Tunnels, Kuilau RIdge Hike and Ke'e - July 4th 2009

We started the day early to go snorkeling in Tunnels Beach. The reef was beautiful and a highlight was was one huge trumpetfish that changed color right in front of my eyes from blue-gray to blue-green. I think it just woke up and started cruising along the sandy floor. In general the reef was busy. Al these fish was heading to the same part of the reef to nibble of the coral. A very good way to spend the morning. Coming back to the beach was tricky with the very shallow reef and the low tide. This site is best at high tide.

On return, R again motivated us to go an hike - the Kuilau Ridge trial. This trail is absolutely delightful for the effort you put in. It was drizzling for most of the time on the trail and it was oh so green and varied all the way. On our return we found an interesting gecko type bug on a rock.

Today was sunset and snorkel day again. We went back to snorkel in Kee. I saw the turtle, the tiniest of eels, and HumuHumunukunukuapa'a. On our return to the car, R found a key and went back to the beach to find the owner. He was so overwhelmed that he sponsored a lot of our very expensive dinner that night at the sushi place in Hanalei. A fulfilling day indeed!

The adventure of the Wailua Falls, Kumao and Kee! July 3 2009

We couldn't believe we had gone for so many days without seeing the famed Wailua Falls. So we made it a point to make it our first stop today. The stop soon turned into a hike, when fellow visitors told us that they had done the hike safely with kids. The mention of kids completing the hike spurred us into action and we took the longer trail away from the viewpoint based on hearsay. First we went down the steep mountainface and were soon at the river. This is where the concept of the trail gets murky and G crossed the river with great difficulty and moved on to find the likes of a path. We skirted the "banks" of the river (narrow foot hold spaces between the river and the mountain). We realized there is no way but to cross the river. R and I boulder hopped and hopped ... hoping not to wet our feet all the while scolding G for abandoning us. Midway (this was a long time later) in the stream, I gave up and just waded with my shoes on. It sure was liberating. R took a different approach, left his shoes midway and waded across.

After some not so trivial bushwhacking, G called out to me. He had been diligently exploring all possible options and could guide us well towards the falls. At this point, I wondered what we had gotten ourselves into since we were the only people around. We had to cross the river again and bushwhack and boulder hop some more before we came to idyllic setting of the falls and the river running from it. There was another family who had taken the much much shorter trail that goes straight down from the viewpoint. The pool and the falls were a befitting reward for all those mental and physical challenges we faced :-) It was an obvious choice that we would take the much shorter trail back but R's shoes back midway on some boulder in the river posed an obstacle. G hiked back to get them while I got some extra pool time. It is shallow for a long time and swimming in the deeper portions in not recommended as the THE (falls) force could suck you in.

We hiked back through the much shorter, fairly steeper trail to the viewpoint and walked back on the road to the starting point only to find a note from D which said she's parked at the viewpoint. We retraced our path and had some very sweet low acid pineapple sold by a girl from a truck. Morning had slipped by us. We drove to the end of Kumao road stopping Opeaka'a falls, the Wailua river lookout and Kauai Hindu temple. We saw the Powerline Trail beginning and in general the Keahua arboretum was a nice place to stop. Wailua river lookout was also eye-popping.

We drove back to Kee beach to catch sunset. G on a whim decided to go snorkeling while R set up his gear (no pun intended - an inside joke :-)) for some very good sunset shots. Lucky G must have snorkeled for not more than half an hour and ended up seeing an octopus change color from brown to blue to gray and a turtle as well.