Kauai day 6 - Kalaulau trail part 2

Are you ready for this? TONS of pictures!!!

So it's wet and drizzly, and we are on our way up the Kalaulau trail!



The trail is muddy with slippery rocks...



But it sure is BEAUTIFUL!!!



Cheryl and Chris on the top of the world!



The further we go the more spectacular it gets...





Here's Chris doing a Totoro impression... Poor Chris didn't have a hat, so the rain really got to him. It's like the Chinese water torture.



More slippin' and slidin' on the rocks...







And slippery mud...



This picture was more spectacular in person. We are standing on a cliff. This is one of the places where a helicopter can land to pickup stranded hikers.



Orchids growing right along side the trail:



The intrepid hikers!



Is this it? Is this the river where we are supposed to turn around?



There are lots of people crossing here, and the group of locals who told us to turn around at the river aren't here.



I guess we continue on...



Are we worried yet? The warning says 83 people have died on this beach. Keenan said the last time that he was here the sign was only up to 14.



Oh, there's the RIVER!



Can you see one of the people stranded on the other side?



On our way back, it started to rain seriously!



No more hikers allowed.



Chris was the first one in our group to get back to the trail head. He talked to a ranger and told him that there were four people stranded on the other side of the river. The ranger said that it happens every time it rains, and that they'd send a helicopter out to pick them up. There were 32 people in all!



So why are we in bathing suits in the rain? Because those are the only dry clothes that we had, haha!



ALOHA!

Kauai day 6 - Kalaulau trail part 1

Today's little adventure will be along the Kalaulau trail leaving from Haena. We have no idea how long it will take us to hike the trail, so we left very very early. So early that the lighthouse wasn't open when we reached Kilauea... oh, and it was also raining...



We also hit some of the other sites on the way North... The Dry Cave...



The wet cave...



And finally drizzly Haena...



Here's where we are and where we are going.



Our plan is to hike only as far as the Hanakapiai Falls



Hmmm... is this a good idea in the rain? Haha!



Actually, we spoke to some locals who told us that we would be fine as long as we don't cross the river. hmmm... what river? I guess we'll know it when we see it....

Ready or not, here we come!



To be continued!
ALOHA!

Kauai day 5 - Grandma and Papa go home

Oh, it's a sad day Grandma and Papa are leaving tonight...

But before that, the kiddos have a six hour snorkle tour of the North shore.



They are all loaded up...



And there they GO!



In the meantime, us old folks head out for a picnic at Salt Pond.



Papa managed to get himself wet without Cheryl's help ;0D



Checkout this BEAUTIFUL day,... wait until you see tomorrow, haha!





Then it's back to Grandma K's house to hang out and wait for the kiddos... I think Kai wants to go home with Grandma and Papa...



Or maybe he's just up to mischief...



Then we head back to the Small Boat Harbor and sit next to the mutant ducks, waiting for the kids to get back.



They're back! There are big waves coming in from the south, but since they headed to the north, they had a pretty smooth ride. They saw turtles, dolphins and whales; went on a picnic and a stroll to an ancient Hawaiian fishing village; and of course snorkling!



That's the end of day 5! ALOHA!

Kauai day 4 part 2 - post Sleeping Giant

After the hike, Jim is pulling a Sleeping Giant imitation on our balcony (and sun burning his feet).



We left Jim on the balcony and Chris hanging out in the room...



Cheryl and I headed out to the Poipu tide pools.



There are some good sized fish in there



And a couple of cuddling sea cucumbers



Afterwards we headed out for a real nice dinner at "The Wrangler" in Waimea with the family. Where we had a great dinner and even greater dessert.



ALOHA!

Kauai day 4, part 1 - The Sleeping Giant

Today, we took one of the trails that I've always wanted to try... up to the top of the Sleeping Giant! Only 4 miles round trip!

You can see the head of the Giant up in the distance:



And away we go...



... and go...



... and go!



Very soon we are up above Wailua!



Here's a great view of the river mouth.



Then we are up to the top of his sternum.



End of the trail? But, we haven't reached the head yet!



We wait on the neck:



While the kids head to the head:





A couple of views from the top... Makai - side:



and mauka - side:



Our day isn't over yet... more to come!