Wailua River Kayak and Hike

Finally! (This is Ben)

It's my turn to write about our adventures in Hawaii. Other than sitting by the pool, spearfishing, watching the Olympics, and now the Democratic National Convention, we've been getting out and adventuring our way around the island.

Saturday we woke up really, really early to meet up with our tour guides. Getting up before 9:00 AM Hawaiian time has proven difficult for us, but a day on the river spurred us out of bed.

The day adventure started by packing up our drybags, and fitting our tandem kayak for the 2 1/2 mile paddle up the Wailua river. When we hit the water, our competitive streaks caim out, and Lindsey and I took the lead. After we asserted our paddling superiority, we relaxed and enjoyed the good weather and beautiful scenery. It was a beautiful day on the water.

The paddling was easy, with a nice breeze helping us paddle up the river. On our way up, our guide Jill taught us of the history and biology of the Wailua River Valley. This valley was home to King Kamehameha and the ancient Hawaiian people.

Most of the plants and animals on the Island are not native to the Islands. Most were brought by the polynisians who first populated the area.

After paddling up the river, we began our short hike up the trail to Secret Falls. Jill turned our hike into a botanical lecture.

The Falls were beautiful, but the weather turned on us as soon as we got there. With the rain coming down, we were going to get wet, so Lindsey and I led the way into the pool and under the falls. The water was chilly, but still warm by PNW standards.

When everyone had their fill of swimming, we started our hike back to the kayaks. This time we hiked up the Valley, through the relics of the old hawaiian village and taro fields. The hike was muddy, and our water shoes offered little traction, so we were slipping and sliding our way down the trail.

The paddle back to the van was a wet one. The rain spurred us on, to paddle faster. The closer we got to the van the harder it rained on us. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as we got to the van, the sun came out.

In the end it was a beautiful day and a great way to get out and learn about the native Hawaiians. I hope you enjoy the pictures!