September 4-8, 1987

September 4-8, 1987

Hawaii has lots of islands and I want to see them all, so Aimee and I pack our bags and take a very short Hawaiian Airlines flight to Kauai. Our accommodations are at the Hilton Hotel on the east side outside Lihue. It is immediately apparent that this island is a marked contrast to Oahu. It is significantly less populated and considerably lusher. We begin our exploration of Kauai by driving up the coast to the north end of the island stopping at Hanalei Bay. Hanalei is famous for being the filming location for the movie South Pacific. The road ends at the rugged Na Pali coast. From here to go any further, we either have to hike or swim. We opt for a Zodiac boat tour tomorrow morning. In the meantime we head back to Lihue and drive up the Wailua River Valley stopping to admire Opeakaa Falls.

The next day we take our tour of the Na Pali coast. It is so cool! A Zodiac is a horseshoe shaped motorized rubber raft that you see the military using in movies. All of us tourists are straddling the sides of this giant inner tube. The boat takes us on a wet ride along a very rugged sheer green sea cliff. I guess the constant southeast wave action of the ocean has eroded the northwest shoreline till only tall sea cliffs remain. I am told the island of Molokai’s Na Pali coastline has the highest sea cliffs in the world. We snorkel around a shallow beach area at the end of the trip.

This Hawaiian trip is one big personal fantasy tour for me. I have never been in a helicopter before so next we sign up for a helo tour of the island. It is awesome. Words can’t describe the scenery of Kauai. Imagine a tall volcanic island with the world’s wettest spot in the center. The rain turns the island green, carves canyons into the mountain, and then cascades in spectacular waterfalls down to the sea. There is probably no better place to take a helicopter tour. The flight takes us over numerous tall waterfalls accessible only by air, and inside spectacular Waimea Canyon. We shoot over the crest of the Na Pali sea cliffs so fast that it feels like the bottom of the chopper fell out.

The highlight of the flight is flying into the crater of Mt Waialeale, the highest point in Kauai and the wettest spot on the earth. It is like a sheer green half-cylinder 3000 feet tall, and we get in close. We got sooo close to the crater wall I was sure the blades were going to hit. I become enamored with Waialeale during the flight and for the rest of trip I look for ways to get close. Unfortunately the island’s jungle interior seems inaccessible without a lot of hiking.

In the afternoon we drive up through Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, stopping at several overlooks. Unlike the Arizona version this one is pretty lush with lots of color. Continuing our drive thru up the canyon, the road enters Kokee State Park. There we stop and hike a short trail that ends up overlooking the Kalalau Valley on the Na Pali coastline.

Since Kauai has the wettest spot on the earth, it is natural to have lots of wonderful waterfalls. We saw several near our hotel. Besides Opeakaa, we drove right up next to Wailua Falls. Wailua is the double-strand star of the TV show, “Fantasy Island”.

I wanted to walk down and swim in the pool at the base of the waterfall. Aimee refused. She never heard of going off the road or sidewalk. It must be against the rules! After much cajoling (or fear she might lose her new husband) she follows me down the slick dirt slope. I take my shoes off and wade in the pool below. Aimee won’t do it and just watches (I am sure she is expecting the waterfall police to show up any minute). She has a lot to learn about taking vacations with me.