10 January: Well thanks to a flight change by United Airlines in October our flight itinerary from Portland, Oregon to Kahului, Maui got a bit jumbled up with a much earlier initial departure (7 am rather than 9:30 am) from Portland with a layover that was 1 hour longer in San Francisco (rather than Los Angeles) and a 1.5 hour longer layover in Honolulu. Coupled with our early 3:30 am wake up and 4:15 am departure from White Salmon, Washington this made for a long tiring day, particularly for the kids. We made the best of the situation however, here are a couple of pics of the girl's going crazy on the entertaining people mover belts at San Francisco airport.
And then onto the mystifying smoke (dry ice) emanating from the underworld portal near our departure gate at San Francisco Airport.
After the 5.5 hour flight from SFO to HNL, the girl's had a lot of energy. Frankie got a blue hard carry-on suitcase for a Christmas present, which served as an excellent run-hop on-ride device through the corridors of Honolulu Airport.
We spent a couple of hours chilling out in a pub-restaurant as energy levels of the kids (and us) rapidly diminished waiting for our connecting flight to Maui. Sammy pretty much crashed (with sickness at this point) allowing Robsie to fashion his hair any manner she desired. People 'Elvis has entered the building!' (Sam would like to think its Neymar Jr, the Brasillian striker for FC Barcelona and the Brasil National Team).
11 January: Much to our dismay, Sam completely crashed out today needing a full day of lying in bed to recoup from a fever. Robsie took the girls to Hookipa Beach (world famous northshore Maui surf spot) to check out the surfers in the afternoon. Here are a couple of pics of the girls playing in some rock pools that were safe enough for a dip from the rather high wave climate just beyond the protective rock reef.
12 January: OK, one day of lounging is enough so sickness or not we were off to check out the western portion of the island. Our destination was Napili which is a 1+ hour drive (45 miles) on the western end of Maui. We ended up at Kapalau Beach, which was a nice spot one bay over from Napili, but a bit resort-y for our tastes. Nonetheless we had a great time even though Sam was still sickly and Frankie finally fell in a heap as well... However, Luca kept on charging (aka the Energizer Bunny). Here are the crew getting ready for their initial dip into the azure blue waters.
Sam looking on as Robsie and Luca frolic in the water with Molokai in the background wishing if he were only a little bit better...
Luca and Robsie contemplating on the shoreline if that green turtle had just gotten a bit closer they could have touched it...
Luca wondering why everyone else is not as energetic as she is!
We then took the 2 hour route along highway 340 along the northern shore of West Maui. This road was spectacular, narrow, harrowing with many 1 lane dodgy segments. Amazing vistas, but we pretty much just trudged on directly back to the house as the kids were not happy being in the car (Sam and Frankie in particular and rightly so...), so unfortunately no photographic evidence of this amazing drive. Highly recommend it if you happen to be on the island!
13 January: The morning of the 13th had Sam back to normal and Frankie nearly so, but best to have an easy day. So off to the beach we go, this time to southern Maui to find a wide beach and easy swimming conditions, namely a beach in lazy Kihei. Prior to going, Robin went out to get some supplies and stopped at Hookipa Beach to check out some surfers. Here's a pic.
It was then off to the southern Maui city of Kihei where we found a nice mellow beach with shade. Here's Sammy and I getting re-acquainted with our bit-bat ball game we played so much in Spain.
Sam catching a small shorebreak wave...
Frankie surfing on my back...
Frankie taking in the view across the Lahaina Waters over to the island of Lanai.
Robsie with a beach pose as a nudy rudie Luca walks out to her and Sam keen to catch another shore break...
After having lunch in Kihei we headed off to the Maui Ocean Center aquarium. Great aquarium similar to AQWA in Perth, but substantially newer and solely dedicated to the sub-tropical fish of the Hawaiian isles.
After cruising through the aquarium bits we messed around with the touch pools, Frankie and Sam were game, but we could not get Luca across the line to handle the critters...
Our final activity was to use the fine green lawns of the aquarium grounds to practice gymnastics and yoga, why not...
14 January: Today our day's activity was to take the road to Hana (colloquially known as the R2H), the major town on the east side of the island (population 1750 at the last census), considered by many to be one of the world's great drives. So it was an early start...
The pics here do not do the drive justice, as there were many panoramic views. The kids were keen for long stops and not short photo stops... So we planned three breaks, his the first of the three at Waikamoi Nature Trail. We tried to be quiet, as was expected, but alas it was not possible!!!
This walking trail in the Koolau Forest Reserve was mega-thick with vegetation owing to the 100+ inches of rainfall per year. Here's a pic on the ridge portion of the trail of the gang.
A plethora of non-native bamboo also thrived in the Reserve...
And a great shot by Robsie of the thick canopy that covered the steep slopes. Note the red flowering trees in the lower centre of the pic.
Our next stop was Honomanu Beach Park, which had a wonderful stream entering the bay and an awesome vista up the canyon.
Honomanu Bay was very picturesque, here is Robsie and Luca doing some beach combing...
Can never keep the Aussies out of the surf for long, here is Robsie assisting Sam in catching a bit of white wash in the cobble strewn waters...
Which was sufficient for a bit of ride...
Last planned stop before Hana was Wainanapanapa State Park. First thing we found was this awesome lava tube. Here are (left to right) Luca, Frankie, Robsie and Sam doing he silhouette thing at the cave end on the ocean side...
And here's the entrance...
Then off to the black sand beach to do a bit of frolicking in this 'dump special' shore break when a set comes through... Didn't get any shots when sets were coming through as Robsie was attentive at shoreline on Lifeguard duty as the kids bobbed around like corks and dutifully dived underneath waves when pleaded to do so...
Robsie and Sam went out to the southern point of the bay, here's a pic of Sam checking out the natural bridge in the middle right of the picture.
And a couple of shots by Robsie from the headland looking back at the black sand beach.
And a pic of Robsie and Sam upon their return from their excursion!
We had a late lunch at a great Thai restaurant (cheap!) in Hana then high-tailed it back down the R2H to Haiku. We spent the sunset at Hookipa Beach between Haiku (town of our accommodation) and Paia to check out some surfing action. Great way to end a great day!
15 January: Today we decided to make it another beach day. After arranging for surf lessons for the kids, and SUP board lessons for the middle-aged folks, we headed down to Makena Beach south of Kihei and Wailea. This is the best beach on Maui I reckon for swimming and general beach play under the low swell conditions we encountered. Here's a pic of Lanai Island on the left, the nearly submerged half crater of Molikini on the right, and on the other side of the point at the immediate right is where a kayaker got taken by a big shark about a month ago (don't tell the kids, but apparently we was dragging fish and had his feet over the side... according to a local fisherman we talked to...).
Good fun in the water and a spectacular red lava flow cliff in the background.
As well as the massive Hakeakala Volcano in the background...
At this time of year about half of the 20,000 humpback whales in the Pacific Ocean come to Hawaii to do their calving thing... Man the place is going off with whale breaches, fin slaps, blowhole spouts, you name the whale thing and it's happening here, and easily observable from shore. Here's a pic of a fluke of a whale with the telephoto with the gullies of Molokai in the background.
Whilst Robsie and I were entranced with the whale action for say about an hour, the kids (being kids) found other activities. Sam decided to bury himself in the sand while Mom-n-Dad looked at those boring ole whales...
After Makena Beach we went to a not so good Mexican restaurant called Fred's in Kihei. However it did have a great poke head through thingy-me-bob that made for a good photo opportunity!
After lunch I convinced everyone that Iao State Park in the mountains of West Maui was a good option as a strong-ish seabreeze set in... We weren't disappointed. Here's a pic of Kuka‘emoku (Iao Needle), an erosional feature which abruptly rises 1200 feet from the valley floor.
Sam contemplating the 'Yosemite Valley' of the Pacific from a fantastic vantage point...
Me explaining to Sam the likely route up 'The Needle' that the Maui people probably used to take advantage of its lookout properties in times bygone...
A magnificent stream runs down the valley. We went off the trail and hiked up a half km or so and came across a suitable swimming hole. Here's Frankie making her way to it...
Sam and Frankie made it to the bottom of the pool, and were happy about it!
Here's me assisting Luca to get up there as well...
Luca wasn't keen for a dip in the rather coolish waters of the stream, so she was directed and perched on a suitable location to watch the immersion activities...
Sam, Frankie and I got up to the start of the pool (here in this pic), and then had a fantastic, refreshing, and cooling swim down it! Great stuff!
A pic from Paia of Haleakala Volcano, a massive shield volcano that comprises ca. 75% of Maui, the entire eastern lobe of the island.
And Luca checking out the day's pics on the camera at Flatbread Pizza in Paia, northshore of Maui...
16 January: Today we headed over to Kihei for the kids to have surfing lessons. Further, Robsie and I split a SUP board lesson. Very mellow break with knee high sets which was perfect for us daredevils. Kids all got up immediately, and their instructor Carlos was suitably impressed! Notice Sam's 'Shaka' (hang loose hand position) while riding the wave as instructed by Carlos in this pic.
Frankie also readily rode a number of waves.
And Sam and Frankie also road double on the same board!
And individually on the same wave!
Luca also got into the action catching a number of waves, here's a time lapse series of her first wave.
Robsie caught a number of waves and definitely had better balance on the SUP than me as readily illustrated in the next couple of pics.
The ultimate goal for Robsie and I is to SUP like Brandon (our instructor) who did a bit of show boating with various yoga poses while we paddled back out after riding a wave in!
What a great week in Maui, we had a fantastic time! Back to the abode in Haiku to pack and get ready for an early 530 am start the next morning o get over to the west side of the island (1 hr) to catch the 715 am ferry to Molokai!
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