Aloha Kauai

 It's our last day on Kauai and thanks to Simone's planning, we are not rushed in any way today. No early morning hotel check out required. No rush to an early flight etc. 

I have a few jobs today...  do a light cleaning on the rental van... maybe a wash job if I feel like it.

Our flight leaves late tonight and we will fly through the night to arrive in Vancouver in the morning of the 28th... this is also known as the Red Eye. We will then jump onto another flight to Victoria.

We all enjoyed our morning coffee one last time and then started to prepare ourselves for departure. Some light packing and organizing for later.

Emile loaded his van with recycling while I cleaned out & washed ours. They took a trip into town to drop the recycling as well as Simone needed some eye drops. They also may purchase another suitcase for the trip home as they have a few extra items now. 

Kelly & I went through our closets/drawers and packed up most all of it, save for some swimming attire and clothes for the trip home. Although she will be using some of my suitcase space, our bag weights are well below the "Kelly Standard" that she usually meets which is 50 lbs less one ounce :-) 

We went for a walk on the beach as the weather has improved considerably since this morning's rain showers. The winds howled last night but have subsided a bit now.  Not great but certainly doable. The others had returned so we all decided to do one last swim down at the south end of the beach.

One last dip!

We all went back to the house and got the salt water showered off. Some additional packing and then a couple crib games broke out.  I eventually made up a big plate of  "Everything but the Kitchen Sink" Nachos (i.e. everything I could find in the fridge that sounded good!).  It must have been ok because it all disappeared quickly!

We did a major garbage clean out and then had a game of Five Crowns... didn't quite finish the game as time ran out so we loaded the vans up with our bags. Kelly and I headed out first as we needed to get fuel and deliver the van to the Turo parking lot. We left the house at 7:18 pm. and stopped at Shell for a fill up. We then went into town by Costco and easily found the area to drop the van, Pictures taken of our rental, we grabbed the Turo shuttle and went to the airport. We quickly joined the rest of the gang and once checked in and through security, we headed to the Tiki Bar for a beverage and to finish our game. We finished it up with me winning and then played another game as we had lots of time to kill. Emile won this one! 

Off to the gate and we boarded the flight and actually left a few minutes early.. bonus. The plane flew through the night and the ride was fine overall with just some light turbulence. 

It's now Tuesday the 28th, 2025 and we landed into Vancouver ahead of schedule. There was a medical emergency onboard so the paramedics came on to attended to a women in the back of the plane. She walked off off so not as bad as it could have been. A minor delay and then we all got off. 

Unfortunately the way the customs clearance is set up for connecting passengers, we did not see Hugh & Simone nor Emile & Heather as we headed to our connecting flight to Victoria. We did text and I called Hugh to thank them again.

Super easy customs with Nexus and once over at gate 10, we grabbed a Starbucks Coffee and relaxed until our flight departed. A de-ice spray was required due to the frost but we finally made it over to Victoria where our son Kris uber'ed us home. Kelly is now napping while I finish off this blog update.

It's been a great two weeks on the island and we managed to hit most places that intrigued us. A big "Thank You!" to Hugh & Simone for letting us come along on this trip. We are very grateful for their hospitality in allowing us to join them. It was also  great to have Heather and Emile along as they kept the activity options constantly coming. 

Poipu

Coffee & toast this morning followed by a nice social chat about family, flying & business headaches.  Lots of different perspectives. Simone & Heather were off on their final E-bike ride into Kapa’a.  The bikes will be picked up at noon today I'm told.

Kelly and I took a quick trip up to the “RC field” but there was no one there. Darn.... would have been nice to chat with them. Next time :-)

Heather made up a couple batches of nachos and the horde quickly made short work of them. Both batches were very tasty.

The bike guy arrived promptly at noon and loaded up the bikes in his truck. He mentioned that conditions in Poipu were very good for swimming and turtle watching so, with this in mind, that is where we will go today. 

Linda and Bryan packed up their bags and headed off to catch their flight over to Maui where they will spend a few more days before returning to the lower mainland. 

We loaded up Emile's van with beach chairs, swim gear and headed towards Poipu. They had spent time there in 2014 on a previous trip but they wanted to let us see it and check out the area since they had been there. 

 

Driving route to Poipu

 

A quick stop for gas on the way and we soon found ourselves through the tree tunnel on Molina Dr, through Koloa and into the heart on the town. A quick drive by the place they stayed fat or old time sake.  Very nice.

We continued along the waterfront and enjoyed the views. A stop at the blow hole was next with its explosion of water with the heavier waves. It's the Spouting Hole Park and depending on water conditions, can send large amounts of water spraying out of the gaps in the rocky beach.

We passed the beach area and although we did prepare for a swim, we took a soft vote and decided to carry on exploring instead. Next stop was a 30 minute walk around the Piopu Shopping Village and then over to the Shops at Kukui‘ula. All very nice. We were getting a bit peckish so it was off to Koloa for a look see at that 

We wandered the Main Street before settling into the Kaua’i Island Brewing Company for a beverage and bite.  Another good meal.  The football game was on so we manged to see most of the last quarter. KC Chiefs came out on top again!

Lunch stop!

We headed back to the house and thought about a quick swim before dark but the heavens opened up and a hard rain fell from just south of Kapa'a until the turnoff to the house. There was less rain now but the wind was ripping so swimming was not going to be ideal. Emile strolled down to the lagoon for a look see but didn't go in. 

Hugh cooked up a great pasta dish with prawns, fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic and Parmesan cheese!  it was excellent! We then pulled out the deck for Five Crowns and had a great game of cards once again. Emile managed to clip my wings with a one (1)  point advantage... arghhh!  124 to 125... oh the agony!

Word from Linda and Bryan was that they arrived safely in Maui and were probably going for cocktails. Excellent planning I say.

Some last minute dishes were washed by Emile and then it was time to put the blog and ourselves to bed. Our last night in Kauai ended with the worst weather we have had so far... 40 knot winds with rain.  

Temps at 24°C with rain & wind later in the day.

Lydgate Beach Visit

 Kelly slept in this morning... a rarity these days! Coffee was already made when I came down and it tasted great. Weather looks good with light winds and scattered clouds.

Simone and Heather were off on their usual morning ride while we planned our day. We are trying our best to use up all the food we have purchased and it is looking pretty good... maybe some nachos with extra cheese are in order :-) 

Face timed with my mom & dad is St. Albert and got caught up on their activities.

Emile went down for a swim at the lagoon area and I joined him for the walk portion. The lagoon had just started to let out into the ocean and the water & sand mix was flowing fast.

Kelly had a chanter practice, Kris face timed and they played a tune for Ava, It's the band Burns Supper tonight so she is feeling just a little guilty for enjoying the sun and sand.

Hugh did up a full breakfast for those wanting bacon, eggs & fried potatoes. He will make Simone & Heather theirs once they return. 

Bryan & Linda went to Hanalei Bay to the kayak rental place that we used and kayaked up the river.

 Bryan mentioned that they saw some RC fliers on a quiet road not far from here so Kelly & I went for a drive to see if we could find them. We stayed on pavement so drove down the highway to Kealia Rd and went up the hill. It was clear where they flew RC planes with good approaches and field on both sides of the runway (er..road).  There was no one there but we will check back tomorrow.

Hole In The Wall & Kalalea Mountains fro

 

On the road looking south...Clearly an RC field when required!

Looking East... nice straight stretch!

The route took us up to the Spalding Monument where we managed to grab a geocache... bonus! The monument was built in honor of an old sugar mill plantation owner Colonel Zephaniah Spalding.

Spalding Monument

We then drove down to the Lydgate Park Pools for a swim. It is a nice protected swimming area that is perfect for Kelly. We all swam and enjoyed the afternoon.

 

A thirst was developing so we changed and went over to the Mama hune's Bar to ensure adequate hydration as the temps hovered above 80°F. We ordered drinks and a bite and enjoyed some historical conversations on schools we went to and things we did in our youth. Good fun. 

 We headed back towards the house and took the turnoff up to the monument so the rest of us could see it. We then drove down the hill to the beach house. Bryan & Linda had been back for an while and had to wait for us to return. They did eventually get in just before we got back. 

Sadly they could not kayak as it was closed,  Farmers market....closed, lighthouse... closed without reservations.... sheesh.

Hugh, Emile and I went down to the beach out front and had a swim.. it was very nice! Showers & cocktails pre-dinner... but we are all pretty full from lunch so we will delay.

Did someone say nachos! Made up a huge platter and well it vanished! 

Drinks were poured and small talk ensued.... we eventually had another group effort on dinner with Hugh and I BBQ'ing up beef tenderloin, Bryan prepped the Brussels Sprouts and Heather made up a great salad & spuds. Dinner was well received.

Steak for dinner!

 

Kelly pulled out Five Crowns and a huge game took place... some called it a battle royal! The champion of champions was eventually crowned and yes, I manage to pull off the big win. Bragging rights until the next game.  

A short walk on the beach for some while others enjoyed the star studded skies from the yard. Impressive. 

We all headed to bed with.. sniff...  rain in the forecast tomorrow :-(   

Today was 25°C with partly cloudy skies.

Smith Tropical Plantation

Up for our usual coffee this morning. Toast etc... yep ground hog day it seems:-) 

I took a walk out to the beach as the waves had clearly come up higher over the night. Still some big rollers coming in. I could actually feel the larger waves crashing into the beach.

Heather and Simone headed off on their usual morning bike trip but the actually ventured further south than normal along the coast to Lydgate Park Pools. They said it would be a great place to swim & snorkel. 

Kelly and I went into south Kapa'a to the Smith Tropical Plantation and walked the beautiful grounds. Kelly  bought a bag of seeds to feed the birds. They clearly know this and flocked towards Kelly as soon as she reached into the bag! 

We wandered around the pathways and enjoyed the views... here are a few picks of the day... yes I know... too many Rooster pics but they are so pretty!

Bird lady with food!!

Red Crested Cardinal

Speckled Rooster

Did I mention chickens?

They love Kelly

Great views!

Another rooster... just amazing plumage!

Another one!

Peacock.

Another rooster!

We saw a total of four people besides ourselves for our visit so crowding was not a problem.  It was a very peaceful and calming stroll around the grounds

We stopped for lunch at Napali Brewing as Kelly needed her Brussell sprout fix! 

They tasted great!

It was very good and after lunch was over, we headed over to Safeway for a few supplies that Hugh needed. 

Back at the house we grabbed the beach chairs and headed out for a swim down the beach. Hugh joined us long with Emile and we had a good swim in a calmer section of the beach near the lagoon. It was great! Even Kelly got in! Yes a miracle!

Once back at the house we met up with our next house guests, Bryan and Linda Gore who are now joining us for a few days. They have relatives here in Kauai so they mixed in a visit. They were with us in Italy back in September of 2024. Great to catch up!

Dinner was Slimy Chicken on the BBQ with Roast potatoes & Salad. 

 

Dinner

After dinner we had a big game of Five Crowns with Linda taking lowest score for the night. Lots of conversation ensued then everyone hit the rack. 

For the first time that I can remember we made no plans for tomorrow! 

Weather: 25°C with light winds & partly cloudy skies.

Kayak Day

 We awoke to the sound of some huge waves coming onto the beach. The thunderous pounding was almost calming so we opened up the blinds and watched the action for a while.  

We did get up in time to say goodbye to Deb and Pete as they head to the big island today for the remainder of their vacation. Emile drove them into the airport at Lihue. Coffee and a catch up on local and world news via the interweb 

Simone and Heather were off on their morning bike trip along the coastline into Kapa'a while some of us had some toast for me.... other had eggs. Hugh cooked up some eggs for the gals once they returned from the biking trek.

The ladies and I then drove to Hanalei Bay for some kayaking. Hugh & Emile remained behind to do some beach walking. The weather is a bit cooler today but with the highway closure planned north of us tomorrow we thought it best to do this run now. 

We arrived at Kayak Hanalei and rented a couple double kayaks for the afternoon. We could choose two routes, one out to the bay entrance and the other, up the river. The up river route was chosen as it was longer and well... we wanted to go that way:-). 

 We got our life jackets & paddles and once in our respective kayaks, we pushed off the launch ramp and we were on our way!

We enjoyed the calm waters and the sunshine as we paddled upriver. Turtles lined the river bank along with numerous species of birds. 

 

Lush habitat

Notice the excellent stroke synchronization!

Captain Dave & 1st Mate Kelly

Simone & Heather

Hawaiian Heron

Turtles

Once we reached the turnaround area, we kept going of course as the water was plenty deep enough! We did turn around eventually and returned down river to the Kayak rental place. It was a very peaceful and tranquil trip back as we floated down stream & under the Hanalei Bridge. 

Once on dry land, we changed into dry clothes and headed over to the Tahiti Nui Bar where we met up with Hugh & Emile. We debriefed over several happy hour pizzas along with numerous Mai Tai's (for those not driving of course).

Cheers!

 

Lots of history at this bar.

 

We drove back towards the Anahola Beach and took a side trip along Aliomanu Rd to see the coastline at the north end of Anahola Bay.  Some very good views.

Back at the beach house, we grabbed a refreshment and some chairs and went down to the beach. Huge waves, the biggest we have seen here, crashed into the beach with thunderous noise. We watched surfers out front ride the waves in as well as some bogey boarders that were pummeled into submission. It was truly mesmerizing!

 

Even the dog from next door joined us!

 

We had a variety of leftovers for dinner as the pizza snack was late in the day. Some three handed crib was played and Emile came out on top.. ..his four Queen's plus a cut five put him over the finish line first. 

The kayaking and beach walks today took their toll so we ended up having a quiet & early evening.

I will sign off for today and if anything happens, like another car fire, I will add it in the morning.

23°C with light winds early in the day & big waves out front late afternoon.

Rain Day

 A bit of a sleep in this morning then I headed downstairs for some coffee. It's raining again this morning and it's probably the heaviest we have seen so far during the trip. It is forecast to improve after lunch. 

Emile and I walked out to the beach and took a look at the burned out car. Sadly there are several cars that have been abandoned near the beach and this one seems to have been dragged/pushed out and set on fire for entertainment reasons... not sure?

We suspect the car will be removed as it is certainly an eyesore sitting out on the beach. I am pretty sure that they know this vehicle with it's emblem on the right rear quarter panel. 

 Emile and I did a recycle run to the local depot in Kapa'a and unloaded the bottles/cans/paper into the various bins. It is certainly a different methodology on the island compared to our recycling program back home.  We had some D cell batteries that we don't really know what to do with so we will leave them at the beach house for the owner folks to deal with. We also went to the gas station and I filled up the van once again. The Wiamea hill climb yesterday didn't help the fuel economy :-).

Emile went for a walk before driving Heather, Deb, Peter to the Lydgate Beach Park for a walk about. 

 We got Hugh's new Meater 2 probe going and did up the remaining Tri-Tip roast on the BBQ. We will use this meat for our lunch today and for sandwiches etc. 

Before

 

After

We enjoyed a nice beef bun for lunch & then Kelly headed into Kapa'a for some shopping. I face timed my dad in St. Albert, AB. for a while and then relaxed for a couple hours.

Next up was a beach walk down towards the lagoon. It had broken through at the beach due to the earlier pooling of the rainfall and was now a fast moving river of water & sand flushing out into the bay.

We walked to the other end of the beach and talked with a lifeguard about the burned out car. He basically said it would be removed soon. Not sure how often this happens but it was very low key by police.

One thing we noticed was the amount of plastic bits that are washed up on the shore. We are going to do a "community clean up" for an hour or so and see if we can make a small dent on the beach environment. 

 Emile, Heather, Pete & Deb returned from the walk though Smith's Tropical Paradise  in Wailua and were surprised at how quiet it was.. not very many people at all. (Because they were all on the highway as traffic was stop & go :-)  They said the birds were all awaiting their arrival as the food bags they bought for a dollar were extremely popular with said birds. 

Bougainvillea

Peacock

Emile feeds the Nene clan.

Red-Crested Cardinal

Tonight's dinner is Braised Beef Shanks with Mashed Potatoes & Acorn Squash prepared by a team of culinary experts headed by Chef Hugh! (All while playing some three handed crib games with Kelly & Emile.) 

We also ate up the last of Hugh's Birthday Cake for desert....all very good!

A game of Five Crowns broke out and Kelly dominated the pack with a 26 score! Sheesh!

Our night sky.

 Weather: Rain this morning and sunny but windy for the rest of the day with temps up to 24°C.

Deb & Pete leave us tomorrow as they head over to the town of Volcano on the Island of Hawaii. 

Waimea Canyon

 The coffee was poured and some planning ensued. We will head to Waimea Canyon later this morning and check that out.. lunch somewhere??

Simone & Heather headed off for a bike ride this morning while the rest of us got up and had some breakfast. It's raining right now but that is supposed to stop later in the morning. They eventually returned and everyone got ready to leave for the trip. 

Our convoy of two white vans headed off down Hwy 56 (Kuhio Hwy), on to Hwy 50 (Kaumaumli Hwy) and then up Waimea Canyon Road. This will take us to all the various lookouts through the canyon. 

We stopped at one of the early lookouts and I grabbed a picture. This was early in the climb up to the top lookout.

We continued the windy drive up to the Kalalau Lookout at the very top. Sadly the clouds obscured the view so we decided to head back down and stop at the Pu'u Hinanina Lookout. It did not disappoint!

Pu'u Hinanina Lookout.

 

 

We continued down Kokee Rd to the Puu Ka Pele Lookout for another stop. Some interesting history of a fire that went through the area.

Details of the fire.

We continued down the hill to the town of Waimea and then rejoined Hwy 50 westward. We drove the coast in what is probably the straightest piece of road in all the islands. Sadly they would not let us into the Pacific Missile Range Facility so we turned around and headed back into Waimea. Hugh spotted the Shrimp Station along the road so in we went. 

Garlic Prawns

It was pretty good but the shrimp shells were paper thin so peeling them was a bit of a struggle. We survived!

Next stop was the Kauia Coffee Company where we enjoyed some samples and an ice cream treat. We walked the self guided tour and once done, Simone picked up some coffee for some friends. 

As per normal, there were plenty of chickens on the grounds and this beauty walked by with his stunning plumage.

 

Stunning colors on this guy!

 

Some of the flowers in the area...... huge!

 

Some amazing water numbers for the coffee plants!! 28 million gallons a day through the irrigation system!

Metal Artwork at the Coffee Company.

We headed towards home with a quick stop at both Costco and Safeway for the next week's food/wine requirements. We had our list so it was fast.

Back at the beach house, we prepped dinner and I did some blogging. Once Hugh had things under control, he proceeded to beat Kelly at a game of crib. 

Emile was handling bar duties and made sure the Mai Tai's were up to standard!
 

Barbender Emile in action!

Dinner was Chicken with Andouille Sausage, Mashed potatoes and Brussel Sprouts and was a great team effort once again! The chefs pose with the final result!

Dinner is served.

 Dessert was the remainder of Hugh's birthday cake... it was a great meal. 

We heard a few booms coming from the beach area and thought someone was shooting off fireworks... turns out it was a car on fire on the beach! Emile went down and got a few pictures as it was only about 250' from the house. The fire department arrived and put it out but the car was a complete write off. We will see if there is anything left in the morning. 

Certainly some unexpected activity on the beach this evening.