Day 4- Hanalei

After a very healthy night of sleeping we started our day with our usual morning beach walk. Then I dropped Ang off at the farmers market while I checked out the Park & Ride where we would start our big hike at Ha Ene State park. I saw this guy dragging his big ass suit case and sleeping bag back towards Hannalei.  On the way back I could see he had  made little progress so I offered him a lift.  James was from Long Beach and had just finished 5 days of backpacking along the trail we were headed too.  I gave him about a 6 mile lift on the narrow and winding road to Princeville so he could catch a bus to the airport tomorrow.  He told me the trail was every bit as challenging and dangerous as it said on the internet but being from Colorado we should be okay. We shall see James.  One good deed done for the day. 

 

On our shuttle bus to Ha Ene State Park to hike up and down the coastal mountains to Hanakāpīʻai Beach & Waterfalls.  

Well, it certainly looks like the beach is dangerous.  

One of many flowers we saw today. 


The trail was truly challenging, both in steep grades and tread. 

Near the peak of our coastal hike, around 550’ we get a great views of the coast to come. 

I guess they built this little “heliport” for the folks that can’t make it back in their own steam. 🤞

We saw thousands of these trees with adaptive, above ground roots that let them maintain their foundation on +70 degree slopes found everywhere on Kaua’i. 


Angela jauntily springs down the steep grade towards our ocean front destination. 

 

Just through the palm fronds is our destination. 

Finally after almost 3 miles of steeps, rocks, mud, drop offs and creeks we make it to Hanakāpīʻai Beach and falls. It’s lovely and we rest awhile and soak our feet in the cool stream with many other like minded hikers. 

Our hike overview 

After our hike back up to the state park entrance for some reason I begin to have a craving for chicken for dinner tonight?

On our way back from the beach and falls we kept passing/getting passed by Anthony and Tanya from the mountains of British Columbia.  They had left their 4 teenage girls with their uncle and had been backpacking the Kalalua Trail that we were on.  We gave them a lift to Anini Beach where they were going to extend their camping on a different beach before heading back to BC. 2nd good deed for the day!

And some how we ended up having chicken for dinner. Ironically the chickens in our own yard were oddly absent while I grilled up these  bad boys. 

Day 3-Hanalei, Kuau’i

Up before 6 again today we took an early morning walk to explore Hanalei Bay and the the little town that inhabits it.  After 4 miles we were ready to say we had a decent grasp of this little bit of paradise. 

We took a little drive in the Charger on Hwy 560 going west which ended at Ha’ena State park, about 4 miles away.  That’s as far as you can go in a car.  Tomorrow we have a shuttle booked to take us back for a little hike further into the park. Then we explored the posh resort known as Princeville to the east, which was a little taste of “Scottsdale” like development on the island. We easily decided we’re Hanalei people and went back home. 

9:45am and I was thirsty.  I’d been up for almost 5 hours, walked 4+ miles, it was 2:45pm back home and so after much rationalization, I decided it was time for a beer. 

We spent a good part of the afternoon at the beach where we saw the continuation of the building of this driftwood structure by the local kids. They played like little seals on surfboards in the waves all afternoon.  Such a different place to grow up, where surfing takes the place of baseball or soccer.  

Some of the little seals and the big seals surf into the afternoon sun.  Mai Tai’s and dinner at Tahiti Nui and you could stick a fork in us, we were done.  

Day 2-Waikiki & Hanalei, Kaua’i

Today we fly off to Hanalei, Kuau’i but not before Angela learns that there’s rocks out there!  Her boogie board adventure was cut short with a little owey on her knee. 

We wave good bye to Waikiki from the #20 bus on our way to Daniele Inouye airport. 

After about an 90 minute delay for unknown reasons we’re finally on our 45 minute Hawaiian Airlines flight to Lihue Airport in Kaua’i.  We’re ready for a little less populated, slower pace and more vernal change. 

I guess my sweet talk to Aimee at the Hertz counter may have succeeded in me getting upgraded to this sweet red Dodge Charger from the cheapest economy car I could reserve.  Thanks Aimee, you’ll be getting a great review from me!  

It was a 30 mile, one hour drive from Lihue on then east side of Kaua’i to the north side of the island, and it was beautiful!

I wanted less populated…

And more vernal…

The bay at Hanalei….

And this is our little house on stilts in a very quiet little neighborhood in quiet and quaint little Hanalei for the next 5 nights. 

A 1/2 mile walk to “downtown” Hanalei brought us to the Northside Grill where we had a nice dinner while watching the sun set over the misty mountains of Kaua’i to the south. We’re excited to see what the next 5 days will bring. I hope my expectations aren’t too high!