Feb. 27, 2012:  Waimea Canyon, Polihale, Poipu

What a difference a day makes!  It was a beautiful sunny day---most of the day.  We had decided this would be a day to take the Schneides up to see the Waimea Canyon and then to the west side beaches before a final attemp at snorkeling.  Fortunately, the weather cooperated, and it was another GREAT day!

First stop was Grind's restaurant near Hanapepe for breakfast on our way to the canyon.  Breakfast was very good.  They make great fresh breads and pastries, as well as everything else we bought.

 On our way up the canyon, we stopped at the first overlook to take a look over the town of Waimea.  It was hard to tell the last 2 days were solid rain!

 The ride up the canyon was gorgeous!

 I think I included this in last year's blog, but I still love this view!

 At the first big lookout we meandered around and ohh and ahhhed at the sights for quite awhile.

 It was about 67 degrees up there, but it felt great with the sun shining.

 At the end of the road we checked out the lookout over the ocean.  Again, it was fabulous!

 We even walked down the hill to check out the canyon and ocean views.  Here Coni and John are but a speck near the top of the hill.

 We marvelled at the continually forming clouds.  We figured the warm moist air from the ocean was meeting with the cooler air some 3500' up here and creating clouds that constantly built near the top of the mountain then dispersed as they fell back towards the ocean.  Fascinating!

 Back at the Kokee museum and snack bar, we wandered through the interesting museum, then bought a soda and sat at a pic nic table admiring the very different view of Kauai.  If it weren't for the chicken in the field, I would think this was a picture in Oregon!

 Since we were that far south and west, we decided to check out the road to Polihale.  I was really shocked at what good shape it was in!  There were only a couple spots that were wet.  It was slow going of about 10 miles/hour, but we made it easily.

 Just another view of the road to Polihale.

 At Polihale, we enjoyed the views.

 Coni and John even walked along the beach a bit ---trying to loose their water shoes in the surf!

 With that, they were ready to try snorkeling again, so we boogied up to Poipu. 

 They really caught onto snorkeling quickly and had a ball.  Coni even said the water temperature was comfortable there.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to snorkel today---I forgot to bring my contacts and would have surely ended up in the middle of the ocean without them!

 So I guarded our stuff from the wild animals!

 Of course, there were clouds and even some rain in the Poipu area.

 We did stay until sunset, but it was another "dud"---the clouds were too heavy.

Shortly after sunset, we headed back to our east side and over to Olympic Cafe, again, for dinner.  After snorkeling with the fishies, Coni and John we craving fish and we knew their fish and chips are ONO. 
Thus ended another great day in paradise---and the last full day for Coni and John.

2008-March 9: Polihale, glass beach

Don't remember why we didn't snorkel today---South surge?, high winds?, rain??, tired???  Must have been weather related since it was the 2nd day in a row without snorkeling.  But we headed West, probably looking for sun. 
But first---time to gas up.  So in 2008, gas was up to $3.59/gallon.  Glad that as of 2017 it's lower then that!

 some of the unfarmed sugar cane that grows wild now.

 an old sugar factory down south

 an interesting church down by Waimea

 on to the dirt road to Polihale.  It was actually in pretty good shape this year!  We've only gone to Polihale a couple of times since it's usually full of giant potholes.

 But it's another place that's worth seeing.

 coast guard?

 wild flowers

 more wild flowers

 wild ocean.  It actually wasn't too wild today.

Eventually it was time to go eat---a theme of ours---so we headed back into town---past this cool old church.

 and this one

 Probably ended up eating at Mc Donald's or someplace equally exciting.  Then went to check out Glass beach.  It really is made up of glass. 

 Can't tell it from a wide angle view, though.

 our rental this year.

 views out to sea from the cemetery on the hill here.

 This is the only time we've been here when the wild yellow flowers were so full.  It really looked pretty cool.

 Even the birds seemed to like it.

 This is an old Japanese cemetery with a lot of neat old head stones.

 the end of the road by the cemetery

 Then we drove down to the marina by glass beach.

 Still a ways from sunset, so we decided to drive back to Polihale. 

 After all, it's not that often that the road is that good!

 love the late afternoon light

 thick clouds, though, kept us from getting too great of a sunset.  Plus we didn't want to wait too long and have to drive back out in the dark.

 But we did stop along the highway as soon as we reach the stretch along the ocean and took a night photo there.

Definately a tourist day, and a good one.  

2007 March 1---Polihale and Lawai (tandem surfers):

 Another beautiful day on Kauai.  But the surf was up on the North shore, so we headed South again.  Different views from heading North, but still really pretty.

We always stop at the canyon lookout right off the highway.  It's ever changing with the different clouds.

 We decided to head to Polihale first.  Way down by Waimea is a huge beach that we never hang out on.  The currents are suppose to be bad and there are often surfers here, but it is pretty.

The last 5 miles to Polihale are on a dirt road, but it was in pretty good shape this year.

 Still slow going, though.

 But the views at the end make it worthwhile!

 It really wasn't even all that rough today!

 But we hung out near where we parked.

 Looking towards the Napali

 More of the Napali

 Sitting here just enjoying the views.

 Would be a great place to have a picnic.

 Our car enjoying the views.

 Back on the highway, there's interesting mirages on the highway.  Looks like the road is wet.

 There are fields of genetically engineered corn and other crops that are sold to farmers around the globe. Monsanto and other seed companies have moved here en masse, and corn now sprouts on thousands of acres where sugar cane or pineapples once grew.

 It's beginning to cause uneasiness with many of the locals.

 We continued on to Lawai.

 And hit the water.

  Didn't get a good picture of this guy as he swam between us---a monk seal.

After snorkeling for a couple hours, I wandered around the Beach House REstaurant lawn.

Today there were quite a few surfers by Lawai. 

 Even a pair of tandem surfers.

 We sat and watched them for quite awhile.

 Later we found out they were practicing for tournaments.  He is a life guard and fireman and his partner is from California.  They actually won the World Tandem Tournament 2 years, as I recall hearing.

 We hung out at Lawai for sunset.

 Along with a bunch of other people.

 Tonight the horizon was clear and we were treated to the "green flash".

 Another perfect day ending too soon!