Adventure day

Today was a day of trekking since Brian and Jennifer have never been to Maui. Jennifer is awesome in researching 'things to do' so she had a list set up and we started checking them off. First we hit the 'Iao Needle since it's a quick visit. Up beyond downtown, the 'Iao Valley National Park is the site of a famous battle in Maui's history. Take Hwy 32 West out of Wailuku to Hwy 320 which leads straight to the park.

There are simple hikes among beautiful plants and trees and a short uphill hike to where you can view the 'Iao Needle. There is the possibility that the weather may be a little cooler and wetter up there than the rest of the island so bring a light jacket just in case.

We took a little side trip into Paia where there's a great little restaurant called the Paia Fish Market. Good, cheap grub and the place just has a few bench tables set up and you order at the counter. The town itself is also great to walk around in, with plenty of little stores to stroll through and purchase a picnic lunch before heading up to Hana if you're headed that way.

Our next brief stop continuing around the island was Kahakuloa Head, a huge 636 foot high hill jutting out above the ocean. Someone actually set up a lawn chair up there so it must be a special 'thinking spot'. In the process of stopping there we almost damaged our rental car driving through the precarious area off the side of the road. Fortunately, all the bumpers are still attached.




Further down the road is the village of Kahakuloa. We stopped into Julia's, a little green hut on stilts, which makes some of the best banana bread around as well as coconut candy. But get there early as they can sell out of their small batches of coconut candy quickly. We did not get there early. =(

Next stop... Olivine Pools! This requires a little bit of a hike down the mountain in order to reach the pools. Bring your swimsuit because you can swim in a large swimming hole that is occasionally refreshed by the ocean water and warmed by the sun. It is also protected by a rock wall which keeps most of the huge waves out. When we first arrived, there was a couple sunning and swimming in the largest pool. The guy made my heart stop when he climbed the rocks to dive in since it seemed way too shallow to dive in. But it's actually quite deep.
Our biggest adventure of the day was when we scaled the rock wall to the right. It's a wide wall of lava rock where you have an incredible view of the lively ocean waves crashing against the cliffs. There are some potentially spectacular shots to be taken if you are patient and keep an eye on the water. On this particular day it was a little breezy but perfectly clear. All four of us were atop the wall along with another couple closer to the cliffs, all watching the huge waves cresting and exploding on the rocks. A couple seemed to get a little bigger while we were enjoying the view, enough for my husband to say, "We're ready to go, right?"


Right. We moved just 30 seconds too late. An unusually large wave climbed high enough to crash on TOP of the wall instead of beside it. My husband and I tried to run back toward Brian and Jennifer who were closer to the cliffs then braced for impact. The wave hit my back and actually moved my feet under me so that I bumped into my husband but fortunately, did not knock anyone over. However, we were soaked head to toe. Our next concern was any electronics on us, like an expensive camera and all cell phones. So, laughing and wet, we made our way back to our car to dry off , change, and assess damages. Fortunately, everything was salvaged though there was mild damage to my handheld camera. Our lesson for the day: NEVER underestimate mother nature.

After that excitement, we visited the Nakelele blowhole. We didn't feel the need to get near another spray of water so we viewed this from up on the hill. Again, if you want to get up close, you will need to do a little hike down the slope. Make sure you have either a jacket to protect from the water or a towel to dry off with later. If you stick around for a little bit you'll get to see how high the water can shoot into the air.

We decided after the day's adventure that we deserved a happy hour cocktail so we stopped into Ka'anapali's Whaler's Village and pulled up a few chairs at Leilani's on the Beach. It's a chill restaurant on the shore, open air seating and a large bar to get drinks and munchies. Afterwards, you can wander through the various shops and even catch a performance by a local hula school in the center of the mall. The keiki are the cutest things in their little grass skirts.

After that, we wandered down the beach to the shore of the Sheraton, where at sunset, there is a traditional cliff diving ceremony. A man, reenacting the journey of the last chief of Maui, climbs the Black Rock with a trail of torches lighting his way. A conch shell sounds his arrival, he throws his lei into the water, and dives in. It's pretty impressive. It was a great way to end our day.