Hello again friends! I’m back for another #WanderlustWednesday with more adventures from our Hawaiian honeymoon. On Saturday, we got a really early start because the day was going to be filled with a kayaking excursion. It was one of the few things we planned before arriving on the island because it was high on Matt’s bucket list to go sea kayaking.
We pulled into Napali Kayak around 6 o’clock in the morning to meet up with the team. There were going to be 8 tandem kayaks, 14 kayakers, and 2 guides. The plan was to start at Haena Beach and travel 18 miles around the Nā Pali coast to Polihale Beach on the west side of the island. That’s quite the trek so we got ready and headed to the water!
Along the way, we got to explore some caves. One that we were in was difficult to capture in a photo—it was a large basin with no “ceiling” but the walls went a good 80-100 feet up from our kayaks. I asked the guide how much of that area fills in during the winter months (A.K.A. high tide), and he said the entire basin fills completely and disappears. Incredible!
For almost the entire day, we didn’t see anyone else on the water. Maybe because we were remote, but I also bet it had to do with the huge swells we were going over. I felt like we were trying to surf the waves! At one point, I thought we were coming up to some trash in the ocean, a door specifically, but as we got closer to path ways, I discovered it was a huuuge turtle! I didn’t snap a photo, but imagine a turtle as big as a door. Ta da!
For lunch, we pulled in to Miloliʻi Beach. It’s a beach that’s only accessible from the water. Our guides packed some salads, sandwiches and, most importantly, pineapple! Y’all, fresh pineapple, whether I’m in Mexico or Hawaii, is one of the most delicious things in this world. But did you know that pineapple contains an enzyme that physically attacks your tongue, cheeks, and lips? That’s why you can’t eat a ton of it before getting that fuzzy tongue feeling, which is a damn shame. After lunch, we napped under a tree on the beach for about an hour before getting back on the water.
The second half of the day had calmer waves and we saw a few tour boats out that had probably left from Polihale Beach area, which meant we were getting close to the end of our 18 miles! My arms couldn’t have been more happy. The adventure was thrilling and so fun though! And just look at the color of this water! All the heart eyes…
Once we were back on land, we piled into a van that was going to take us from one end of the highway on Kauai (at approximately the 9 o’clock placement of a clock), around the island back to the other end of the road (12 o’clock!), which was about 2 hours back. We stopped by Ishihara Market in Waimea for food, but I promptly bought pain reliever because my arms were already screaming. Then we stopped at a Russian Fort to eat and relax before making the rest of the drive home, but not before making a personal stop at The Healthy Hut some dinner. Whew! What a day.
Aloha nui loa, Shauna
Sounds exciting, adventurous and beautiful. Weren’t you a bit scared being so alone in the middle of the ocean!
We were always near our guide and group, and only flipped once. Nothing to be scared of! 😉 xoxo