Hawaii Wrap Up, Part 3: Diving





Sea turtle off Kauai

Allison and I visited the Hawaiian Islands from late January through early February.  During that visit, I made a total of 11 dives on 6 dive trips off the Big Island of Hawaii and Kauai.

Ornate butterflyfish off the Big Island

Like the islands themselves, the dive sites off the Big Island and Kauai are each wonderful but quite different.  On the Big Island I dove sites off the Kohala Coast.  The reefs in that area are characterized by dramatic lava formations heavily encrusted with colorful coral.

Swimming through a lava tube off the Big Island 

My dives on the Big Island were arranged with Kohala Divers, an excellent small dive shop located in Kawaihae Harbor.  All of the dives were made off of the M/V KOHALA DIVER, with anywhere from a few to more than a dozen other divers.

The M/V KOHALA DIVER in Kawaihae Harbor

Generally we took two dives on each trip.  We would consume one tank diving at a site, return to the boat for a "surface interval" of approximately one hour, then finish the trip with a second dive at another site.  The only exception was my first day of diving when heavy swells, high wind and low underwater visibility led the dive master to call off our second dive.

Preparing for a dive on board the M/V KOHALA DIVER

A real treat on both the Big Island and Kauai was the opportunity to observe migrating humpback whales from the dive boats.

Breaching humpback whale off the Big Island

Our dive masters were very familiar with the marine life at the various dive sites, pointing out many beautiful and unusual fish and other organisms.

Spotted moray eel off the Big Island

Hawaii's endemic marine species are a major attraction for divers; more than 20% of the fish species seen in Hawaii are found nowhere else in the world.



Raccoon butterflyfish off the Big Island

On Kauai I dove with Seasport Divers, a popular dive shop based in Poipu on the island's south side.  We dove off Seasport's boat the M/V ANELA KAI ("Sea Angel"). 



Sheraton Caverns off Kauai

Like the Big Island, Kauai's dive sites are populated by a wide variety of marine species.  However, there were some noticeable differences between the two islands. 

 

Sheraton Caverns off Kauai

Kauai also has reefs composed of lava formations, but there is less coral on Kauai's south side.  Instead, the sites in that area are characterized by jumbled boulders and complicated structures such as caverns, tunnels and canyons.

Sea turtle off Kauai

Sea turtles seem to find these structures irresistible, and we saw many on our dives off Kauai.  Often we would find large sea turtles sleeping in crevices among the boulders and caverns.  



Sheraton Caverns off Kauai

Like the sea turtles, divers also find these structures irresistible!  With all of their hidden nooks and crannies filled with fish, turtles and other marine life, the dive sites off Kauai were a wonderful underwater playground.



Y'all come back real soon!



South and Middle Carter Mountains in New Hampshire



Peter approaching Middle Carter

On March 16 I hiked in New Hampshire's Carter Range with Peter, a friend and former colleague.  We reached the summits of South and Middle Carter, two peaks in the White Mountain National Forest.


Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness from Middle Carter

The weather was surprisingly cold for the last week of winter, with single digit temperatures and fresh powder snow on the ridgeline.  But the sky was mostly clear and blue, with excellent views of nearby Mount Washington and Maine's Evans Notch region.


View of Mount Washington from Middle Carter

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Hawaii Wrap Up, Part 2: Kauai



Kauai's north side, Hanalei Bay in background

Allison and I visited the Hawaiian Islands from late January through early February.  After a week on the Big Island of Hawaii, we finished our trip with five days on Kauai.

Opaekaa Falls

Flowers on Kauai's north side

Kauai is sometimes known as the Garden Island because it is verdant and densely grown with flowers, crops and jungle foliage.  Its landscape is mountainous, with many rocky pinnacles, steep valleys and waterfalls, although the mountains are not nearly as high as the Big Island’s Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Hibiscus

Hanalei River and Taro Paddies

The atmosphere on Kauai is very laid back.  Tourism is an important industry, of course, but the resorts tend to be smaller and lower key than those on some of the other Hawaiian Islands.  Agriculture is also important; fruits, vegetables and other crops are widely planted on the island, and feral chickens and roosters seem to be running loose everywhere! 

Feral Rooster

Horse pasture and mountain pinnacles north of Kapaa

We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard at Coconut Beach in Kapaa, on Kauai’s east side.  Kapaa was a convenient base for us, with plenty of restaurants and stores and ready access to attractions like Kauai’s beautiful north shore and dive sites on the island’s south side.

Marriott Courtyard at Coconut Beach



Wainiha Bay on Kauai's north side

The north shore has the appearance of a quintessential south sea island.  This is particularly true of Hanalei Beach, a perfect crescent of white sand with surf constantly breaking offshore.

Hanalei Beach

While walking on Hanalei Beach, we happened upon a youth surfing contest featuring teenage boys and girls demonstrating their skill in riding the rough surf.

Surfing Contest at Hanalei Bay
(click here for video)

At Hanalei Bay, Allison and I indulged in Hawaii’s ubiquitous and popular frozen treat: shaved ice.

Shaved Ice

Near Hanalei Bay is Kilauea Point Lighthouse, perched dramatically on Kauai’s northernmost point of land.

Kilauea Point Lighthouse

Our longtime friend Fred visits Kauai’s north shore every year, and we met and spent some time with him while we were on the island.  We visited the Kilohana Plantation with him, sampling the Koloa Rum distilled at this old sugar cane plantation.

Allison and Fred sampling Koloa Rum at the Kilohana Plantation



Tiki carvers at the Kilohana Plantation
(click here for video)

We also admired the handiwork of two tiki carvers who were displaying their craft at the plantation.  I had been seeking a tiki statuette for my small collection of indigenous figures, and this was the perfect place to get it!

The Wailua River

Allison and I took a boat tour up the Wailua River to see the lush Fern Grotto, a traditional location for island weddings.  On the boat and at the grotto we were treated to a lovely show of Hawaiian music and dance, including (appropriately) the Hawaiian Wedding Song.

The Fern Grotto



The Hawaiian Wedding Song performed at the Fern Grotto

I spent two mornings diving with Seasport Divers, at dive sites off Poipu on Kauai’s south side.  While Kauai’s reefs are not as colorful as those on the Big Island of Hawaii, they have dramatic bottom structure and are populated by a wide variety of sea creatures both large and small.  As on the Big Island, I saw numerous humpback whales from the dive boat.

Sea turtle off Poipu

One morning while I was diving, Allison and Fred visited several points of interest on Kauai’s southwest side.  These included an unusual beach comprised of tiny fragments of sea glass from bottles disposed of in the sea by a defunct glass factory, and also an old overgrown Japanese cemetery.

Sea Glass Beach

Japanese cemetery

For our final day on Kauai, we took an extended driving tour of the island’s west side.  First we drove to the top of the Waimea Canyon Road where a trail leads to Waialeale, one of the wettest spots on earth.  Predictably, it was raining when we got there!

The Waialeale Trail



Kalalau Valley from the Waimea Canyon Road

As we drove back down the Waimea Canyon Road, the weather became drier and clearer and we stopped at a series of viewpoints overlooking the Kalalau Valley and Waimea Canyon.  These land features are so spectacular and unusual that they have served as the locations for many films, including King Kong (the 1976 version) and Jurassic Park.

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon

After returning to the coastline, we drove past the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility and down a long, rutted dirt road to Polihale State Park.  The beautiful, remote beach at the end of the road is the westernmost publicly accessible area in Hawaii.

Polihale Beach

Sadly, our wonderful visit to Hawaii was drawing to a close.  But we were satisfied that we had seen and done so much, and know that our memories of the trip will last a lifetime.   

Sunset on the Napali Coast from End of the Road Beach

Summits and Shelters in the Northern Presidential Range



Mount Madison (left) and Mount Adams (right)

On March 11 and 12, I took a two day winter hiking trip in the northern Presidential Range of New Hampshire's White Mountains.  I reached two peaks (Mount Adams and Mount Madison), and visited several shelters.

Cold Brook Falls, off the Amphibrach Trail

The first day of my trip was graced with delightful weather: clear skies, great views and moderate temperatures.  I took advantage of these conditions by hiking a somewhat roundabout route and "stopping to smell the flowers" wherever I could find a trailside viewpoint or interesting attraction.

Mount Madison (left), King Ravine (center) and Mount Adams (upper right) from Crag Camp

I stopped for a leisurely lunch at Crag Camp, a shelter operated by the Randolph Mountain Club (of which I am a longtime member).  Crag Camp is situated in a spectacular location, on the edge of King Ravine overlooking the summits of Mount Madison and Mount Adams.


Crag Camp interior

After lunch I hiked a short distance to nearby Gray Knob cabin, another Randolph Mountain Club shelter where I spent the night.  Although Gray Knob does not enjoy views comparable to those from Crag Camp, it is insulated, more sheltered and has a wood stove and caretaker; therefore, it is a cozier place to spend a winter night.


Gray Knob Interior

That evening, I wandered the area around Gray Knob enjoying the views of Mount Jefferson, the Franconia Range and Vermont to the west of Mount Adams.


Mount Jefferson from Gray Knob

In the morning, I got an early start for my climb to the summits of Mount Adams and Mount Madison.  The weather was very unpleasant: steady rain and 50-70 mph winds.  Despite these challenges I persevered over the summit of Mount Adams, down to the Madison Spring Hut for a quick break, then up to the summit of Mount Madison.  The Madison Spring Hut is operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club, but it is closed in the winter so I took my break in an outside corner on the hut's leeward side.  


Mount Madison and the Madison Spring Hut from the Gulfside Trail on Mount Adams

After descending via a sheltered valley trail, I was very happy to peel off my wet clothes and blast the heat in my car on the ride home!