2011-FEb. 23: Lawai, Shipwreck Rock, Moir Gardens
Looked like it was going to be a gorgeous day. So we decided to
head south again. We headed straight to Lawai beach and into the ocean.
Here's
the usual managerie of fish greeting every new entry in hopes of a
treat. We never feed them, but many people do, so they are not afraid of
humans at all.
Lawai
is noted for it's many "cleaning stations", as well as the best place
to find turtles. At this particular cleaning station, an unusual goat
fish showed up for a cleaning. I've never seen any of these blue
goatfish before.
Also don't remember seeing these Black stripe Hawkfish before either, but saw a few of them at Lawai this year.
a file fish
the not so common saddle butterflyfish along with a rock mover wrasse
male bird wrasse
christmas wrasse
black triggerfish
we can almost always find turtles here.
female redlip parrotfish
blue stripe snapper
orange bar surgeonfish
general wide view at Lawai
After
a couple hours snorkeling, we started hearing thunder. Then came the
lightening, so we got out. Everyone else in the water also got out. Then
a tour group actually entered---lightening and all! They were probably
a group from the cruise ship trying to enjoy their one day on Kauai.
The
rain quickly followed. Hoping to wait out the rain, we decided to hang
around the south shore awhile. So to kill time, I happily wandered
through another garden---the free Moir orchid and cactus garden at
Kiahuna Plantation resort while Ken waited in the car.
This is a little gem. It's actually the landscaped yard of a resort, but it was started years and years ago by the original owner of this plantation home now restaurant on property. And it's free!
I did get caught in some rain, but I had my underwater camera, so didn't care.
Half the garden was orchids, the other half was cacti.
oil and rain on the pavement---looks like a heart to me.
Then
we went to Shipwreck Beach and walked up to the top of it to get a
better vantage point for viewing whales. Saw some whales spouting in the
distance, but not much breeching.
one of Hawaii's notorious rainbows.
view from the top
The clouds continues to build and
more rain started, so we headed back down the rock.
At the bottom, we
saw a few people gathered around a young lady laying motionless on the
beach. That particular area is a very popular boggie boarding area
because of it's rough surf.
Don't know what happened, but a fire truck
and ambulance were arriving as we left. There are always some accidents
that happen while we're out there on vacation. One year 2 touring
helicopters crashed within 3 or 4 days of each other. One time a surfer
was attacked by a shark. One time a family vacationing there was knocked
off Lumahai Rock(called lumadie by many) and the father and mother were
killed, their son lived. Another time there was an ocean kayak that
disappeared and the lifeless boaters were found in the ocean a few days
later. There have been a few other drownings and many near drownings
when we've been there, too. Then this year a glider plane crashed into
the ocean and the dead instructor and student were found in the ocean a
day or 2 later. It may be paradise, but it is a deadly paradise.
When
it rains, a trip to Na Hoku jewelers is a logical expedition to me! So
we headed to Na Hoku. I'm getting quite the nice collection of jewelry
from there. This time I liked the uniqueness of a reversable palm
tree/rainbow sterling silver pendant and necklace. Ken was more
infatuated with the inlaid koi pendant and sterling necklace---so he got
me both!
We'd also heard rave reviews of Keoki's
Paradise, so we decided to give it's happy hour a try. Can't believe we
had never gone there before! It was very nice. The early bird dinner
looked really great, too, but we settled for appetisers this time---fish
and chips, and edamames, and a beer.
No sunset, just more rain.
