Wednesday, September 2, 2015
I can't believe it's already our last morning on Kauai! I will miss our spacious condo!
Last year, Sandy & I got to volunteer with the Pacific Whale Foundation on Maui and loved it. We really wanted to find something similar this time around and Tjitske had mentioned that she wanted to visit a botanical garden, so when I read about volunteering at Limahuli Gardens & Preserve it sounded perfect.
We arrive at the garden just before 8am and relax on the lanai while we wait to get started. When everyone has arrived we walk around to the nursery where we pick up the plants we'll be bringing to the preserve with us. I'm pretty steady on my feet and volunteer to carry an entire tray of ferns while Tjitske and Sandy probably wisely decide to stick to two plants each.
The weekly volunteer-on-vacation outings at Limahuli alternate between working in the garden and working at the preserve, and I'm so excited we get to see a place that's otherwise off limits to the public. Of course, that also means traversing nearly a mile of sometimes slippery, sometimes steep trail, all while holding on tightly to our plants.
Merlin, the garden's botanical
coordinator leads the way with me hot on his heels. The others aren't too fond of hiking uphill with their hands full, which means I get treated to all kinds of stories about the garden whenever we have to wait for everyone to catch up.
Between the exertion, the heat and the humidity we're sweating in places we didn't even know could sweat! Mosquitoes are swarming around us, even touching down occasionally, but amazingly they don't bite. I wish I could credit the three applications of bug spray that day, but I'm afraid I might have just been too stinky even for them!
A little after the halfway mark, we pause to perform a traditional Hawaiian chant in which we ask the Hawaiian gods to allow us access into the valley. Wow! I feel so blessed we get to be a part of this!
* Sorry, couldn't bring my camera. Cellphone pictures only. *
Between the exertion, the heat and the humidity we're sweating in places we didn't even know could sweat! Mosquitoes are swarming around us, even touching down occasionally, but amazingly they don't bite. I wish I could credit the three applications of bug spray that day, but I'm afraid I might have just been too stinky even for them!
A little after the halfway mark, we pause to perform a traditional Hawaiian chant in which we ask the Hawaiian gods to allow us access into the valley. Wow! I feel so blessed we get to be a part of this!
When we reach our work site for the
day, the guides show us which plants are invasive species and
need to be pulled. I'm a bit leery of pulling one of the last
remaining “humpidinkies kauaious” in the world, so I designate myself as
the basket grass expert and get to pulling.
It's during the weeding that
someone (thankfully not me) dislodges a rock and finds a gnarly Hawaiian centipede and her
babies hiding underneath. These are not cute critters, but will inflict a
painful bite and the centipede is quickly disposed off, but not
before getting a picture. Brrrrr!
After a few hours, we switch from weeding to planting the plants we've carried in. Not because we have pulled all of the weeds in our area, but because we run out of time.
It's makes you stop and think, when you realize that we just spent hours working on a tiny area within the 400 acre preserve and we weren't even able to finish that. And things grow fast here! Hopefully, the native plants we planted, like the palapali fern, will provide a solid ground cover and slow down the growth of weeds.
It's makes you stop and think, when you realize that we just spent hours working on a tiny area within the 400 acre preserve and we weren't even able to finish that. And things grow fast here! Hopefully, the native plants we planted, like the palapali fern, will provide a solid ground cover and slow down the growth of weeds.
Never afraid to get my hands dirty!
On the way down, one of the repeat
volunteers leads the way and accidentally gets us a little off track
to where we have to wade through a little “waterfall.”
Normally it's just a trail, but with all the recent rain, water is now flowing down the mountain side. I love it, but poor Tjitske who is already afraid of slippery slopes will probably have nightmares about it tonight.
Normally it's just a trail, but with all the recent rain, water is now flowing down the mountain side. I love it, but poor Tjitske who is already afraid of slippery slopes will probably have nightmares about it tonight.
We get to see Limahuli Falls in
the distance. So cool!
Dropping down a staggering 800ft (nearly 250m)!
Dropping down a staggering 800ft (nearly 250m)!
In the morning, Mele, one of the guides had mentioned
that we could take a walk around the garden afterwards and it sounded like a lovely idea, but we didn't take into account that we would come back looking, smelling and feeling as if we'd just emerged from an ill-fated jungle expedition.
Is that water I see?!
The refillable water bottles we'd brought have been drained to the last drop and we have to restrain ourselves not to go bananas at the first water station we come across. Clearly, we are not in any shape to walk around for a while.
We'll stick to the highlights for now. And that, without a question, would be the ancient taro terraces.
I would come here just for this view ...
Another perspective:
Is that water I see?!
The refillable water bottles we'd brought have been drained to the last drop and we have to restrain ourselves not to go bananas at the first water station we come across. Clearly, we are not in any shape to walk around for a while.
We'll stick to the highlights for now. And that, without a question, would be the ancient taro terraces.
I would come here just for this view ...
Another perspective:
Unable to stand my sweltering mosquito-proof outfit for another minute I change into some shorts and a tank top in the parking lot. Phew, that feels so much better!
Hanalei's own surf board fence
Tjitske is longing to take a shower, but we're almost an hour away from our condo so we manage to talk her out of it. The ocean will have to do ... after we have lunch, cause we really need something to drink! Tjitske has a craving for an omelet, but finding a place that still serves breakfast close to 2pm proves impossible and we settle on the Hanalei Gourmet.
They have a veggie burger for Tjitske, Sandy has Tommy's Ultimate
burger with pepper-jack, guacamole and bacon (Yum!) and I order a turkey club.
I also manage to throw back 3 American-sized glasses of ice
tea during dinner ... and I was the one who actually drank most while we were working! Just to give you some idea of how much we have sweated out.
After lunch we swing by Hanalei Bay to
see what the waves look like. There's a lesson going on near the river
mouth but the waves are puny. Tjitske likes to snorkel so we head to Ke'e
Beach instead, in hopes of getting some snorkeling in.
Parking is frequently a problem at Ke'e Beach and we have to park in one of the overflow lots. There is another taro farm by the side of the road.
Such a nice day to hang out at the beach!
I ask Sandy to take a picture of my knees so I can see what they look like today. Ouch! No wonder it still hurts ...
The current is stronger today and churning up the sand. I can just make out this bluestripe butterflyfish
Tjitske thinks the better of going snorkeling and jumps in for a quick swim only.
Parking is frequently a problem at Ke'e Beach and we have to park in one of the overflow lots. There is another taro farm by the side of the road.
Such a nice day to hang out at the beach!
I ask Sandy to take a picture of my knees so I can see what they look like today. Ouch! No wonder it still hurts ...
The current is stronger today and churning up the sand. I can just make out this bluestripe butterflyfish
Tjitske thinks the better of going snorkeling and jumps in for a quick swim only.
A friendly little dog with a deformed
leg comes over and decides to make himself comfortable by stretching
out on Sandy's towel while she rubs his belly.
What a rough life!
My new Hurley tank top matches my bikini perfectly!
We're just heading out when I spot two
men heading out across the boulders and I sprint over to tell them there is an the easy path. They are a cool father-son duo and we end up
talking for a while.
Unfortunately, I realize -- a little too late -- that the son has taken quite a liking to me, so after promising to e-mail him so we can get together (sorry, D!) I hurry to catch up with Sandy & Tjitske.
Unfortunately, I realize -- a little too late -- that the son has taken quite a liking to me, so after promising to e-mail him so we can get together (sorry, D!) I hurry to catch up with Sandy & Tjitske.
It's while I am dramatically reenacting
the scene as we walk to the parking lot, that I swerve slightly towards the
center of the road causing the car coming up behind us to break. I turn to look and the driver of the top-down convertible and I lock eyes. After a few seconds he puts the car in gear and continues on his way, but I can't get him out of my head ... why do I feel like I know him?
Suddenly, it comes to me; it was Keegan Allen, Pretty Little Liars' Toby Cavanaugh! Poor guy probably thought I was some crazed groupie ha ha.
Suddenly, it comes to me; it was Keegan Allen, Pretty Little Liars' Toby Cavanaugh! Poor guy probably thought I was some crazed groupie ha ha.
The sun is already starting to paint the sky in hues of orange by the time we get back to Hanalei Bay.
Overlooking Black Pot Beach where locals drive their cars onto the sand to surf and talk story.
Overlooking Black Pot Beach where locals drive their cars onto the sand to surf and talk story.
Love the silhouette of the pier against the setting sun.
As per usual, I bounce all over the place taking pictures while Sandy & Tjitske chill by the pier. When the sun has set there's just one thing left to do before we leave Kauai: jumping off the pier. Wheeee! They both laugh at the big grin on my face when I meet up with them again.
We try a new place for dinner; the
Postcards Café, a cute little restaurant on the eastern edge of town.
I order the blackened opah (fish) with herbed citrus dressing, mashed potatoes topped with grated cheese, macadamia nuts and a garlic basil pesto as well as some fresh broccoli. It tastes even more amazing than it sounds!
I order the blackened opah (fish) with herbed citrus dressing, mashed potatoes topped with grated cheese, macadamia nuts and a garlic basil pesto as well as some fresh broccoli. It tastes even more amazing than it sounds!
Tjitske has a tandoori vegetable dish with
the rice on the side and Sandy has a shrimp and fish seafood dish
that also hits the spot.
Back at the condo it's rush, rush, rush
… so much to do in so little time! Tomorrow we need to get up at 5am to catch the 09:30 flight to Maui.
Breakfast: stuff from the grocery store
Lunch: Hanalei Gourmet
Dinner: Postcards Café
Hotel: AirBNB Casa Pau Hana at Mauna Kai
Mileage for last 2 days: 146 miles
♥
Breakfast: stuff from the grocery store
Lunch: Hanalei Gourmet
Dinner: Postcards Café
Hotel: AirBNB Casa Pau Hana at Mauna Kai
Mileage for last 2 days: 146 miles
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