Poking Around

Laura went for a walk on the beach and then we had some of this pile of tropical fruit for breakfast, plus some scrambled duck eggs.

The sunrise to start the day. (LC)

We did not rush out of the house and by the time we were ready to go, it was hot and sunny. We are on the dry side of the island so it will probably never rain here, which feels so unusual. We headed up to Waimea Canyon, stopped at the lookouts, continued up to the Kalalau Lookout.

Waimea Caynon. The "Grand Canyon of the Pacific," but not a quote from Mark Twain. (LC)

We got lucky -- it was clear for a moment (in the middle of the day it is usually all socked in with clouds, at that elevation of about 5000 feet and so close to the wettest spot on the planet) and the view was spectacular.

Of course looking down over that remote beach reminded us of our big hike over 30 years ago, back when we could carry a pack and do one of the most famous and challenging hikes on this island. At the time I probably didn't understand what we were taking on, which is good, but we made it and it was the hike of a lifetime. Most memorable was how wet it was (rained all the time), how our boots were wet the whole time because the trails had running water rushing down them and how mangled the bushes and trees were because we came in right after a historic hurricane that closed everything down for a month. But we were young and strong and probably foolish. It was a romantic thing to accomplish: I just read that it was a total of 5000 feet of elevation that we climbed and it was about a 24 mile round trip. When we camped, we tried to dry everything out but as I remember that didn't really happen. The ocean views were memorable, and the waterfalls and giant ferns in the valleys were just as dramatic. Now we just have to drive to lookouts and look out. Ah well.

Kalalau valley and beach, the end point of the Kalalau trail. (LC)

Laura and Jon did one small hike on the way back down from the lookouts -- I walked in with them for about 5 minutes so I could see what I was missing and then I went back to get the car so I could meet them at the other end. The other end of the trail was unmarked so I had to drive back and forth, trying to guess where they might emerge from the bushes. No cell service, but we did have a backup plan if necessary. No worries. When we met up again, Jon had a shirt full of tiny guavas. Laura said she had already eaten 50 of them.

A banana poka blossom. (LC)

We came back down off the ridge (Jon remembered the mountain roads we were on a year ago in Spain, the switchbacks and valleys were similar but the scenery was entirely different) and went to a little open air crafts market and bought trinkets. Laura buys something small everywhere we go.

Lunch on the Salt Pond Beach, advertised to be safe and calm. It was safe -- has a breakwater like Ala Moana -- but lots more choppy surf. Not the sort of water you just float in. We played in the water and then we just lounged on the beach forever since it wasn't sunny.

Picnic in a pavilion on the beach.

Safe but choppy water. (LC)

 We had a Kauai sourced dinner: the pasture-raised beef became hamburgers on the grill, a great salad from the farmers market vegetables, and roasted beets and carrots and Japanese sweet potatoes (from Molokai, oh well). We even ate the beet greens, like dutiful CSA customers. We ate dinner outside on our little lanai and watched the full moon come up.

I mean, really.

The sunset to end the day. (LC)

It wasn't really a day worth reporting, but since those two are taking pictures I needed to provide them with a little background chatter. I think I am finally in this time zone because I read my book until 11 PM without falling off my chair.