Catamaran & Snorkeling Trip

*sigh* I know now what I want to do when I retire. My dream part-time, for-fun job would be to move here to Kaua'i with Erin and get a job working for a company doing catamaran excursions. It's not just the fun of the snorkeling and the fish watching but just being on the boat.


We got to see a bunch of dolphins. These are not normally the kind that jump around a lot, but they did for us (of course, wasn't able to get any on film). They really like to join up with the catamaran and turn over and swim right under a hull, so they can get their bellies rubbed. One of them even wanted to surf the surge from catamaran. The video below is one of them swimming into position to do a surf--it kept up with the catamaran up to 16 knots. Amazing.


We sailed to the Na Pali Coast (sound familiar?) and got to see the other end of it from the sea. Incredible. I had to agree with Erin that her new mountains are also amazingly beautiful. This is where they did some filming for the King Kong movies.





Sienna, Erin, and I went snorkeling and swam with fishies, a shark, and a turtle. Amazing. When Sienna got too cold, she returned to the boat and took this picture of Erin and me in the water. Isn't the color beautiful?

Na Pali Coast

Today we visited the Na Pali Coast. Erin and Spencer hadn't been there before yet either, though they have friends who have raved about it. There are some falls that are on a four-mile hike. Little Madelyn wasn't up to it (and to be honest now that we're home I'm finding out that this old lady wasn't either), so we only went a mile up and a mile back. It was an incredible (woefully inadequate word, by the way) hike, and my bad ankle did great (which bodes well to starting up Karate again when I get back). Following are some pictures.

Getting ready for the hike


A lava tube cave






Look at the color of the water. *sigh*


This is one of the most famous views of this particular coastline.




There's a beautiful beach near the trailhead, so we stopped and got refreshed in the water. This is where I was too lazy to put my sneakers back on and burned my feet on the freaking hot sand. Ouch. Unlike Aidan, I didn't have a mommy to carry me. =D


The view from the beach


When Spencer was returning from a life flight run, he saw Johnny Depp arriving. They are doing filming for the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie here, so we'll have some fabulous scenery to watch in the film.

More Sightseeing

This afternoon we went to see the Kilauea Lighthouse






Some of the sites on the way back:




Erin's home now. Woot!

The First Return

Spence returned from the Youth Conference he was attending and we all did some more sightseeing.

These are at the Menehuna Fish Pond:



Wailua Falls


Lydgate Beach and Park

Kids at Play

The kids went across the street to a garage sale and bought a few items. I got them some books.


Sienna wanted to do a dance, and then got the idea to do a play. She titled it Wizard of Oz Remix, but Toto/Winn Dixie (Aidan) rebelled.


But it finally happened:


You can't have a movie-making session without something Star Wars related:

First Day on Kaua'i

My plane got in 35 minutes early, but Erin wasn't far from the airport and was there before I had my luggage. She sent the kids to greet me since the security guy wouldn't let her park the car there even though she could see me. Aidan and Sienna each gave me a lei (LOVE those, btw). We went to their home, and when Spencer got back from a flight (he's a life flight nurse) that he was filling in for someone on, we went to the beach.


Me and Madelyn


Erin's sweet family


At the beach


Madelyn



At dinner afterward

Did I mention that it's beautiful here? My only problem with it is the heaviness of the air. Utah is a really dry state, and I find it harder to breathe this moisture-laden air. But I'm getting used to it.

Oh, and they have something here called Shave Ice. I've seen little stands in Orem, but I don't know if it's really the same thing. This was a little hole in the wall place that Erin and Spencer say is the best. There are only three words to describe it. OH. MY. HECK. At the bottom of mine was macadamia nut ice cream.

I figure I can just die now.

Visit to Clovis

We are spending Memorial Day weekend with Ed's brother and his family.


Carolynn and Carole


Ed and Richard


Kay