats under the tires as prescribed by the book. Nothing happened. Things were not looking good.

A woman and her two daughters came to offer while a few others looked on at the spectacle. A quick glance at Mrs. N told me that she wasn't happy. My manhood was put into question when I got ready to push the Jeep from the back and see a mother to my left and a 10 year old girl to my right. I felt like an idiot. Every time we pushed, Jessica went about 5 feet. We had over a half-mile to go.

Since the wheels were half sunk into the sand, we'd get out onto our knees and dig each wheel out with our hands after every attempt. This went on for an hour and a half. At one point the Jeep would no longer start. She tried 5 times in a row and it wasn't even turning over.

What had started as a fun mini-adventure turned into the worst part of our 7 month stay on the island. I took a well deserved verbal beating from the wife and felt completely helpless as we had no cell reception and tow-trucks charge at least $500 to get you out of the sand. My friends, I was in a dark place.

After about 1o minutes, we decided to give it one last shot. We were alone now as we thanked the mother and her daughters for trying to help us. I got behind the Jeep and Jessica tried to start the engine. It started. I pushed. The Jeep moved. It kept moving. And moving. I felt like like the dad that just took the training wheels off of his daughter's bicycle as I saw her rolling down the sand. I didn't even care about the fact that I had to walk a half mile carrying 2 floor mats. I pointed a finger to the sky and thanked the Good Lord for helping us out.

When I got back I half expected Jessica to demand that we go home immediately. But she was in much better spirits and we decided to make the best of it. I jumped into the ocean while she jumped into the shower. When I came back we pulled out the rest of our gear and started dinner. We had ahi tuna steaks along with artichoke salad and beer. We looked up at the stars and saw thousands of tiny lights. I was in heaven.

We saw a gorgeous sunset and then Jessica made quite possibly the best desert in the history of the world. She cut a slit down the middle of a banana and shoved half of a Symphony chocolate bar with almonds in. Then she wrapped it in tin-foil and threw it onto the fire for 5 minutes or so. When I put the first forkful into my mouth, I thought I had died and gone to dessert heaven. I swear, you could serve this at a four star restaurant.

Right before we went to bed, Jessica told me that this was her last camping trip. I could hardly blame her and I thanked her and told her I loved her. I then had the worst night of sleep imaginable. Not only did Jessica take the one-person foam mattress, but she took the memory foam pillow, the white bed sheet, and the purple flannel blanket that was to serve as my mat. I was left with a 4 inch wide pillow and a tiny sleeping bag. Basically, I slept on the sand.

It was awful but in the end it was worth it. It was kind of like life, you have your bumps along the way but you always push on and make the best of it. We got stuck in the sand, got out and made a night out of it. The next morning we were greeted by a school of hundreds of dolphins jumping and playing in the ocean while we packed up camp. Cheers.

Home Sweet Home

2007-08-27T23:04:00.000-04:00

We're home. We touched down at Dulles yesterday afternoon, and were greeted by the entire Nicholson clan. Conor donned a tie and dress socks today for the first time in 8 months! It'll be a little while before we get our stuff out of storage and unpacked, but the house is still in one piece and NOVA seems to have survived without us.

Coming soon... some photos to post of our last days in Kauai as well as our trip to Denver.

We've arrived in Denver

2007-08-23T14:24:00.000-04:00

Conor and I arrived in the mile-high city yesterday morning after departing from Kauai Tuesday night. Our 250 pounds of luggage, however, did NOT arrive with us. After an entire day wearing the same clothes from Tuesday, it was finally delivered to our hotel early Thursday morning. We're making a quick stop here while Conor touches base with the Colorado office. Since it's our first time in the area, we plan to do a little sightseeing before heading back to Dulles on Sunday morning.

Although our adventures in Kauai have come to an end, we still have a couple more things that we haven't gotten around to posting yet. It's been hard to fit in blogging with craziness of moving. But we should have time in the next few days to put up a few more posts on some of the activities of our last days, and hopefully also of our time here in Denver. Stay tuned!

Leaving the Island...

2007-08-23T14:17:00.001-04:00

In our last couple weeks on the island, Conor and I tried to soak up as much as possible before we left. Although we know there’s a lot of things we’ll miss about Hawaii, we feel ready to return to reality on the east coast.

Top 10 things we’ll miss about Kauai:

The beaches
The weather
Fresh ahi tuna steaks and sashimi
Great hikes
Gorgeous mountain scenery everywhere you look
Simple, easygoing lifestyle
The albatrosses, geckos, and other wildlife we’ve grown attached to
Beach campfires
The coffee
Rainbows

Top 10 things we WON’T miss:

The horrendous grocery stores
Lack of variety in restaurant options
The gas and electricity prices
Lack of interesting people our age
Foot-long centipedes, 5 pound cane spiders, roaches bigger than my thumb, and other assorted oversized bugs
Lack of friends and family nearby
Being a regular Walmart shopper
Bad haircuts
The entire island closing down by 9pm
Poi

17 Mile Na Pali Coast Ocean Kayak Tour

2007-08-15T04:22:00.000-04:00

If you think that reading the subject line is hard, try doing the subject line. According to National Geographic Magazine, Jessica and I recently survived the #2 adventure in all of the United States. We have been planning to do this for a long time and even went on a couple of short kayak trips on the Hanalei and Wailua rivers for practice. Lets just say that kayaking in the ocean is a little different from kayaking on a still lake.

We read about this adventure in our beloved guidebook, The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, and were always intrigued as the Na Pali Coast is known to be one of the most beautiful coastlines in the entire world. We didn't decide to actually go ahead and do it until we took the boat tour. The views were so breathtaking that we wanted to see them again and it only made sense to do it from an ocean kayak.

For those of you that are not familiar with Kauai, the Na Pali Coast stretches 17 miles along the north and northwest portion of the island. It is filled with numerous mountains, valleys and canyons so living on this portion of the island is impossible.

To prevent drowning, Jessica and I decided to go with a guided tour group. They drop you off at on the north side and pick you up when you land on the west side at Polihale. You get there at 6am and get back at 7:30pm so it's an all day event and you are plenty tired at the end.

You may notice that these pictures look like they might have come from our boat tour. The reason why is that they did come from our boat tour. We were planning on bringing our digital camera, but almost everything you bring gets wet. Even in the dry-bag, condensation can fog up the lens and destroy the camera. Knowing my luck, we decided to play it safe.

Thank God we did because the minute that we were pushed into the ocean by our guide, Jessica was smashed in the face by a huge wave. The poor girl hadn't gone more than 12 inches and she was already soaking wet. That was just the beginning . . .

While Jessica and I are not the best kayakers in the world, we are far from the worst. However, on this day, the rest of our group consisted of a canoe team from Big Island that ranked 6th in all of Hawaii. Within 5 minutes of entering the water, they were 500 yards ahead of us. We tried to keep up but this was our first time in the ocean and I wasn't exactly Mr. Smooth when it came to the steering.

Things went from bad to worse on our first break. Everyone casually jumped into the ocean for a quick dip and I attempted to do the same. After a minute or so, I tried to get back into the kayak. Big mistake. I leaned over, thought I was in, and then the entire boat flips, including Mrs. N.

As you might have guessed, Mrs. N was none too pleased. She gave me the glare of death that I am accustomed to and helped me flip the kayak back over. I grabbed my shirt that was floating in the water and was pleasantly surprised when I saw that my $150 Oakley sunglasses had broken in half.

I got back into the kayak and began the mourning process for my shades. I look up to see Mrs. N attempting to get back into the boat and . . . you guessed it, we flipped over again. We flipped 2 times in about 2 minutes and everything we had was drenched to the core. Everyone looked at us like we were some type of traveling circus act.

At that point the guides noticed that we were not the most agile team so they decided to break us up. Jessica got into the front of one of our guide's kayak. I remained in our kayak and a nice woman took Jessica's spot. We both noticed an immediate improvement. The other guide told me not to sweat it and joked that the tour had caused numerous divorces due to the constant bickering between man and wife. He speaks the truth.

We paddled for about 3 more hours. My arms and shoulders felt like someone had dropped cement blocks on them from 95 stories above. To say that we were absurdly sore would be an understatement. We finally stopped for lunch at Miloli'i Beach. They had a really good spread with fresh pineapple, sandwiches, cookies, and chips. We laid on the beach while some of the crazy canoers went on a hike. Laying in the sun, I was out like a lamp within seconds. We relaxed for about an hour and then it was showtime.

The paddling after lunch wasn't as bad since it was only 2 1/2 hours to Polihale versus the 4 hours it took us to get to Miloli'i Beach. It was fun because everyone was talking to each other and we were all telling jokes and admiring the beautiful views. We saw a few dolphins and even a monk seal laying on the shore. Sea Turtles were also common.

Finally, we saw Polihale beach. The bad news is that we saw it for about an hour. We probably had about 3 more miles to go but the beach seemed so close and yet so far away. It felt like we would never get there but when we finally did, I felt like kissing the ground. We rinsed off at the outdoor showers, jumped into the van and began our trip around the entire island, all the way back to Hanalei.

This was an amazing trip and we have memories that will last a lifetime. If you have the will and are just a little off in the head, this adventure might be for you as well . . .

Kilauea Lighthouse

2007-08-15T03:59:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been to one of those small towns in the middle of nowhere that claim to have the “World’s Largest Chipmunk” or the “World’s Largest Wooden Porcupine”? If not, you are not missing out. Small towns love to have these obscure artifacts and Kauai seems to have fallen into this trap.

Enter the Kilauea Lighthouse, home of the world’s largest clamshell lens. I don’t even know what a clamshell lens is but I now know that it is no longer in use and that you can’t see it up close and personal on the tour. Jessica and I each paid 3 big ones (that’s right, 3 dollars) to see what many people see on their first trip to the island. The lighthouse has over 500,000 visitors a year and we have lived here for 7 months and it finally occurred to us that we might want to check it out.

The best part of the tour was the view of the ocean as there really isn’t anything special about the grounds. Sure there were a lot of birds, but our feathered friend, the Laysan Albatross, left the island last month so all I saw in my head was a bunch of white pigeons.

Jessica and I will be building our next home here

If you don’t catch my drift, let me spell it out for you. Unless you like to see tons of birds sitting around and hanging out, the lighthouse probably isn’t for you.

Hurricane Flossie

2007-08-14T22:58:00.001-04:00

For those who have inquired about our well-being, we are fine. Hurricane Flossie doesn't seem to be a threat to Kauai, at least not yet. The hurricane brushed against the sound side of the Big Island this afternoon, which you can see in the photo above. You can also see that Kauai, in red, is the furthest island away from the Big Island. If things go as they say, Flossie should pass us by. We had blue sunny skies today and sat at the beach while Flossie was just hitting the Big Island.

This is the first hurricane to hit Hawaii since Hurricane Iniki in 1992. That was a category 4 hurricane whose eye passed right over the center of Kauai, devastating the island. Iniki caused $1.8 billion in damage, and 80% of the island was without power for 3 months. You can tell the people here are still upset about it.

Thanks for the concern, but all is well for now.

August Sunrise

2007-08-13T03:22:00.000-04:00

Al B. Tross Has Left the Building

2007-08-13T01:59:00.000-04:00

It is with a bittersweet heart that we announce the departure of our winged friend. That’s right, Al B. Tross has flown the coop. Jessica and I have been monitoring his every move, taking pictures and reading up on the internet to see what should happen next. We knew that his days were numbered when a woman from the bird reserve in Kilauea said that Al was one of only 2 albatross chicks still on the island.

We were not surprised as our little guy was pretty lazy and seemed to prefer sitting in the shade as opposed to flapping his wings to build endurance and muscle. We had grown very attached to the bird as I was greeted by him clicking his beak when I started my day at 6AM each morning. For the most part he would look at us and occasionally waddle around, chewing on grass and leaves. Every few days one of his parents would come to feed him so all in all, life was good for Al B.

We knew the end was near when one day Al decided to do some exploring. These guys don’t go more than 50 feet from their nests for the first 3-4 months so the more exploring they do, the closer they are to leaving. One day I was sitting on my computer and I saw Al waking towards the golf course. I immediately grabbed the camera and had the pleasure of watching his clumsy waddle as he attempted to navigate the black lava rock.

Al surveying his surroundings

A few days later, Jessica and I had gone to the beach one day and when we came back, she exclaimed “Al B is gone!” I flew out the back door and began to race for the cliff. When I got there, Al B was sitting right by the edge and he looked to be contemplating his next move. I ran back to the house and grabbed Jessica, 2 chairs, 2 books, some water and snacks. I was determined to get video of Al B. flapping his wings and jumping off of the cliff. They say that a strong gust of wind in the right direction is all they need to get going. The crazy thing is that once an albatross leaves his/her birthplace, they won’t touch ground for the next 3 years!

Al B. looking over the cliff, planning his next move

Jessica and I sat there for 2 ½ hours and other than the occasional wing-flap, he wasn’t doing much. We both had to take showers so I walked up to him and asked him to stick around for a bit. We said our good-byes in the event that he would leave but we both felt that he would be around when we got back. Not 20 minutes later, we walk back out to the cliff and Al was gone. Four of our neighbors walked up about 5 minutes later and they were as dismayed as we were. It’s kind of hard to explain but the people of Kauai develop a pretty strong connection to these birds. They are the most beautiful and graceful birds we have ever seen and they start off looking like an cute little ugly duckling.

Have you seen me?

Our hope is to return to this same spot in 3-5 years and to see Al B. walking around, taking care of his child. If we’re lucky, maybe he’ll give us a wink. Here is a video that we made as a tribute to our feathered friend. Warning: you might need some Kleenex for this one.

Poipu Bay - Home of the Grand Slam of Golf

2007-08-05T04:35:00.001-04:00

A few weeks back, Prashant and I played a round at Poipu Bay, home of the Grand Slam of Golf. The Grand Slam is a 4 person tournament where the winners of the PGA Major Championship’s (Masters, American and British Open, PGA Championship) square off against each other for bragging rights.

The tournament has been staged since 1979 with a couple of short breaks. It is a 2 day, 36-hole stroke play competition. Initially the PGA Grand Slam of Golf was played at a different golf course each year, but since 1994, the Poipu Bay Golf Course in Koloa, Hawaii on the island of Kauai has been the tournament's permanent home. With the tournament taking place in Hawaii, it allowed the event to be televised in prime-time television with live coverage because of the time difference.

Who do you think has won 7 of the last 9 Grand Slam’s, including 5 in a row? If you said Tiger Woods, give your neighbor a high-five. If you are alone, a ferocious fist-pump will suffice. That’s right, Tiger not only wins all of the tournaments on the mainland, he also wins the ones where he is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The man was put on this earth to do two things, play golf and win.

http://www.pga.com/grandslam/2006/history/past_winners.html

To speak of Tiger Wood’s golf prowess and then to transition to the pathetic game that Prashant and I are accustomed to might seem sacrilegious but then again, we did play on the exact same links. Yes, we did play from the white’s but hey, who do you think we are, Tiger Woods?

It was an absolutely gorgeous day and we got paired up with a pretty cool father-son combo. For some reason (hint: the golf gods hate me), I can not play well on a resort course, especially in front of strangers. This has been the case for as long as I can remember and the streak certainly continues on this case. Prashant played pretty well considering the fact that this was his first golfing experience on the islands and he even landed a jaw-dropping 50 foot putt for birdie. That was about as close as we came to playing like a tiger.

The front 9 was pretty nice but the back 9 was stunning. The last 4 holes were right along the ocean and the views were breathtaking. In addition to being distracted by picturesque scenery, the wind coming off of the ocean made our shots that much more challenging.

Our highlights on the back were both of us losing balls at an alarming rate, me getting 2 straight pars to finish the round and Prashant destroying his 8-iron by smashing it into a branch on his follow through. PGA Tour, here we come.

Kayaking the Wailua River

2007-08-03T01:16:00.000-04:00

On Prashant and Kalpana's last day on the island, we spent the afternoon kayaking the Wailua river. Conor and I put our expert kayaking skills into play once again. Surprisingly, we seemed to have miraculously gotten much better at the two-man kayak since our last attempt in Hanalei. On the Wailua, you kayak 2.5 miles, at which point you beach your kayak and head out on foot. There is a short, mile long trail through the woods. You have to wade through the river to get to the trail, which takes you to a large waterfall accessible only by kayak. We frolicked there for a bit before heading back.

All in all, this was a fun and scenic kayak trip. It gave us hope for our upcoming 17 mile ocean kayak along the Na Pali coast. The only downside to the day is that Mr. N blew out a Croc while we were carrying our kayak out of the river and up the ramp. He's still upset about that one.

Civic Power:
Mr. N anxious to start the trail:
A shore wade across the river gets you to the trailhead:
It's deeper when you're short. "Knee-high" is relative:
A scenic waterfall along the hike:
The boys are ready to frolic:
A little perspective. Aren't they cute?

Kalalau Challenge

2007-08-03T00:44:00.000-04:00

I came upon this YouTube video while looking at another blog about Kauai hiking. The video depicts a competition known as the "Kalalau Challenge". The Kalalau trail is the most famous hiking trail in all of Hawaii, and runs 11 miles along the Na Pali coast until it dead ends into Kalalau beach and the Kalalau valley, at which point you hike 11 miles back (usually camping first).

This event consists of a 6.5 mile(!) ocean swim, starting at Ke'e beach, along the Na Pali coast to Kalalau beach. Then, you head to land to hike the 11 miles back to the beginning. It's a race, so this is done fast. And the Kalalau trail is pretty scary at certain parts - it's very narrow in places and runs along the edge of a cliff that drops hundreds of feet into the ocean. It's also quite strenuous, as the trail ascends and descends again and again through the mountains over its length. There's no need to mention how diesel a 6.5 mile Pacific ocean swim is. So needless to say, only complete madmen (and women) compete in this event.

In all our time on the island, living only 10 miles from the start of the Kalalau trail, this is the first we've ever heard of this event. A Google search turns up nothing, except for the link to the YouTube video and the afore mentioned blog which originally led me to the video. This isn't strange, since Kauai isn't exactly the most web-savvy island (ok, it's likely the least, just beating out the Galápagos). But it still makes us wonder...clearly this event DID take place at one point in time, since there is video footage. Does it exist any longer? No one knows.

The winner had a time of 6 hours and 4 minutes, which sounds pretty fast to us. Our favorite part is the first place prize - a painted coconut. Seriously. Only in Kauai!

Check out the video here:

'Beaches of Kauai' - Polihale

2007-07-29T19:11:00.000-04:00

Polihale State Park

2007-07-25T22:15:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, Conor and I went with Prashant and Kalpana to Polihale State Park. This is the longest stretch of continuous beach in the state of Hawaii, with over 15 miles of golden sands. To get there, you take a dirt 4-wheel drive road. Since the Civic sits only two inches off the ground, we've never had the opportunity to visit Polihale before now. Prashant and Kalpana have rented a trusty Jeep during their stay, and it handled the dirt road with ease. After our Jeep experiences on the Big Island, we weren't surprised.

Although we had heard good things about Polihale, it turned out to be even more amazing than we expected. This beach is on the west side of Kauai, at the furthest point you can drive on the highway before hitting the Na Pali from the west. You can see the island of Ni'ihau in the distance from the shore. It has large sand dunes, and some people even drive their 4-wheel drive vehicles across the sand dunes. We started to attempt this, only to get stuck in the sand about two feet in. Luckily a surfer was there to give us tips on how to get out (the tip being keep the wheel straight and hit the gas). After that experience, Kalpana and I thought perhaps leaving the Jeep parked on the road was a better idea. The gentlemen finally relented.

Conor and I have a kayak trip of the Na Pali coast planned in a couple of weeks, and we'll start at Ke'e beach on the north shore and kayak 16 miles until we hit land at Polihale. We're pretty sure that Polihale will never look so good as when we land our kayaks at the end of the day.

The Jeep got us to Polihale with ease:

Many miles of sand to the left:

The western end of the Na Pali coast to the right:

A beach facing west is a nice spot to watch the sunset:

Panoramic Views of Waimea Canyon

2007-07-23T15:58:00.000-04:00

Secret Lava Pools Footage

2007-07-23T15:53:00.000-04:00

Prashant and Kalpana Arrive

2007-07-23T15:38:00.001-04:00

Prashant and his finacee Kalpana arrived Saturday evening from Boston. On Sunday, we took them to Koke'e State Park and hiked along the muddy Pihea trail. After that, we watched the sunset at Polihale State Park on the west shore. They have an action packed week planned, including a boat tour, an ATV tour, and a much anticipated round of golf at the famous Poipu course.

Secret Lava Pools

2007-07-23T15:15:00.000-04:00

Conor and I recently visited the Secret Lava Pools. This is an area next to Secret Beach in Kilauea. If you walk along the lava rock to the left of the beach, you'll eventually come to an area with several large pools filled with ocean water. Some pools are shallow, while others are deep enough to swim in. There are also a couple of small waterfalls that you can play under. We had tried to come here in January after first arriving on the island, but the North Shore ocean is rough in the winter, and the lava pools were covered by ocean and inaccessible. We had fun finally seeing this nearby gem in all its glory.

'Beaches of Kauai' - Rock Quarry Beach

2007-07-21T16:49:00.001-04:00

'Beaches of Kauai' - Ke'e Beach

2007-07-21T16:46:00.000-04:00

Ke'e Beach

2007-07-21T15:51:00.000-04:00

One of the North Shore's most popular beaches is Ke'e Beach. Ke'e Beach is located literally at the end of the road, where the highway stops in Ha'ena before the Na Pali coast. The famous 11 mile Kalalau trail begins here. It's also a popular spot for snorkeling.

This beach, like many North Shore beaches, can be turbulent in the winter. But during summer, the sandy area doubles and the waters are usually calmer. From the beach, you can look to the left and see the beginning of the majestic Na Pali coast down the coastline. The view is the best feature of this beach.

Mr. Accessory

2007-07-19T17:35:00.001-04:00

Meet my husband, Mr. Accessory. He is every retailer’s dream. Do you have a product of little use or value? Mr. Accessory will take two, please. A quick trip to the beach requires no less than 17 things: beach chair, beach mat, beach umbrella, beach towel, sunscreen, water shoes, snorkel gear, binoculars, pocketknife, water bottle, guide book, camera, zinc oxide, travel cooler, lip balm, bug spray, and that’s just for starters.

Here in Hawaii, a flashlight can come in handy every now and then. Since we only brought a small one, I purchased another cheap one when we got here. However, these two didn’t suffice for Mr. Accessory. He asked our friend Megan to bring him another from the mainland. When she arrived, I learned that she had called from the store to ask which specific kind he wanted. He made her buy not one, not two, but THREE different models. Yes, friends, with Mr. A by your side, you’ll have the illumination of a major league baseball field spotlighting you at all times.

Conor may have an ointment for every ailment known to man. His daily routine consists of coating himself in a thick layer of creams, lotions, and body butters. When he has a bug bite, he wanders around with a bottle of Bactine in one hand and a q-tip in the other, reapplying every 5 minutes. I once cut myself and needed some disinfectant. Mr. A volunteered to go to the store, when I suggested using the Bactine we already owned instead. He was in awe when I informed him that its purpose is two-fold – anti-itch AND anti-bacterial. Who knew?

Mr. A never leaves home without his trusty backpack. This pack has no less than 17 separate compartments, each one home to a different accessory. It’s a struggle for me to remember where the lip balm goes….is it the left side pocket, or the front mesh pocket? If I choose wrong, I risk a scolding from Mr. A who has each pocket dedicated to one of his essential tools. It’s quite possible to put something in the backpack and have it never be seen again.

Mr. A is confident that not a bead of sweat will drip on those fancy sunglasses

We have a travel cooler that is good for bringing a few cold beers to the beach on occasion. However, Mr. Accessory will pack it with ice and bring it along to carry one bottle of water to the beach. We can’t just throw it in the backpack, says Mr. A, because the condensation will get our book wet. It needs a separate pack of its own, specifically designed for the transportation of cold beverages.

Perhaps the most outrageous accessory purchase during out time here has been the hiking poles. While I agree that these poles can be useful for serious hiking, we’ve spent 5 months doing plenty of recreational pole-less hiking without any problems. But that kind of logic is wasted on Mr. A. Why use only your legs when you can have an accessory shipped across the Pacific to distribute the effort between legs and arms? If only they came with a carrying case…

Yes, we own these.

And these are only the accessories we use here in Hawaii. Don’t even get me started on the pile of stuff in our garage back in Virginia. Fate would have it that Mr. Accessory would end up married to a minimalist who hates clutter. Lord help us all once we have the accessory magnets known as children…

Mr. A in 10 years

Most embarrassing to be seen with accessory: Sweatband to wear on hikes and to yoga

Most ‘used more than you’d think’ accessory: Binoculars

Dorkiest accessory: Hiking Poles

Most useful accessory: Pocketknife with 15 features

Most annoying accessory: Bactine with q-tips found all around the house

Most unnecessary accessory: Deluxe golf pull-cart #2 to replace cheap golf pull-cart #1

Best value accessory: $12 beach chairs

Most abundant accessory: Flashlights

Most impulsive accessory: Camelback bought to qualify for free shipping on hiking poles

The Campfire to End All Campfires

2007-07-19T04:00:00.000-04:00

As most of you know, I am a bird of the odd variety. If I enjoy doing something I want to do it for as long as possible and have as much fun as is humanly possible. Enter the Hawaii Beach Campfire. The Hawaii Beach Campfire is without question, one of my favorite activities on the island. For one, it involves fire. I am a man which means that I like a campfire. For two, it involves copious amounts of beer. What's not to like?

If you have ever been around a man and a campfire, you've probably noticed that the guy will not leave the fire alone, even if it's in perfect working order. I squire, am no exception to the rule. Neither are Derek or Chris, who fooled around with the fire just as much as I did. Every time we have visitors, Jessica and I bring our friends out to Hanalei Bay and get a good fire going. The bay is half a mile wide and on a clear night, the stars look close enough to touch.

Enter my best friend Rob. He was my best man and I'm his best man when he marries Alissa next February. Weeks before he even arrived, I told Jessica that I was planning to have the Woodstock of fires. Guys typically want to stay at the fire much longer than the girls do so I had to strike a preemptive attack. I also spoke with Rob on a secure phone and told him to do the same with his better half.

The day of the fire, we purchased 2 firelogs and some beer. We got there at 10:15PM and had a decent amount of firewood from a trip earlier in the day. The last two times we had visitors, we found a lot of wood and kindling with relative ease. This time, we weren't so lucky. Our best find was a root that Rob found about 200 yards away. I might have found 3 or 4 damp twigs.

We had a blast hanging out as a group but after 2 1/2 hours, the women wanted to go home. They asked us to "Come home soon" and I tried to mask my laughter. After they left, we drank more beer and tried to keep the fire going. It started to rain a few times so we jumped under the beach umbrella (I told you that I planned this well). We threw some more wood on to the fire and watched it burn. It started to rain again and the fire was almost out completely. We had no new firewood so things got a little sticky. We tried to make some moves and suddenly, there was no flame. I freaked out and started huffing and puffing with all of my might. By the grace of God, the fire came back to life.

The fire proceeded to go out two more times. One time I saved it with an old book of matches and Rob saved it the other time with the root. We felt like we were invincible and all we could talk about was the incredible job that we were doing in keeping the fire going. Eventually we were down to almost nothing but the fire was still going strong. I had to get up in a few hours for work and Rob had an early morning activity planned. I was so tired that I could barely keep my eyes open. If it was a Friday night, I seriously would have laid down on the sand and driven back home in the morning.

This is how I must have looked to Rob after hour #6

The fire never did die on its own so I need to give it a name. How does "Never Surrender" sound? Never Surrender was eventually extinguished by smothering it in sand and dousing it with water. We sleep-walked back and got home at 4:15AM. That's right ladies and gents, our fire lasted almost 6 hours and it could have gone longer. I know that I shouldn't feel like a cool guy because of this but hey, it's my blog.

Our Best Footage Yet

2007-07-19T02:45:00.000-04:00

This post is a little late in the making because I have been extremely busy with work and extremely lazy with posting on this blog. Now that we have just over 4 weeks before we heard back home, I need to get off my lazy behind and talk about all of the cool things we have done over the last couple of weeks.

Jessica spoke of our 10 mile hike with grace and eloquence so I will do the exact opposite and describe it with the mind and maturity of a 13 year old boy. Kudos to Rob and Alissa who handled the hike with relative ease even though they have never been hiking on Kauai. The hiking here is much different from the East Coast in that many sections of the trail are literally on the side of a cliff and if you take the wrong step, your significant other better hope that you didn't make your life insurance policy null and void. This hike had drops of over 25oo feet (half a mile) so we had to be extra careful in certain spots.

Below is some video that I took at the top of the Nuololo Valley along the Na Pali coast. I'm new to this whole video thing but with the help of my better half, I was able to lay one of my favorite groups, Air, over the footage. Let me know what you think.

You probably saw the picture of Jessica holding on to some gravel for dear life and me taking a picture of her. The next picture is the shot that I got. Having 2 cameras around definitely opens up a whole new window of opportunity.

The hike wasn't too bad in that there weren't many steep inclines or declines but it was long and there were parts where you had to literally push through 6-7 foot high plants and shrubs. Alissa was the only one smart enough to wear long pants so the rest of us were rewarded with scratches all over our legs.

The hike was extremely bad in that it started to rain pretty hard for the last 2 1/2 miles. It got progressively muddier and colder and there were markers every quarter mile. At certain points it felt like we ran a marathon and I would look up to see that we had gone only 400 meters. Someone up there had to be laughing at us. To make matters worse, we were going to have to walk 1 1/2 miles on the road back to our car and within 25 feet of starting this trek, a torrential downpour hit us.

Jessica was on the other side of the road and she put a thumb out in the 1% chance that someone would pick up a soaking wet, filthy hiker. Sure enough, a pickup truck stopped. My guess is that if Rob, Alissa and me were on the same side of the road as her, the guy would have kept driving. But he saw a lonesome girl trudging along and felt pity. He must have been shocked when he saw three more dirty hikers darting for his car. I felt like we were sneaking into the country illegally as I dove face-first into the bed of the pick-up. For the first time in my life I can say that sitting in the back of a pick-up in a torrential downpour was the highlight of my day.

In the second part of this video, you see what appears to be a fly.That my friends, is a helicopter.It gives you some perspective - this valley is enormous!

Al B Learns to Fly

2007-07-11T18:18:00.000-04:00

Our albatross chick (who we refer to as Al B. Tross) is growing up fast. The photo above shows him back in May, when he still had most of his fluffy gray feathers. Since then, he's shed almost all of his gray, except for around his head and neck. His body is covered in white adult feathers. He's also moved from his nest under a bush next door to the area right in front of our back patio. He's taken a liking to us.

Just recently, he's started to practice his flying. He'll stand and spread his massive wings, and flap away while awkwardly hopping around. He does this a lot when the wind blows, as if he's trying to catch the wind to help him up. His mom (dad?) comes back every so often to feed him, and he gets REALLY excited when she returns. He'll run (more like a fast waddle) over to her and start chirping loudly while he eats out of her mouth. Now that he's older, he has a lot more personality and is a lot more active than he was as a young chick. We're not sure when he'll head to sea, but it shouldn't be long now. We'll miss him!

Video of Al B learning to fly:

Video of Al B getting fed:

Happy 4th of July!

2007-07-11T17:43:00.000-04:00

Conor and I celebrated the 4th of July island style this year. We went to the annual festival in Lihue, a fundraiser for Kauai Hospice. There they had several food booths sponsored by local restaurants, as well as a kiddie play area, a stage with local bands, and a silent auction. We spent the evening there, having dinner and setting up on the lawn to watch the fireworks show. They played had a blend of Hawaiian and Americana music during the fireworks (including our favorite jam, "Have you seen these islands?").

Rock Quarry Beach & Pools of Mokolea

2007-07-11T17:11:00.001-04:00

These are photos of Rock Quarry Beach, in Kilauea. From there, you can do a short shoreline walk along the lava to the Pools of Mokolea.

Zip Lining

2007-06-27T19:15:00.000-04:00

During Rob and Alissa's visit, we went for a zip-lining tour at the nearby Princeville ranch. For those not familiar with zip-lining, you basically zip along from platform to platform suspended over a forest or cliff by a cable that you're harnessed on to. Although zipping was new for Conor and me, Rob and Alissa were old pros after doing it once before in Costa Rica. I was a little nervous beforehand, given my severe fear of heights. But it turned out to be very fun and not scary at all.

All geared up on the bus to the zip course:
Starting off with a perfect first zip:

It took Conor a few zips to get the hang of steering. Here he is coming in backwards on his first zip:Modeling our stylish zip gear:

This was my least favorite part. We had to walk across this bridge, and the planks are pretty far apart. So you have to look down at each step, and it's hard to not notice how high up you are. Even though you're clipped in so you can't technically fall to your death, it was still scary for me. Luckily there was only one of these.

We had lunch by a swimming hole:

Nualolo & Awa'awapuhi Trails

2007-06-27T00:46:00.001-04:00

This past Sunday, we took our guests to Koke'e State Park, one of our favorite places to hike. We took the Nualolo trail, and continued on the adjoining Awa'awapuhi trail for a total of 10 miles of strenuous hiking. The hike showcased gorgeous views into the scenic Na Pali coast. Though seen just the day before on our boat tour, the hike allowed a completely new perspective on the amazing coastline.

The last 3 miles, uphill through a boring forest in the pouring rain, were our favorite part. Just kidding. At the end of the loop, our car was parked 1.5 miles away. Normally this would be an easy walk, but with the rain and after the long hike, it was not pleasant. Luckily, we were able to cash in on some of the aloha spirit when we succeeded in our first attempt at hitchhiking and were picked up by a pickup truck on the way back to our car. The four of us, smashed into the wet, muddy truck bed in the pouring rain, had never been so happy.

The Na Pali Coast, by sea

2007-06-23T23:24:00.001-04:00

The Na Pali coast is probably Kauai's most famous attraction. It is sixteen rugged miles of coastline along the Northwest side of the island. Na Pali, meaning 'many cliffs', starts on the north shore at Ke'e beach, and continues until Polihale beach on the west side. Some of the cliffs rise as high as 4000 feet above the ocean floor. The Kalalau trail, the most famous hiking trail in all of Hawaii, runs for eleven miles along the Na Pali coast, dead ending at the Kalalau Valley and Kalalau beach.

Although the Na Pali coast is inaccessible by car, it can be viewed by helicopter, hiking, or boat. We chose the latter option today, and set out by sea to enjoy the majestic views. The tour took off from Anini beach on the north shore, went by our apartment in Princeville, and continued northwest along the coast. Our boat ducked into a few sea caves along the way. We then stopped to snorkel and have lunch. This is a highly recommended experience for those considering a visit to Kauai.

This would be a good time to throw in a plug for Dramamine, without which this tour wouldn't have been possible (the Pacific waves get rough).

Taking off from the north shore:

You can see our apartment complex, just right of center, in this photo. Queens bath is also pictured, but just looks like a bunch of black lava from here:

Our first sea cave:

Looking up at the wall in an open sea cave:

The Kalalau valley:

Kalalau beach, complete with fresh waterfall:

Rob & Alissa have arrived

2007-06-23T18:31:00.001-04:00

Rob and Alissa arrived on Wednesday from Boston. In a mere three days, they've taken a helicopter tour, an ATV tour, and a boat tour. They've also visited Queen's bath, Ha'ena Beach Park, and Hideways beach. They have three more days to soak up some Hawaiian sun before heading back home on Tuesday.

The Most Beautiful Course I have ever Played

2007-06-19T08:21:00.000-04:00

I have played at some pretty nice golf courses in my day but nothing comes even remotely close to the beauty of the Prince Course in Princeville. This shouldn't come as much as a surprise as Golf Digest has it rated as the #1 golf course in Hawaii and #14 on the top 100 public golf courses.

The pictures I took don't do it justice but they should give you a taste of how gorgeous (and absurdly difficult) these holes are. Some of the holes are so awe-inspiring that it's tough to focus on your next shot. The course is right on the ocean and you see rolling hills in every direction. It's unlike any course I have ever played in the past, including the Princeville Makai course that I live on. You rarely hit a ball off of a flat lie and many shots have to carry ditches and ravines as long as 150 yards.

Note: You probably already knew this but if you click on the picture, you get a full-screen shot.

The slope of this course is 145 (the average slope is 113). If you don't know anything about golf, imagine Mike Tyson in his prime. Imagine someone joking with Mike Tyson, telling him that you just stole his girlfriend. Tyson is not bright so he takes it seriously. Imagine Mike Tyson breaking the door down and bashing your face in until it has the texture of a Halloween pumpkin on November 25th. That is what this course is like. It takes your game and smashes it to bits and sprays you in the eye with pepper spray for good measure.

You have to drive over this ravine to get to the fairway. I'm not kidding.

In addition to beautiful scenery, I also saw the house of my dreams. Mark my words, if i win the lottery, I will walk up to the front door and knock on the door. When someone answers, I will ask them how much they want for their home. When the person says it's not for sale, I'll say "I'll offer double". This house overlooks the signature hole and has a black eternity pool. I really need to start playing Powerball.

The course costs $175 for tourists but there was a special going on this month so as a Hawaiian resident, I only paid $50. Something happened for the first time on the 16th hole; my golf cart ran out of power and wouldn't move an inch. I called the pro-shop and they immediately came out and gave me a new cart. I talked to someone at the pro-shop after my round and they took $25 off the round. That's right folks, I played the #1 course in Hawaii for $25.

Hole #1

188 yard Par 3 where I actually made par.

I lost so many balls that I began to worry that I would run out. Lucky for me, I turned it on in the back 9 and had 4 pars. My final score was still a joke but I had a blast. I really hope that I can play here with some of the folks that are reading this blog. Crazier things have happened right?

Hawaii's largest reef. Just off the 9th hole.

Big Island Photos

2007-06-10T21:37:00.001-04:00

For more Big Island fun, check out the rest of our trip photos here.

Big Island - Beaches

2007-06-10T21:01:00.000-04:00

Since we spend so much time at the beach here on Kauai, we weren't too concerned with seeing a ton of beaches while on the Big Island. But still, we wouldn't be true beach people if we didn't at least check out one or two. So our first full day in Kohala, we had breakfast and stopped by a couple of nearby beaches.

The first was Makalawena Beach. Although this beach was only about 15 miles south on the highway, getting there was like driving to hell and back. There are two options - you can park somewhere reasonable and hike 2 miles to the beach. Or you can take what the tour book describes as a 'nasty 4-wheel drive road' to get there, sans the walking. We were walked out and had paid for a Jeep, so we figured we'd take our chances in the car.

'Nasty' doesn't quite do this road justice. There were areas where the rocks were at least 3 feet high in parts. It was pretty intense, but the trusty Jeep made it there with little effort. Living in SUV-saturated Northern Virginia, who knew that these vehicles were actually designed to be driven off roads? Not me. The beach itself was quite beautiful, with multiple calm inlets for swimming and many sea turtles.

Hapuna Beach is only a couple miles away from our resort. This beach was much more user friendly, as you can just drive right up to the large parking lot and facilities. They had a lifeguard, showers, and picnic tables. So it was pretty packed with people, and a much more active beach. This beach has supposedly been rated the best beach in America, so we were curious to check it out. It was pretty nice, with soft golden sand and clear blue water. It was great for swimming and body surfing.

Panoramic view of Hapuna Beach:

Big Island - Kohala

2007-06-10T20:43:00.001-04:00

The west side of the Big Island is a popular destination for tourists. This is where Kona is located, world famous for its coffee. We stayed in the Kohala area, which is home to a number of nice resorts and 20 miles north of Kona. This area is extremely hot and dry, quite different from the rainier, cooler areas of Hilo, Puna, and Volcano.

As you approach Kohala, the highway goes through miles and miles of lava fields, as far as the eye can see. It feels kind of like the apocalypse has come, which is a strange feeling considering you're literally just a minute away from complete paradise. The Big Island is a land of many contrasts. We spent our last two nights on the island soaking up the sun and relaxing at our resort. It was a nice way to celebrate a not-so-nice birthday.

Panoramic shot of the resort:

Our room. One nice thing about being a Hawaii resident is that you get remarkable discounts on hotels.

We mourned my youth with a wonderful dinner and indulgent dessert:

Big Island - Waipi'o Valley

2007-06-10T20:22:00.001-04:00

Waipi'o Valley is a gorgeous, remote valley on the north side of the Big Island. It's not easy to get to. You have to drive down a paved but incredibly steep one-lane road that curves along the side of the cliff. Four-wheel drive is a must, as it's a 45 degree angle down.

Once you're down there, it's like being in another world. There are actually about 50 people that live down here, mostly strange recluses that are completely self-sufficient by the crops they grow here. You get the impression that they don't get out much. The dirt road winds through the valley, across rocks and streams. On the ocean side is a beautiful black sand beach. This extremely isolated area had a very unique feel, quite different from anything else we've experienced in Hawaii.

This steep road requires 4-wheel drive, and is the only way in and out of the valley:

The valley floor has gorgeous, lush scenery all around. At points you have to drive through the river, like below. Conor was enjoying this as he pretended to be in a Jeep commercial.
The entry to the black sand beach. Black sand beaches are made of lava. Once the volcano stops creating lava, there is a finite amount of black sand that is eventually washed away forever. That's why Kauai doesn't have any black sand beaches - because it's too old. The young Big Island, on the other hand, has many black sand beaches. It once boasted what was considered to be the world's finest black sand beach. But then it was consumed by lava and lost forever in the early 90s.

Panoramic video footage of Waipi'o Valley from the beach:

Big Island - Champagne Pond

2007-06-10T20:08:00.000-04:00

On Monday, June 4th, we drove from our cabin in Volcano town to our resort on the west side of the island. Along the way, we stopped at a couple sights. The first was Champagne Pond. This is a naturally occurring pool carved out of lava along the coast. The thing that makes it unique is that the water is heated by an underground lava tube, so it's about 95 degrees in there. It's a mix of ocean and fresh water, and a popular sea turtle hang-out. We saw 4 or 5 while we were there.

The pond actually borders a gated community in the back, so there are houses along the perimeter. Some have ladders from their deck into the pond. But if you take a 4-wheel drive lava road, there is public access from the back. You drive through the crazy, rugged lava flows from 1964. Once again, the Jeep comes in handy.

The rough lava road on the way to Champagne Pond:

Finally arriving after the bumpy ride:

This spot, on the eastern most tip of the island, supposedly has the purest air in the world. Scientists use it to compare other air samples to when measuring pollution. We stopped for a quick deep breath before turning onto the lava road to Champagne Pond.

Big Island - Molten Lava Flow

2007-06-08T23:29:00.000-04:00

One of the highlights of a trip to Volcanoes National Park is to see real molten lava actually flowing. Since the exact location of the flow changes constantly, it’s impossible to know exactly where it will be on your visit. Sometimes it’s right at the end of the road, so you can drive right up to it. Other times, it requires hiking across the lava fields to where the action is.

On our visit, we consulted the park ranger. He told us that seeing lava would require a 6 mile hike across the lava fields. Each way. At night. After seeing our disappointment, the ranger pulled us aside and told us there’s another way to see lava, but he’s not allowed to talk about it because it’s outside park property. He advised us to ask some locals, which we did.

It turns out, you can get to the other side of the lava fields by driving to another area of the island, about 45 minutes away. The hike from that side is much closer since currently the lava has shifted that way, away from the park. So Conor and I set off to hunt down the lava. We drove until the highway ended. Then, you drive through what used to be a town, but has since been consumed by lava. This is where our Jeep came in handy. The road turns to lava, then back to road, and again to lava. Finally, we reach a point where we can’t drive any further, where the new lava fields begin. At around 6:30pm, we set out on foot for the 2 mile hike to where the lava is flowing.

Hiking across lava is not easy. The lava creates hills and valleys. The footing is jagged and uneven. You have to place each step carefully, or risk losing your balance. If you do fall, you’ll almost certainly cut yourself up since the lava surface is extremely sharp and jagged. Because of all this, the hiking is slow. It took us about an hour to make it 2 miles out to the flows.

Then, out of nowhere, we feel a strong heat. We look down between our feet, and through the cracks in the lava you can see a red glow. It is mesmerizing. Nearby, we see an area in the ground start to slowly open up and pour out a fiery red glob. It oozes out and downward at a snail's pace. You can walk right up to it. At this point, it’s almost dark. You can look across the landscape at the miles of cracked hardened lava, and see threads of thin red streams interlaced through the black. It’s amazing, but the best is yet to come.

In the distance, giant clouds of steam are rising into the air. As lava pours into the ocean, it hisses and crackles as it’s instantly cooled and made into new land. We head over that way, until we reach a few others observing from a cliff overlooking the show. Down below, there is a huge area of glowing red lava, slowly oozing out towards the sea. As it falls in, steam plunges upward. An eruption of sparks fly out. It’s dark now, and the glow lights up the night. We stayed there for awhile watching, not really wanting to leave.

The hike back was slower in the pitch blackness of night. We were armed with flashlights and extra batteries, which are an absolute necessity. As we head back, we can see certain streams of lava in the distance that we must have passed earlier but not noticed because of the daylight. Now in the darkness, it makes a dramatic impression. After what feels like forever, we eventually make our way back to the trusty Jeep.

Words and photos cannot do this experience justice. If you make it to the Big Island, this is an absolute must-do. This is easily one of the most unique and amazing experiences of our lives. Not a bad way to spend the last hours of my 20s!

Starting the long hike out across the lava, with a little bit of sunlight left:

As you can see, the footing is extremely uneven so we had to go slow. This is pretty much what we saw for miles and miles all around us:

The surface is sharp, like glass, so it's important not to fall. This made the hike back to the car in pitch black even slower.

After an hour or so, we feel a heat and look down to see the red glow beneath the cracks in the lava.

The first sighting of molten lava was very exciting, and almost surreal.

Now you can see little patches of red throughout the vast black landscape.

This particular flow opened up and began right before our eyes. It hardens quickly, so it was already blackening over when we left it.

Who ever thought we'd be this close to lava? And yes, it is hot. The sea breeze helps out somewhat, but you definitely break a sweat.

In the distance, we can see the clouds of steam from where the lava is pouring into the sea. We know there's a good show being put on over there, so we head that way.

From a safe distance, we join some others looking over a cliff onto the lava delta below. Here we watch the tributaries of lava intertwine and flow into the sea.

Video footage of lava flow:

Big Island - Volcanoes National Park

2007-06-08T22:53:00.000-04:00

All of the Hawaiian Islands were formed millions of years ago by volcanoes. Simply put, there is a vent in the ocean floor that spews up lava and forms an island. Eventually new life settles on the lava; trees, grass, and species grow and multiply. As time goes by, the island drifts northwest, away from the vent, and the volcanoes that gave birth to the island become inactive. The ocean pounds the land and creates the cliffs and natural features that we associate with Hawaii. Eventually, the sea reclaims the island and it is lost forever.

Because of this process, the islands are in a diagonal line, northwest to southeast, from oldest to youngest. Kauai is the northern most and oldest island; the sea has had 6 million years to carve out its natural beauty. The Big Island is only a baby at 800,000 years old, and is the only Hawaiian island that still has an active volcano. At over twice the size of all the other Hawaiian islands combined, the Big Island is still growing right before our very eyes. On the eastern side of the island, Kilauea Volcano has been spouting lava consistently since 1983. Kilauea is the most active volcano in the entire world.

Volcanoes National Park encompasses Kilauea volcano, and Conor and I spent the whole day there last Sunday. There are several large lava craters formed by old eruptions. We did a hike through the bottom of one, the Kilauea Iki crater. The four mile hike took us through an ancient rain forest to a newly lava-paved crater and back. In another part of the park, we were able to actually walk through a lava tube.

Starting the hike through the Kilauea Iki crater. The hike starts in a rain forest and goes down through the center of the crater bottom, over lava and past steam vents.

The view into the Kilauea Iki crater from the top:

Getting to the bottom and starting out across the crater:

Panoramic view of the Kilauea Iki crater from the bottom:

Hiking through a lava tube. It's really dark in there when you turn off your flashlights.

This is a panoramic of Kilauea Caldera. A caldera is a huge crater. This one is next to the smaller Kilauea Iki crater, which we hiked through. The Kilauea Caldera also contains another larger crater inside of it, the Halema'uma'u crater. (the close up of Halema'uma'u is the first photo of this blog post).

Big Island - Our cabin in Volcano Town

2007-06-08T22:30:00.000-04:00

Our first two nights on the Big Island, we stayed in a cabin located a mile outside of Volcanoes National Park. We found this cabin on vrbo.com, and it was our first experience renting from the website. We wanted an economical choice that was close to the Volcano, and this cabin fit the bill. We looked at the photos online, and figured it would suit our needs. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much more than a suitable place to sleep.

When we arrived, we weren’t prepared for how charming the cabin would be. The photos we had seen did not do the place justice at all. The cabin was immaculate, with high ceilings and hard wood flooring and finishes. It had recessed lighting all over highlighting the different features and decor. There was a gas fireplace that provided heat during the chilly mountain nights. They also had a nice deep tub for soaking sore muscles after hiking over lava all day.

Behind the cabin was a covered porch with benches. We sat out here to have our coffee in the morning while enjoying the lush tropical surroundings. The property is completely secluded and surrounded by woods, with plenty of large windows to showcase the natural beauty. If you’re planning a trip to the Big Island and are looking for accommodations near the Volcano, we highly recommend this place.

Looking towards front door and foyer from kitchen. The entire cabin had tons of track and recessed lighting everywhere:

Kitchen:

Living area with gas fireplace, which we used at night because it gets really cold here in the mountains (high 40s). The doors lead out to the back porch area:

Dining table overlooking the forest view:

View of bedroom from living area, with large bay picture windows with views of the forest:

Bathroom with dual basins, large soaking tub and separate shower:

Back porch, where we enjoyed our coffee in the mornings while overlooking the tropical forest:

Big Island - Hilo

2007-06-08T21:50:00.000-04:00

To celebrate my 30th birthday, Conor and I traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii for four nights. This was our first time on this island, and we saw many amazing sights. The Big Island, as its name suggests, is very big. It’s bigger than all of the other Hawaiian islands combined. We spent the first two nights on the east side of the island, in a cabin near the Volcano. We spent the last couple of nights at a resort on the west side of the island. And we stopped along the north side to see a few sights as we drove between the two.

We flew into the city of Hilo, which is the second biggest city in the state of Hawaii. It’s an interesting place. The town has been hit by hardships, such as tsunamis, threats of lava flow, and the demise of the sugar industry. It’s a mix of older, worn buildings that remain from the exodus of the sugar business, and newer more modern shops and restaurants. Hilo is lush and beautiful, located on the rainy side of the island. It offers many scenic treasures. After arriving, we saw Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots, two of the more popular Hilo sights, before having dinner.

Boiling Pots, in Hilo:

Panoramic view of Boiling Pots:

The path to Rainbow Falls, in Hilo:
Rainbow Falls:
Panoramic view of Rainbow Falls:

Ha'ena to Hanalei Race

2007-06-07T21:23:00.000-04:00

On June 2nd, Conor and I ran an annual North Shore race. I ran the 8 mile run, a one-way route from Ha’ena to Hanalei. The course travels along the beautiful coastal highway, with the Pacific Ocean to the right and the mountains to the left. It was reminiscent of the Big Sur Marathon in California, which I ran 6 years ago. Except with a tropical twist. Conor ran the 5K course, which was an out-and-back through Hanalei.

As with everything, racing is different here on Kauai. Our running readership should be able to appreciate these differences. First of all, we went to pick up our packet the day before the race. Inside the packet was our race number, and a shirt. That’s it. No course map or directions. And certainly no electronic timing chip.

They shuttled the 8 mile runners to the starting line. Once there, I realized there was no real start line, per se. Just a big area where everyone was hanging out and waiting to start. Then, all of the sudden, I hear someone shout ‘GO!’, and everyone starts running. I wasn’t really prepared, so I fumbled to start my watch. Although, with no real line, I wasn’t exactly sure where to start timing anyway so it was more sort of an estimate. And there were no pacing corals at the start. I guess the faster folks just shoved their way up front.

The main road is a curvy, hilly, two-lane road. There are a number of one-lane bridges, where one side of traffic must stop and yield to the other. I had assumed that the road would be shut down for the race, like every other race I’ve ever run. But this is Kauai, so no. Instead, the cars just kind of slowed down and waited for the runners to go to the side of the road. At least there were a couple guys on bikes that sort of let you know to get over. On the one lane bridges, you only had enough room to run single file behind the other runners if there were cars on the bridge. Which makes it hard to pass during those points.

You’d think that mile markers are an essential element of a road race, but not here. Who needs them when you can just sort of guess where the miles are by using the tiny, barely visible highwaymile markers that run backwards on the other side of the road? Forget about timing your splits. I felt lucky to get water stops.

After what seemed like an eternal last mile, I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Just as I’m approaching the finish, I notice Conor cheering on the sidelines. And I see a huge red pick-up truck driving right in front of the finish line. I had to run around the truck to cross into the finish zone. In all the races I’ve run, on both east and west coasts, that was a first.

I ended up doing ok, considering I hadn’t trained hard and my advancing age. My time was 1:08, an 8:30 pace. I placed 48 out of 190 overall, and 9 out of 92 females. My main concern was my age group. I was fairly certain that I was the oldest runner in the 20-29 female division, considering I only had two days left to qualify in it. And I wanted to go out with a bang. I finished 2 out of 14 in my division, which wasn’t too shabby for this old lady. The woman who got first won the entire race. So I guess I can settle for second.

Conor did very well, especially considering that this is his second race ever and his 'training' consisted of going out for an occasional leisurely 3 mile jog in the weeks preceding the race. He finished in 25:22, an 8:10 pace. He placed 12th out of 77 overall, and 10th out of 30 males. But most excitingly, he placed first in his division!!! He completely blew away that other guy in the 20-29 males division and placed 1 out of 2.

No one should be awake when the moon is still out.

The sun rising over Hanalei Bay. This was the first and only time we've seen the Bay in the early morning light. Beautiful, but not worth waking up at 5:30am for. Luckily, we'll always have these pictures to look at during a more reasonable hour.

The finish line area, with the mountains as a backdrop.

About to cross the finish, just after taking a detour around that red pick-up truck.

Happily on our way to the free pancake breakfast.

'Beaches of Kauai' - Kapa'a Shoreline

2007-05-31T04:04:00.000-04:00

Enjoy the soundtrack on this video. It's a local favorite.

Kapa'a Shoreline

2007-05-31T03:46:00.001-04:00

Last weekend Conor and I headed to the nearest "city", Kapa'a. It's about 20 miles away, on the east side of the island. Kapa'a is a cute little town, with many restaurants and shops along the main street. A lot of locals also live there. It's one of the more lively areas of Kauai, if there such a thing.

Since we arrived, they have been working on a new cement bike path that runs along the shore in Kapa'a. Certain segments are now complete, but in true Hawaii fashion there are still lots of random pieces left missing and undone. We're not sure when it will be finished, but there's enough there now for a nice scenic walk. The photos below were taken during our walk and feature views from the path.

Canyon Trail

2007-05-30T16:43:00.001-04:00

A couple weekends ago, Conor and I headed out to Koke'e State Park to hike the Canyon trail. This trail goes along the side of Waimea Canyon, and ends at scenic Waipo'o Falls. It was a cloudy, foggy day 4,000 feet up in Koke'e State Park, but the clouds cleared just enough to give us decent visibility during the hike, and the sun even broke through a couple times.

The Canyon seems massive from close up:

A thugged out Mr. N strikes a pose:
Waipo'o Falls:
Near the falls, colorful wild flowers were scattered across the lush trail:

'Beaches of Kauai' - Moloa'a Bay

2007-05-30T04:11:00.000-04:00

Moloa'a Bay

2007-05-28T00:00:00.000-04:00

Conor and I got our first taste of this beach when our friends Megan and Chris were visiting. Moloa'a is one town southeast of Kilauea, where we used to live, and about 10 miles from where we live now in Princeville. This pristine white sand beach served as a location for the pilot of Gilligan's Island. The bay is set off the main highway, so it's usually not very crowded.

Moloa'a Bay quickly became a favorite of ours for many reasons. It has an area of active, large waves, but if you walk to the other side of the bay the water is very calm and good for swimming. The water has lots of rocks and reef throughout, which make for interesting snorkeling. The varying depths of water create many gorgeous shades of blue. And there's lots of volcanic rock around to lounge on.

There are only a few houses along this beach front, making it seem even more remote and secluded. If you look to the left in the panoramic shot, you'll see a large area of open green field. This is Moloa'a ranch, a huge property that goes along the sea cliff. All in all, Moloa'a is a quaint little neighborhood off the beaten path, and it's been added to our list of possible retirement spots if all goes well.

A panoramic shot of the view as you first step onto the beach:

View to the right/south of Moloa'a Bay:

We swear we didn't add the coconut as a prop...it was there:

The southeast shore of the bay is a nice place for a swim:

Clear skies mean water of various shades of blue:

Mr. N poses on some volcanic rock. This rock is millions of years old, but next weekend we'll see brand new volcanic rock being formed from the lava flows on the Big Island:

The undeveloped green cliff in the background is part of privately owned Moloa'a ranch:
If you look close, you can see the reflection of me taking the shot in Conor's glasses:
Mrs. N does her best mermaid impression:

Kauai's Hindu Monastery

2007-05-27T14:34:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back, Jessica and I went to a Hindu Monastery with our good friends Chris and Megan. They give a guided tour once a week where a young monk shows your their beautiful grounds and gives you insight into Hinduism. We've always wanted to go so this was the perfect opportunity. We didn't know what to expect but it's safe to say than any expectations were vastly exceeded.

The Monastery was founded in 1970 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and it sits on 458 acres. It is part of the Saiva Siddhanta Church, founded in Sri Lanka in 1949. Its spiritual heritage derives from the Nandinatha Sampradaya, which goes back to 2,200 bce. If you think I actually memorized these facts, you are out of your mind.

Here are some pictures of the grounds.

There are 20 monks that live here and while most have devoted their entire lives to the monastery (they wear an orange robe), some give 2 years at a time and wear a white robe, as our guide did. He was an incredibly bright and interesting young fellow with a great sense of humor. He gave us an overview of the history of this particular monastery and gave us an overview of what the monks do on a day to day basis. The monks do a lot of praying and meditating but they are also tech-savvy and they produce a number of books and even a magazine called Hinduism Today.

Here is a picture of Megan and Chris. See if you can notice the resemblance between these two shots.

I'm pretty sure that Jessica's favorite part of the trip was the fact that I had to wear a sarong. They asked that anyone wearing shorts or a skirt to put one on while in the temple. The minute I heard this, I knew I would be forced to post a pic on the blog.

The main attraction is the new temple that they are building. It is built by hand and not a single machine will be used at any point during its construction. All of the granite stone is shipped directly from India and there are stone smiths on site that complete the finishing touches. There is no concrete used as the stones interlock perfectly. A leading Hindu architect from California designed the temple and it should last at least 1,000 years. Our guide told us that this is the way temples have been built for thousands of years. We even got to see the stone smiths at work with hammers and chisels.

They started construction in 1991 and hope to complete the project by 2010. What's interesting is that they rely solely on people's charity as they don't want to take any loans from banks. The founder of this monastery wanted it to be built from the love and good nature of its guests.

After the tour ended at the new temple, most of the tourists left. We were one of the select few that was invited down the hill to see what our guide described as his personal sanctuary. He definitely has good taste because it was a small waterfall leading into a bubbling brook. After that he allowed us to sit and meditate in the original temple. All in all, an enlightening experience.

A Breakthrough in Flip-Flop Technology

2007-05-27T13:39:00.000-04:00

For those of you that know me well, you are aware of the fact that I have been searching for the perfect flop for the last 19 years. I am considered to be an industry leader in flip-flop innovation and have authored several articles on the subject, including "What Your Flip-Flops Say About You" and "10 Things about Flip-Flops that Your Mother Never Told You". I have been to 79 countries and looked at over 16,000 materials in my quest. Ladies and gentleman, I am pleased to announce that the search is over.

Just Plain Ugly

Most of you are aware of the fact that Crocs makes an incredibly hideous but successful boat shoe. Many of you may not be aware that they have just designed the world's first perfect foot ware. If you are like most people, you have never walked on a cloud. Now you have your chance. I would liken this breakthrough to the first pair of Nike Airs back in the mid-80s. These shoes are so comfortable that I haven't worn another shoe (other than hiking or golf) since I bought them 8 weeks ago. I have 3 other thongs and was thinking about the Crocs, but thought buying a 4th pair would be a waste of money.

Lucky for me, one pair began to fall apart in Honolulu and I was walking by a Crocs store at the time. I bought them and literally floated back to our hotel. These things are so light that you don't even know you're wearing them. They are absurdly soft but also incredibly supportive and this is not something you ever find in a flop.

You may say that I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one

When Jessica and I landed back on Kauai, she asked if she should get a pair. I said "The Nicholsons won't roll in anything less". We got her a pair and the next day and I tried to convert my friends. My first target was Pete and he quickly put me in my place, calling them ugly and saying "not in a million years". My next target was Megan and while she was more receptive, she complained that her husband had purchased the originals and they broke within 3 days. Lucky for me, they were coming to visit us a few weeks later.

When they got here, I wouldn't stop talking about them. Megan's husband Chris was either convinced or sick of hearing me talk about them so he went out and bought a pair. The minute he put them on, his face lit up and I knew that my duty in life was to be the John the Baptist of Crocs. Megan eventually caved so I now have 2 converts. Are you next??

They Grow Up So Fast

2007-05-26T23:37:00.000-04:00

Our little albatross chick has grown quite a bit since his birth in February. He's now almost the size of an adult albatross, and you can see his smooth white feathers coming in under his gray fluff. He's even now venturing further and further away from his nest, which is in front of the condo next to ours.

Just last week, he got up enough courage to waddle over to our porch area for the first time. He now comes by for a visit every day. He's even started to practice opening up his wings, getting ready for his big day in July when he jumps off the cliff and goes to sea for the next 4 years. Once he's sexually mature, he'll come back here to where he was born to find a mate. Pretty soon, Conor and I will have an empty nest (pun intended).

Taking a nap in the sun:

Practicing with his wings in front of our porch:

Being fed by mom (or dad?) back in early April:

'Beaches of Kauai' - Secret Beach

2007-05-26T23:14:00.000-04:00

This is the first installment in my 'Beaches of Kauai' series. Enjoy the waves crashing on fabulous Secret Beach.

Princeville Ranch

2007-05-18T23:35:00.000-04:00

Conor and I took a very fun horseback tour of Princeville Ranch. The ranch covers 4000 acres of lush North Shore land and is only a quick 5 minute drive from our house. We rode through the ranch's picturesque trails, before dropping off our horses. We then took a short hike through the woods to a waterfall.

Gubby, our tour guide, teaches me how to mount my horse. She was great!

Conor rode a gorgeous mahogany horse named Copper:

My horse's name was Casper. Can you guess why?

Some nice views from the trails:
It's no wonder that Kauai is nicknamed the 'Garden Isle':

We took a short hike to this waterfall, where we swam, played in the waterfall, and had lunch:
Using a gorilla-like stance, Mr. N is first to approach the waterfall:
Afterwards, we hiked back to the horses. This required crossing a stream and scaling a short rock wall. This was all done with an unnecessary safety harness that the ranch required for liability purposes.

Our hike ended with one last waterfall, and we then walked up the hill to meet our horses and head back to the ranch. The four hour tour was more fun than we expected!

Video footage of me dismounting Casper. I'm not a cowgirl quite yet.

Ho'opi'i Falls

2007-05-13T16:07:00.000-04:00

Spouting Horn

2007-05-12T00:17:00.000-04:00

Spouting Horn is a popular destination on the South Shore. It's a small lava shelf where water from waves is thrust through an opening, causing water and air to squirt vertically out a blowhole. An adjacent hole in the shelf blows only air, which makes a loud moaning, gasping sound. We visited this site with Megan and Chris on our way to dinner in Poi'pu. The ocean was fairly calm during our visit, but when the surf is rougher the water can get much higher. Still, the video below gives you the basic idea. You can also hear Conor's nemesis, Mr. Pecker, crowing in the background halfway through.

Queen's Bath

2007-05-11T05:27:00.000-04:00

Conor and I finally visited a popular North Shore destination with our guests. Queen's bath is a large pool carved out of lava rock situated next to the open ocean. The waves seep in and replenish the water, bringing in an assortment of colorful tropical fish. You can swim in the pool or just simply bask in the sun on the lava rock.

Queen's bath is located only a mile from our apartment. In fact, you can actually see it from above if you walk a tenth of a mile on the golf green behind our back patio. Yet, today was our first visit. This is not entirely out of laziness - during the winter, the surf on the North Shore is at its roughest. When the ocean is too wild, it can toss the water in Queen's bath around like a washing machine, making it dangerous. So we've waited until the calm summer months to visit, and there was no better time than with our visitors this week.

The lush path to Queen's bath takes about 10-15 minutes to navigate, and starts about a mile from our apartment.

It looks a little trecherous, but even our pregnant guest didn't have any problems with the hike.

Along the way, you're treated to a couple of scenic, small waterfalls along the path.

Eventually, you arrive at the end of the trail and the beginning of the lava rock. It's still another quarter mile or so to go, but the ocean is a nice backdrop.

The troops head out across the lava.
The calm summer tide splashes gently against the lava rock for effect.

We finally arrive at our destination, and a cool dip is our reward.

From the pool, you can see the Hanalei mountains in the background.
After the swim, it feels nice to dry off in the sun on the warm lava rock.

Megan and Chris have arrived

2007-05-11T05:21:00.000-04:00

Our mainland friends Megan and Chris arrived late last week for their visit. We've spent the week showing them the sites of Kauai. Seven months pregnant, Megan has been quite the trooper as we've trekked across the island. We've brought them to five different beaches so far, seen several spectacular sunsets, and tomorrow we'll hit up some waterfalls. Fun times...

Ode to our Pool

2007-05-04T06:34:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty sure that our pool is the Mecca of in-ground pools. The reason why I say this is that men and women come here on a daily basis wearing only simple white cloth and they drop to their knees, rejoicing that they have finally arrived to the Mecca of in-ground pools.

If I am reading a book, they come to me and ask if I am the Oracle. I don't want to disappoint so I nod and begin to ramble about politics, religion and the genius of South Park and the Colbert Report.

Prime Real Estate

In all seriousness, Jessica and I love this pool. It's on our condo grounds and the best news is that is is never crowded. No little kiddies live in the complex and most of the residents are retired so I don't have to worry about someone playing a lively game of beer-pong or blasting Clay Aiken on their boom-box. Quite often, it's just Jessica and yours truly reading a book, going swimming or jumping into the hot tub.

I would estimate that we go 4-5 times a week but the amount of time that we spend there varies. If we're too busy to go to the beach, we might read a book for an hour or so. I try to visit the hot-tub after every round of golf. If things get a little hectic while I'm working, I take my version of a cigarette break and submerge myself in what I consider to be the best hot tub in the world.

On top of the pool and hot tub, we also have two propane grilles at our disposal. We grill a lot of fish as well as kabobs and veggies. Just last week we ate had dinner with a friend and got to look up at a full moon. It's a little different from our grill at home where the only thing you see is your neighbor who is 15 feet away on his own deck.

There is a garden towards the back and palm trees line the perimeter so it's remarkably quiet and serene. The best seat in the house is sitting in the hot tub and facing the garden. God I don't want to leave this place.

Jessica Caddies for Conor

2007-05-04T05:44:00.000-04:00

Prior to this week, Jessica has never seen me play golf. After the round, I wish it were still true. Either it was the nerves or the fact that I stink, but I didn't have a single par in 9 holes. Granted, I did miss 3 par putts but in the end that means nothing. I had 5 pars and a birdie the next time out (18 holes) but this was not witnessed by my wife so in the eyes of a skeptic, it may have never happened.

Conor missing a par putt

I played the Kukuiolono course and it was donated to the island in 1919 by a sugar magnate by the name of Walter McBryde. The course is so old that no one knows who actually designed it (seriously). It's on a dryer part of Kauai so the fairways are pretty beat up. I played here on my honeymoon in preparation for the Wailea Blue Course in Maui.

It's one of the more expensive courses on the island, costing $8 for the green fees. Lucky for me, they had a lay-away plan so I can pay in installments. It isn't in the best condition but some of the holes give you an awesome view of the south shore.

This was the first time that Jessica drove a golf cart and overall, she did a pretty good job. She asked some odd questions like where the rear view mirror was and at one point I had to remind her not to drive onto the putting green. In typical Conor fashion, I didn't tip my caddie. Next time, maybe I'll let her bring a set of clubs.

Conor walking off the green in disgust

Japanese Garden

Clubhouse

The Dream is Over

2007-04-30T05:38:00.000-04:00

Any hopes of Team Nicholson winning the gold medal in mixed-gender kayaking at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were dashed at 10:02AM this morning, exactly 2 minutes after we entered the water. I always thought that kayaking was pretty easy and assumed that we would blow away the competition at the US Olympic qualifying meet.

I had dreams of standing on top of the highest box with Jessica and having a single tear roll down my eye as the stars and stripes were raised and the band played the national anthem. I pictured the cover of Time magazine and maybe even our own Wheaties box. The odds of these things happening are now less than the odds that Sanjaya is allowed back into the competition and wins American Idol. God I hate that guy. Is he an alien??

Half of the reason that we won't be competing in the 2008 Olympics

But I digress. Jessica and I went on our first kayak trip this morning and we decided to go to the river closest to our house. The Hanalei River is one of three navigable rivers and round trip, you go about 7 miles. It's a good place to start as the other rivers are more challenging. Our eventual goal is to kayak for 16 miles in the ocean along the Na Pali Coast. That my friends, will not be easy.

The Little Civic That Could showing off her rugged side

The trip really wasn't that bad once we got the hang of it. The funny thing is that we started at the point where the river hit the ocean and it felt like we were going against the current for the first hour or so. The book said that the way back should be easier as the wind would be at our back. Since we are now both Nicholson's, the wind hit us dead in the face on our return. It was a pretty strenuous workout and we headed straight for the hot-tub when we got back. We are both incredibly sore and as we all know, it only gets worse the next day. Good times.

Shipwreck Beach and the Makawehi Trail

2007-04-24T23:17:00.000-04:00

We live on the North Shore so most of the time we go to beaches that are within 5 minutes of our condo. When we came here for our honeymoon, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Poipu, which is a resort town on the South Shore. The funny thing is that even though we spent 6 days on the resort, we never really spent any time at Shipwreck Beach, which is literally just off of the grounds. We were too busy taking helicopter rides, ATV tours and stuffing our faces with some of the best seafood we have ever eaten.

Our good friend Tony decided to move back to the mainland and he had never been to the beaches on the South Shore. We were more than happy to go on an adventure as it allowed us to see the Grand Hyatt for the first time since September. We had an absolute blast that day, visiting three beaches, taking a short hike, going snorkeling and having an awesome dinner. The weather was perfect so the pictures turned out really well.

Jessica looking dashing in her new suit

Conor and Tony looking extremely, extremely tough

Shipwreck Beach is well known for it's surfing and if the ocean is calm enough, you can jump off of the cliff that you see in the back of these shots. Fortunate for me, the waves smashing all over the place so I could say, "Man, I really was going to jump" when in actuality, I was singing "Celebration" in my head.

The Makawehi Trail starts off of Shipwreck Beach and it goes on for a few miles. We weren't in the mood for a long hike but we walked around for about 30 minutes and got some amazing shots. You are literally walking on a small trail made of sand and if you're not careful, you could take a nasty spill.

Thank God this wasn't the way back to our car

I entered this shot for National Geographic Picture of the Year and I fully expect to win

Albatrosses Dancing

2007-04-19T03:54:00.000-04:00

The purpose of this post was to test putting video clips on the blog. But since it's working now, check out the albatrosses as they woo each other with their courtship dance. You can hear all the funny noises they make in the video. Sorry about the shoddy camera work!

A Golf Course For The Ages

2007-04-10T12:45:00.000-04:00

This is officially my favorite course of all time. The most absurd thing about this statement is that I live on this golf course. I live on the 8th hole of the Ocean Course, which is part of the Makai Course. The Makai Course consists of three sets of 9 and they are all standard length. It costs $175 for a tourist to play 18 holes but for the locals (or imposters like myself), $55 gets you unlimited play for the day.

Obscenely difficult 196 yard Par 3 (from the whites)

I took these shots last Thursday and got in 36 holes in just over 6 hours. It's never too crowded and if you get to play as a single, you can play a ton. The views are spectacular and the holes are challenging because of the cross-wind that comes off of the ocean. My goal is to break 90 in the next month. I shot a 94 and if my putting improves, it might actually happen.

Par 3 on the Ocean Course

Shot of a birdie putt that I missed

Par 3 with a Zen Rock on the left

9th Hole on the Lakes Course

This has nothing to do with golf. I just like the tree.

Lumahai Beach

2007-04-09T22:56:00.000-04:00

Lumahai Beach is about 7 miles from our condo. It is an extremely long, golden sand beach. On the western portion, you can drive right up. But the most scenic and best part is the east side, which you get to via a short hike through a tropical jungle-esque trail. Lumahai is famous for being used as the beach in the film South Pacific. It is also the most dangerous beach on Kauai. Because there is no reef, the coast is completely exposed to the open ocean, which leads to extremely powerful waves and currents. Swimming here is almost never safe, and that was the case the day we visited. Still, if you want miles of golden sand almost entirely to yourself and a beautiful ocean backdrop to contemplate the sheer power of the sea, this is your place.

This overlook at the start of the trail gives you an idea of what's to come.

The troops start down the tropical trail. Bug spray is a must!!

Lumahai is known as the most dangerous beach on Kauai.

At the end of the trail, you're greeted with seemingly endless miles of golden sand.

As usual, the responsible ladies set up shop while the men's attention is drawn to the majestic sea.

After all that work, now it's time for some serious relaxation.

Tunnels Beach

2007-04-09T22:44:00.000-04:00

Tunnels Beach is probably one of the more popular beaches on the North Shore, and for good reason. It's stunningly beautiful, with a steep cliff of lush green mountains rising dramatically over the sea. It also has a nice reef, which normally makes for a large area of shallow, clear water that is ideal for snorkeling. What better beach to introduce Derek and Christine to the wide world of snorkeling? None, in my opinion. Here they enjoyed viewing the many various colorful tropical fish that populate these waters. Derek quickly became snorkeling's #2 fan (#1 of course being the easily excitable Mr. N).

An interesting factoid: Bethany Hamilton, the teenage professional surfer who famously lost her arm to a tiger shark attack 4 years ago, was born and raised on Kauai. The attack location? Tunnels Beach. I did not share this with C&D until AFTER they had left the water.

Kauai's Beaches

2007-04-09T21:58:00.000-04:00

The main reason people come to Kauai is to visit its world-class beaches. Kauai has over 40 beaches, each one unique and boasting its own personality. During Christine and Derek's visit, we were able to take them to several of our favorites.

Their first evening in Hawaii, after a grueling trip, we took them to nearby Hanalei Bay to see the green mountains rise over the majestic bay. This beach is about 10 minutes from our condo. Many new surfers come here to take lessons or practice in the small, forgiving waves. The photos below were taken at the end of the pier, which juts out into the shallow bay.

The second day of their trip, we went to Anini Beach - about 10 minutes from our condo in the opposite direction. Here the sun gods smiled on us and we enjoyed a game of catch football in the shallow, crystal clear water.

Thursday brought us to Secret Beach, walking distance from our old house in Kalihiwai. It requires a 10 minute hike or so down a somewhat steep trail to get there. It was overcast the day we went, unfortunately, but we were still able to appreciate the beauty of this beach with its black volcanic rock scattered throughout. This is also the unofficial nude beach of Kauai, and although public nudity in Hawaii is illegal, Conor and I have seen a few 'natural' types hanging out here on occasion. No such excitement this day for our guests, which I think relieved them!

Their last day on the island, we took out guests to Poi'pu Beach Park, on the south side of the island. This was a more crowded and lively beach, with lots of frolicking children, snorkelers, and surfers. We also saw a sea turtle hanging out on the sand, as well as two Hawaiian monk seals. The monk seals are an endangered species that are occasionally spotted on Kauai, though less than 1400 are thought to exist today. This was Conor and my first time seeing one, so it was pretty exciting (we didn't get photos though).

Stay tuned for more posts detailing a couple of our favorite beaches! Seriously, there are a LOT of beaches on this island.

"A date which will live in infamy"

2007-04-04T17:05:00.000-04:00

We visited the Pearl Harbor memorial this past weekend on our trip to Honolulu on the adjacent island of Oahu. The memorial offered a moving and emotional refresher of US WWII history.

On December 7, 1941, over 300 Japanese planes were launched from six aircraft carriers that had secretly crossed the Pacific during the night. They flew in over the mountains pictured below. Their goal was to take out the US fleet in Pearl harbor, especially the battleships. They also bombed several air fields, where the unsuspecting US had planes parked wingtip to wingtip, completely unprepared for battle. Japan hoped the attack would inhibit the US from interfering with the continuation of their controversial takeover of Southeast Asia. Just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces attacked Guam, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and several other islands in the Pacific.

2403 American lives were lost in the battle, as well as 5 battleships, 188 planes, and several other cruiser ships. Japan, in comparison, lost 64 men and 29 planes. Although seemingly a huge victory for Japan, they were unable to find any US air craft carriers, which were all out to sea at the time. Historians agree that the attack on Pearl Harbor was a strategic blunder. Most of the equipment lost was dated and obsolete, so the US ended up not being as impaired as anticipated. Furthermore, the attacks outraged Americans and served to unify the previously divided country in its resolve to enter World War II. The memory of the attack ensured that America wouldn't be satisfied until complete victory in Europe and Asia was won.

Upon hearing that the attack on Pearl Harbor had finally drawn the US into the war, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote "Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful".

Almost half of the Americans lost at Pearl Harbor were seamen aboard the battleship USS Arizona when it sank. The ship remains in the harbor today, still entombing the 1100 men aboard. The memorial was built over the ship, as seen below in the model. You can still see the tall parts of the ship protruding from the shallow water's surface (last two photos).

Our First Visitors

2007-04-04T16:42:00.000-04:00

We hosted our first visitors from the mainland this past week. Christine and Derek arrived in Lihue on Sunday, March 25. They spent the next six days with us here on Kauai, where they visited several beaches, took an ATV tour, saw a few sunsets, had a nighttime beach bonfire, and sampled various Ahi dishes. We had a great time giving them their first taste of our small island! This past Saturday we all traveled together to Honolulu for the weekend, where we visited Pearl Harbor and Waikiki.

Sunset from the Beach House restaurant:

Just before dinner at the Luau:Overlooking Waimea Canyon:

Bonfire at Hanalei Bay Beach:View from the Hanalei lookout:

Mission Control has Arrived

2007-03-28T13:46:00.000-04:00

First off, I need to apologize to my legions of fans (all 3 of you). I have been absurdly busy with work and clocked in 55 hours last week and plan to do 55-60 this week. I will try to be more diligent with the posts. I was lacking for material but the mother load came when Mission Control dropped down from the sky this past Sunday.

For those of you not in the know, Mission Control is an elite tactical unit that is able to devise, develop and implement some of the most comprehensive battle plans that the world has ever seen. Mission Control has been behind some of the most important happenings of recent memory. They were responsible for locating and destroying the home of Uday and Qusay Hussein and rumor has it that they have been providing the paparazzi with up to the minute pictures of the now bald and never to be hot again Britney Spears.

Captain Cambodia killed 3 people within minutes of taking this photo

Mission Control has a simple mantra, "To work within the shadows for forces that you will never know about. If you find out, we will hunt you down and kill you". To the public, they are known only as The Black Widow and Captain Cambodia. Using my numerous connections within both the defense contracting and underworld, I was able to utilize their tactical operations for our cross-country trip. Captain Cambodia equipped The Little Civic That Could with a GPS tracking system as well as 4 high powered nuclear warheads. He likes to travel with some firepower "in case things go down".

Mission Control sat 45 floors beneath the Pentagon during our 3 day trek. They were in constant communication with Team Nicholson via cell phone, text message and The Force. The Black Widow gave Jessica a ring and at times a hologram would come out of it and she would speak to us in parables. I didn't think that it was necessary for her to dress and talk like Yoda but hey, to each his/her own.

According to classified documents, Mission Control thwarted three separate attempts on our lives. We had a close call in Texas after I cut off an 18-wheeler and he tried to run me off the road. Within 30 seconds, a black B2 Bomber came thundering out of the clouds and vaporized the truck. Needless to say, we weren't bothered much for the rest of the trip.

Rumor has it that The Black Widow was at the wheel

Mission Control will be here for the week and we travel to Honolulu via Apache helicopter this weekend. Be sure to check the blog for future developments.

'Anini Beach

2007-03-21T22:15:00.000-04:00

The New Arrival

2007-03-19T20:52:00.000-04:00

Last week, we posted some photos of the albatross couple that lives outside our back porch. We got a book about these birds to learn more about their life cycle. Each year, they come to land in November to mate. In December, they lay a single egg, which hatches in February. The chicks look like giant gray fluff balls. One parent sits on the new chick until it's too large to cover. Then, eventually the parents start to leave the chicks alone for periods of time. The chicks stay within 50 yards from where they're hatched. They grow bigger and bigger over the next several months, and eventually start testing out their wings. One day in July, they'll walk to the ocean bluff and jump off for the first time, a process called fledging. They'll remain at sea for 3 or 4 years, covering thousands of miles and traveling as far as Alaska. Then, when sexually mature, they return to where they were born to mate and start the cycle over again.

Each November, the adult albatrosses return to their home. We now realize why this one particular couple enjoys hanging out behind our patio so much. In the bushes in front of the apartment next to us, they have a chick! He is pretty big now and just hangs out all day long. He's old enough now where the parents will leave him alone for periods of time, going off by themselves or socializing with other adults on the golf course. As he gets older and ready to fledge, he'll lose his fluffy gray feathers and replace them with the white adult feathers. There is another couple that lives in the middle of the course, and their chick lives among some trees there. We can see him with binoculars.

The proud parents:

'Opaeka'a Falls

2007-03-15T19:49:00.000-04:00

These photos were taken from look-out points along the road, right across from each other. They show 'Opaeka'a Falls and the Wailua River.

Kuilau Ridge Trail

2007-03-15T19:39:00.000-04:00

These shots were taken last week while we hiked the Kuilau Ridge trail on the east side of the island. The hike itself was pretty easy, at about 5 miles round trip and with only gentle inclines. But it offered some great views of Mount Wai'ale'ale, the wettest spot on earth, located in the center of the island. It averages 440 inches of rain a year.

The Na Pali Coast

2007-03-15T19:29:00.000-04:00

These photos are a bit overdue - we took them a couple weeks ago from the top of Waimea Canyon Drive. The 19 mile road curves north along the side of Waimea Canyon. You can look east to see the canyon below at multiple look-out points along the road. At the top of the road, there are a couple look-out points that face west, towards the famous Na Pali coastline. These shots were taken from those points. It was a little bit cloudy that day, so some of the valley is obscured by haze.

On the way down the road, we stopped to take this shot of the waterfalls in Waimea canyon.

Sunrise this morning

2007-03-12T19:22:00.000-04:00

At 6:30 am this morning, I was rudely awoken by Conor. He insisted I had to see this sunrise over the golf course from our back porch, and that it would be worth dragging myself out of bed at such an ungodly hour. As much as it pains me to admit it, he was right.

Life is Sacred

2007-03-12T03:08:00.000-04:00

Something very disturbing happened today. I pray to God that this is my only serious posting on this blog. Jessica and I went to Tunnels Beach in Ha'ena this afternoon to go snorkeling. We haven't been to Tunnels Beach since our honeymoon, where I was swimming with 6 foot long sea turtles. This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island and the day was perfect - not too hot but lots of sun.

About an hour and a half in, I'm reading my book and suddenly, I hear 3 women screaming. Jessica says that about 30 seconds earlier, she saw a helicopter flying over the water and all of the sudden, she hears a big bang, like it hit something. Then, it started wobbling from side to side. The helicopter immediately goes off course and starts heading for land, still upright but losing elevation quickly. It disappears out of view beyond the horizon. Less than a minute later, two men run up and start asking what direction the helicopter was headed. They start running so I grab my shoes and start sprinting after them. When I get to the road, I see a huge truck with a ton of guys yelling, "The copter crashed. It's that way!"

I run back to get Jessica and we jump into the car to see if we can help. We see a ton of commotion about a half mile down. We turn in and see that the helicopter crashed and is on its side. Some of the guys from the truck are tending to a woman who is clearly in bad shape. There are probably 8 or 10 police officers, but no ambulance. Finally, several ambulances arrived, one by one, to carry away the injured to the hospital.

There were a ton of men and women in swimsuits helping out and I'm guessing that a few of them were doctors. If it weren't for their assistance, things could have been much worse. At this point, one person died and three are in critical condition. We saw the pilot walk away from the crash, and luckily he's doing ok. This is the second helicopter crash in 4 days and within a few hours, it was one of the top stories on msnbc.com. The crash on Thursday took 4 lives. To make matter worse, there were 3 couples and each spouse lost a loved one. The pilot also died in Thursday's crash.

Story from MSNBC

Story from Kauai's newspaper

Jessica and I took helicopter tour with no doors on our honeymoon and something tells me that it might have been the last time we get on one. I held Jessica tight and told her how much I loved her. Please do the same.

The Mighty Albatross

2007-03-07T23:22:00.000-05:00

There is an albatross couple that have a nest about 100 yards away from our porch, within the trees on the golf course. We often look out the back windows and watch these graceful sea birds glide over and across the greens. Albatrosses are highly efficient in the air. Their massive wingspan allows them to cover great distances with little exertion. These birds spend 90% of their lives in the air, and can travel 150-200 miles without resting. Sadly, 19 of the 21 species of albatross are threatened with extinction. The island of Kauai is making great efforts to preserve these amazing birds.

Today, these two came to visit. They strolled along the grass path in front of our porch, stopping to check it out. We took these photos from our back door as they passed by. Albatrosses mate for life; this couple seemed to be very much in love, stopping to click their beaks together and following each other around. They were, quite literally, two love birds. Kauai is such a romantic island that even all the animals are in love here.

Nightmare on Kalihiwai Street

2007-03-05T18:01:00.000-05:00

One thing that takes a little getting used to here is the various breeds of wild beasts roaming about. Our last home was a rustic farmhouse-style dwelling, and it seemed to be designed to make the residents at one with nature. Our new condo is much more modern, so luckily we expect far fewer (so far none) encounters. With the nightmare in the past, we can now tell the tale that haunted our dreams for the past 6 weeks.

The cockroaches are loathsome. Here, they can grow to be as big as your thumb, and some also fly. Although at home these guys would be the stuff nightmares are made of, here they’re still not the most dreaded beast. There is one creature that will paralyze you with fear. One creature that makes the appendage-sized cockroaches seem pleasant. This beast is loathed above all others. It is the dreaded centipede.

You may think you know about centipedes. Perhaps you’ve even seen one. You have no idea. Here, the centipedes can grow to be a foot long. They can live for 5 years, and are as thick as your finger. They have huge tentacles emerging from their heads. And they bite. A bite is rumored to cause pain on the level of a gunshot wound. Although these things can’t actually kill a human, if you’re bitten, you’ll wish you were dead.

Our first encounter with one of these beasts happened about a week into our stay. We were forewarned when we arrived, so Jessica was constantly on guard. Then, it happened. As we were getting ready for bed one night, Jessica spotted the tail end of one of these things slither under a door in our bedroom. It was fatter than her middle finger. She handled this surprisingly well, by only letting out a piercing shriek and fleeing for her life to higher ground on top of the bed. A little background information: Jessica has a severe phobia of all things long and multi-legged due to a caterpillar incident in her childhood. She’s been paralyzed with fear back home from similar creatures 1/20 of the size. Under the circumstances, it’s a miracle that she didn’t faint and go into cardiac arrest from the shock.

Conor came running, armed with a large stick and hiking boots. He cautiously staked out the room while Jessica remained frozen on top of the bed. After searching for several minutes, he found nothing. They waited a bit, and finally Conor removed his hiking boots and cautiously continued getting ready for bed. They were discussing what to do next. All of the sudden, Conor stopped mid-sentence and screamed “HOLY SH*T!!” In one swift movement, he catapulted his 175 pounds on top of the bed faster than an Olympic high jumper. Then, in horror, we watched as the entire beast came into view. It was reddish black, and 8 inches long. Living back east, we could have never imagined that such evil actually existed outside of Hollywood films.

It scuttled across the floor, running the entire length of the bedroom, and found sanctuary in a dark corner. At this point, Conor carefully crawled down from the bed and went to re-arm himself. Jessica trembled in fear, plugging her ears and gently sobbing. Conor returned to fight the battle of a lifetime. With a giant stick, he stabbed and prodded as this beast hissed and fought with everything he had. Even after being decapitated, the many pairs of legs still writhed against the cold stone floor. We didn’t feel settled until the corpse had been severed into four pieces.

Although Conor wanted to take a picture, Jessica wouldn’t allow it. That picture will forever be implanted in her memory – she didn’t want to have to deal with it on her hard drive as well. We did find a photo from a Kauai exterminator’s web site, and it's the closest likeness we’ve found to the beast we met that night. If you think you can handle it, click here. But don't say you haven't been warned.

Our New Apartment

2007-03-05T17:20:00.000-05:00

Last Thurday, Conor and I moved into what will be our permanent dwelling for the remainder of our stay on Kauai. Our new home is in Princeville, a resort town on the North Shore located about 10 minutes from our last house. It's a spacious, one-bedroom condo on the first floor. Our porch looks out onto the 8th hole of the Princeville golf course, an amenity that Conor seems to appreciate much more than me. You can also see the ocean peeking out over the course from our porch. So far, we're enjoying our new digs!

The dining room and kitchen:

View towards the front door (the bedroom is off to the right):

The view towards the porch and back door:

View to the right from the porch:

View looking straight out from the porch:

View to the left from the porch:

Our first visitors:

If I see a Rooster on the Road, I'm Going for it

2007-03-01T11:12:00.000-05:00

I hate roosters more than anything in this world. By the grace of God, this is our last night in Roosterville. We move to a money condo a town over this afternoon and the good news is that these hellish birds are far less frequent there. I woke up at 4:30AM in order to get some extra work done prior to the move and was hoping to get some quiet time. Mr. Pecker and his cohorts had other ideas. It is now 6:15 and as I am typing this, 3 roosters in the yard are having some type of yell-off. One nutbag does his thing and then the other two respond in kind. What the hell are they accomplishing? What purpose does screaming at the top of your lungs in pitch black darkness serve? If I had a rifle and night vision goggles, I could think of at least one.

I don't know this girl but something tells me that we could be friends.

I think God is listening to my rant because it just started down pouring. I hope Mr. Pecker drowns. I pray that this is my last reference to these beasts because I am truly starting to lose my mind. I should be working but instead I am posting a diatribe about a 25-inch tall bird.

I'm the kind of guy that slows down or beeps if I see a pigeon or squirrel on the road. If I see a rooster, I'm going to floor it and hope to hear a startled, shrieking cawk followed by a dull thud.

Love is in the Air

2007-02-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen two geckos make love? We can now die saying that we have. Last weekend, we had a power outage due to a thunderstorm. These two geckos took advantage of the darkness to be intimate. This mating took place right above our heads, on the kitchen ceiling. The lights came on just long enough to get these shots. Just when we thought our lives couldn't be any more similar to a National Geographic special, Kauai strikes again. Gotta love the tropics!

View looking up from the floor:

I Played Golf for 10 Bucks

2007-02-24T15:19:00.000-05:00

If I was a good golfer, this might be the perfect story. Unfortunately, my game reminds most people of a deer in headlights. You don't know what it's doing in the road, and you know that sooner or later, an SUV is going to speed around the corner and smash it to bits. I am one of the few that can follow a birdie up with a triple-bogey.

The Driving Range is a little overpriced at $1.50 a bucket

But I digress. There is a golf course 30 minutes from our house and if you are a local, which I finally am, you can play for $10. I was fortunate enough to pass my written driver's license test the second time around so I am officially a resident of the island. I played golf at a gorgeous course on the North Shore but as always, I forgot the camera. This time I was able to remember (probably due to the fact that all of my boys begged me to stop being an idiot and take pics so they can see it on the blog) to put the camera in my bag.

The course was pretty nice, and when you factor the price in, it is Mecca. For a mere $46, you get a monthly pass that allows you to play an unlimited amount for the next 30 days. It definitely pays off to be a local. Most of the holes run along the shore so you always hear the waves break while you duff shots and miss putts. It definitely softens the pain.

My ball went through the cloud and directly into the hole for a double-eagle

I'm going to try to play here twice a week with the eventual goal to get into the 80's on a consistent basis. I'm determined to get there and am confident that even a hacker like me can do it if I play enough. It should be a fun ride.

Our New Neighbors

2007-02-20T17:42:00.000-05:00

A new couple recently moved onto the property. These bunnies were spotted yesterday living underneath a parked car outside our house. Today they had settled in to a shaded area under some vegetation on the side of the house. Clearly domesticated, they enjoy being around people and will let you feed and pet them. We suspect someone must have grown tired of caring for them as pets and let them loose to fend for themselves. Soft and cuddly, they enjoy nibbling on lettuce and other veggies. And you know what they say about rabbits? Well, it's all true. These two definitely enjoy frequent rolls in the proverbial hay.