In the meantime, we rented beach chairs and snorkel gear from the cabana outside our lenai (don't you love my tropical lingo?) K was smart and also rented a cart to tote all the beach gear in . . . we were more pack-mule style from our condo, but didn't have far to go :) Pretty nice view, right?
While I settled into my chair perched in the sand, Buck gave the boys basic instructions on how to use a snorkel mask and flippers. They planned to take a SCUBA class later in the week, and the instructor wanted everyone to have snorkel knowledge to help the class progress more smoothly. Graysen picked it up immediately and LOVED the experience. Brennen struggled a bit with getting his snorkel to stay tight and not let water in--something about the flap in the tube not staying closed in the waves. He tried a couple times to go back to the cabana for assistance. Mom brought a cool all-in-one mask that allowed for normal breathing--Buck liked that one the best, but his beard didn't make for a very water-tight seal, ha! I even gave snorkeling a try; I think I've done it before in the Bahamas or Mexico, maybe? But the odd sensation of regulated breathing was a bit hard to get used to in my *old* age. I'm not as fearless and adventurous when it comes to things like that--HOWEVER, I did enjoy getting to view all the tropical fish on the reefs. It's such a neat experience, seeing underwater. Shoot, I can barely see above water most of the time--I was sure glad I brought lots of contact lenses on this trip. I hardly ever wear them at home, so I had plenty of backstock for our Hawaiian adventures. It would have been a bummer to miss Graysen's funny flipper walk into the water!
Amazing how close they are to shore, right? That's all the further we had to go to see the fish! When Buck rejoined me on the beach, we watched an older man wade out toward Graysen. Buck couldn't figure out what the guy was doing when he kept tugging on Graysen's flipper. It turns out, there was a giant sea turtle right next to G$ and the man was trying to get his attention, so he could see it. Oh, he saw it . . . it swam right under him, and tapped him with its flipper! Graysen said it was as big as he was! What an awesome experience!
After a bit, the boys went to change into dry clothes and Lolocito joined us at the beach. While Mr. M worked to bury his cousin Graysen in the sand, we looked out towards the water and saw a snorkeling charter boat sail by . . . it was Caelan and Noah!
While Buck went to pick up the fiances, the boys headed to the food truck lot with their uncles. Then we got to decide what our next explore might entail! We chose to drive north, since C and K didn't go that way on their honeymoon. Within about 20 minutes of winding, uphill driving, we arrived at the Nakalele Blowhole. This was our first natural adventure outside of the constraints of civilized development. It was gorgeous!
The "path" was a steep lava rock landslide which led down to a "flatter" surface in which there was a hole straight down to the ocean. We arrived ahead of the other van and made it to the bottom level first. I was just about to text up to whoever had service, "Not sure this is a great hike for a five-year-old, a pregnant lady, or someone who had knee surgery and needs another." But, by that time, all three of these adventurers were on their way down the cliffside--there was no turning back. There were, however, homemade, hand-painted signs that said, "Don't get too close . . . our loved one fell in, was sucked into the lava tube, and drowned in the ocean." Uh. Okay. Buck said, "This is what national parks were like before they added safety features!" He seemed really excited about that. Me--not so much.
Caelan is at the top of the path, Noah is in the red shirt on his way down.
Here is the rest of the group catching up to us. Mom was a little unhappy about the lack of sonly assistance she got on the way down the mountain. So, at the bottom, she took a picture of the unknown couple who stayed with her the whole way--they might be her new kids now, lol :)
I know what you're thinking--but no they are NOT looking into the blowhole . . . they are looking at the cute little crab enjoying a mini splash pool, pictured below :)
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The boys saw an eruption or two of the saltwater blasting 100 feet in the air--and they were off on an explore! They headed up over the cliff to who knows where with very little mobile coverage. Oh also, most of the places we went said in the guidebook, "Don't get hurt, because it will take rescue at least two hours to get to you in these remote locations." Oh-kaaay.
See those little silhouettes on the top of the rock above the blowhole? That's the boys. And Brennen must have been taking a picture from their perspective at about the same time I took this :) (Also, none of the people in the picture are members of our party--we mostly listened and stayed on the dry rocks--it was too early in the vacation to get sucked down a lava tube).
When the boys returned, they reported being awestruck by the landscape and views they stumbled upon from their perch above. The most amazing thing they had ever seen! They were so enthusiastic about their discoveries, we decided to go back the next day (I'll save those pictures for the next post).
Since we were all together, we decided to take an altogether picture. Buck took charge of the first round, waiting for an eruption to fill our background space. Then a stranger offered to take our picture, so Buck could be in it . . . and seriously, where could the photographer go with our phone? No one can run up a lava cliff! :) I'm glad we got everyone (well, except mom's new kids) in one photo! Just teasing :) C helped mom all the way up the mountain. She did a good job navigating that very difficult terrain.
It was a beautiful drive back down the mountain to the shore. We passed the bay where Caelan and Noah snorkeled on their trip, and we saw our first mongoose! A fuzzy, yellow weasel-looking thing scurried right across the road in front of us. None of us knew there were mongeese(?)mongoosen(?) in Hawaii, but apparently, they were brought over from India to help control rats in the sugarcane fields in the early 1880s. Now they are eating things they shouldn't (like the endangered Nene bird, which we learned more about on an upcoming adventure) and hanging out in public bathrooms, which we discovered on the road to Hana.
Back at the condo, everyone headed to the pool for a refreshing evening swim--or poolside chat. It's such a nice way to end a busy, but mostly relaxing day.
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