Hawaii 2015

[Update 05/30/15: Added a few new photos.]

And speaking of "it is this time of year again": May traditionally means Hawaiian time :)! To avoid the disaster from last year (hurricane anyone??), we decided to stick with the tried-and-true tradition again and leave for our annual week of bliss directly after Commencement. This year, Maui was our Island of choice. 

And also as always, we first had to say goodbye to our four-legged family members. I am very grateful that Billie and Rod are taking care of them again. Abby got pretty upset and car sick on the drive in (urgh....), but she recovered quickly as you can see in these photos that Billie sent me:

Monday, 05/18/2015: Arrival.

The flight was pretty unspectacular (which is good!), and I really like Alaskan Airline. The seats are quite spacious, and the whole flight was pretty pleasant (there, I said it!). Arriving in Kahului, we picked up the rental car directly from the airport parking lot. (They told us the 'check engine' light is on by default because of the salty air.... hm...).

After a short 45 minute or so drive we arrived at our destination: The Outrigger Aina Nalu in Lahaina. We had booked a condo directly through the owner (via VRBO), and it is gorgeous!!! Everything is very new, shiny, and super-clean. Yes, I am one of those who typically washes the dishes before she uses them for the first time, but not here. That says quite something! We even have a fish tank with Nemo and Ponyo... and two little ones that are not mentioned anywhere in the note the owner left. Did Nemo and Ponyo have kids????
When entering, you are immediately in the kitchen area. Stepping through it, you enter the living room. Around the corner is the bedroom, and around another corner is the bathroom. It's a really nice design with all the turns and corners. Makes it feel bigger than it is.

After shopping at Foodland we had dinner (Ahi Tuna with rice and veggies), then went on a stroll through downtown Lahaina. It's a very different feel compared to Molokai last year. Very touristy. But I like it. This is the first vacation we spend in a downtown Hawaiian city, not directly at a beach.

One of the most impressive things in Lahaina is the huge Banyan tree.

Yes, this is a single tree! More than hundred and fifty years old, which makes it the oldest living Banyan tree, and spanning about 2/3 of an acre (including all the various trunks). Very impressive sight.

Tuesday, 05/19/2015: Haleakala State Park.

We left the condo early this morning, a few minutes before sunrise, to make our way to the Haleakala summit. Here are a few impressions of the drive, taking from the car (excuse the dirty windshield!).

The center of the park is the Haleakala crater, a huge (almost 7 miles across, 2 miles wide, and 2,600 feet deep) crater that contains multiple large cinder cones. It's an erosion crater. Originally, volcanic activity created a huge mountain of lava and rock, but then the volcano went extinct for centuries (as is common for Hawaiian volcanoes). During this time erosion cut through the mountain, essentially splitting it in half. The volcano then awoke one last time (again, very common for Hawaiian volcanoes), and spit lava into the canyon that the erosion had created, leaving Haleakala as a crater with a few peaks sprinkled in.

Here we are at the Leleiwi overlook at about 8,800 feet, taking in the first real view of the crater. It was breathtaking!

And on we went! Before driving all the way to the summit we parked the car at the upper visitor center to go for a small hike down the crater. With the high elevation, the hike was a bit strenuous (on the way back, i.e. up, at least), but not too bad. On our way we saw lots of Silverswords, or ahinahina, that can only be found in the higher elevation regions of Hawaii. Our guidebook said "you'll know when you see them", and it was correct. 

We went for about an hour down the Sliding Sands trail to get a closer look at the cinder cones, and it was worth it. The perspective changes drastically (it felt a bit like walking on Mars!), and the crater looks very different from down here. The full hike across is about 12 miles, which of course was way too long for us, but we probably made it almost a quarter through before turning around. 

After the hike we drove up to the summit (can't turn around before having been there, right?!), which again gave us an awe-inspiring overview of the gorgeous crater itself, as well as a closer look at the Observatory (which unfortunately is closed for the public).

After we made our way back down to sea level we detoured a little to stop by the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm where I had a cup of lavender flavored coffee (it grew on me :)). Unfortunately, they didn't have any lavender infused chocolate, which I was really looking forward to. Ah well... The farm itself had several small paths through patches of different types of lavender that we explored before heading back to the condo for a brief afternoon break.

We ended the day with a trip to the beach (Kahekili Beach). Life could be worse :).

Wednesday, 05/20/2015: Scuba Diving and West Maui.

On Wednesday morning - early morning (i.e. ~5:30 AM) - I (Jan) made my way to the Kihei Boat Ramp for my annual scuba diving adventure. The adventure started prior to that already though: When we had picked up our rental car from a local company on Monday, we stopped by the rental place shortly after we picked up the car to inform them that the 'check engine' light was on. But - as it turns out - that is normal; the salt saturated air is corroding the car sensors - so not to worry. Well, this morning half an hour into my drive, the temperature warning light came on, too. Was that also just a 'corroded sensor'? Given that the car was starting to make different noises (especially when hitting the gas),  I was pretty sure this was more than a sensor issue... just 5 more miles to the boat ramp... the noises got worse ... just 3 more miles to the boat ramp ... 2 ... 1 ... almost there. When I turned onto the parking lot at the boat ramp the engine finally gave out, vapor billowing from the car's front. A fellow diver helped me push it into a parking spot and I was on time for my diving trip!

I chose the 'Prodiver Maui' diving company based on Michaela's research (thank you!) and was not disappointed: We headed to the Molokini crater's back wall for my very first drift dive, i.e. a dive where you jump into a current and get picked up wherever that current lands you half an hour later. We had a bit of a rough start as one of the divers panicked after jumping into the water and quickly drifting away... we picked her up, everyone had to get back on the boat and then we jumped in quick succession back into the water...and it was fabulous! The back wall of Molokini is an almost vertical drop down into deep waters and in conjunction with the strong current attracts bigger sea life. Sure enough, among a lot of other fish and eels I saw my first white tipped shark (~5'), who was a rather shy fellow, trying to hide while we drifted by. We dove down to 88 feet and then slowly made our way back up as the current carried us around the crater.

For the second dive we made our way back to the coast to the '5 caves' dive site. These caves are under water lava tubes and were a great experience, too. Lots of big turtles hanging out there, an impressive horned helmet (a mollusk) hunting sea urchins and for the finale (at least those of us who had enough air left in the tanks) we dove into the 'bubble cave', which has an underground air pocket you can dive into (air was hot, but very breathable).
And when we came back to shore there was already a replacement car waiting for me (I had dropped off an email requesting a new car before we headed out on the boat) - got to love the 21st century!

In the early afternoon we made our way to the western half of Maui.

To make life easier we decided to drive directly to other northern most point we wanted to see, and then stop repeatedly on the way back to the condo since all the pull-out were on the sea-level anyways. So, our first stop was the Oahi trail near mile post 40. It's a cute 1.2 mile long trail that winds its way along shrubs close to the ocean (but a good 200 feet above it). Beautiful views of the ocean and of the Nakalele Blowhole a good 2 miles further south.

Which was also our next stop: The Nakalele Blowhole. It's a hole in the rocks that the ocean had carved out quite some time ago. When a wave hits it just right, the water is pushed through that hole and sprays up and out like a fountain. While it was interesting to see it, we didn't spend a lot of time there. It was more one of those must-see, been there/done that kind of things.

Our last stop before we were back in Lahaina was the Dragon's Teeth in Kapahula. The "teeth" were created from old and almost solid lava that flowed toward the end of the volcano's active phase, and has since been shaped by the salt and wind near the ocean into this long, tooth-like structures. A very impressive view, and we'll worth the little detour! There was also a small maze in the center of the lava field.

Lastly, we headed to Kihei where we had dinner at the Maui Brick Oven, a 100% gluten free restaurant! Jan had a huge pizza (well, half of it :)), and I went with Caprese and fries. We finished the meal with a brownie... so glad we did. It was amazing! (And yes, we shared it :).)

Thursday, 05/21/2015: Maui Ocean Center and South Maui.

We left at around 6:30 in the morning and made our way to La Perouse Bay, which is the farthest point reachable by car in southern Maui, just south of Wailea. It's a favorite place for dolphins to hang out and relax (they turn their sonar off and just float around!), but we didn't see any. Instead, we walked around the lava fields for about an hour or so and enjoyed the view of the ocean before heading back.

Our timing was perfect - we arrived at the Maui Ocean Center shortly after 9 (they open at 9), and spent a good 3.5 hours there. It's a really well done exhibit of endemic fish and other sea critters, culminating in a huge shark and stingray tank. At one end of the tank there is a tunnel through which visitors can walk, and around which the critters can swim. Which leads to these very impressive views of the underside of fun a stingray or a close-up with a shark. Overall it was a really good experience, and we had fun! Of course, we spent way too much money in the gift store (got to get the traditional T-shirt (and other things), right?).

After a brief break at home for coffee and nappy (ahhhh, vacation!), we spent the early evening in Puamana Beach. I found a very comfortable palm tree, and Jan made a comfy spot next to it (and close to the ocean). He stayed dry, though, believe it or not!

Friday, 05/22/2015: Atlantis submarine and Haycraft Park/Beach.

After taking it easy until 8 (gasp!) we walked to downtown Lahaina to board the Atlantis submarine, a sub that can carry up to 48 passengers down to about 120 feet to get a closer look at the fish near three popular reef/diving sites. While two of the sites were natural reefs with the fish you'd expect to see there, the third is an artifical one created in 2005 by sinking a ship, the Carthaginian. All the photos are taking through four inches of glass, so the quality is not super-awesome, but they'll give you an idea of what was out there.

We even saw a white-tailed shark just hanging out on the ocean floor underneath the ship, napping. This is the only shark that actually sleeps while resting on the ocean floor; all other sharks rest while swimming (they must continuously push water through their system or they'd drown).

On the way back to the condo we stopped at Maui's Sugar Shop. Yup, it is exactly what it sounds like, but 100% gluten free! So many choices :). Jan ended up with a cinnamon roll (shocker! ;)), and I with a coffee cake and an "elvis", a cupcake with peanut butter whipping and bacon bits on top. Drool!

And the rental car story continues: While the second one was working fine (although there was an odd noise coming from the breaks...), it had no working A/C. And since we'll drive to Hana tomorrow, A/C would be quite nice. So, we stopped by the rental place to exchange it for one with working A/C. Turns out the didn't have any in the category we booked, so they "upgraded" us to the next higher category. And guess what, the 'check engine' light is on again... Plus the car pulls noticeably to the right. Let's see how long it lasts, or if we get stuck halfway to Hana... Never again with the local rental guys...

On the way back from Hanului where we picked up the car we stopped at the Haycraft Park in Wailuku for some beach time. It's a beautiful beach with very dense sand and lots of shade from the trees nearby. Which we needed initially for the sun, and later on for rain protection (!). On the far end of the beach we saw a big turtle that had beached itself for some sun bathing and snoozing.

I was just commenting on how proud I was of everyone to give the turtle some space, when we saw a little girl hitting it with a plastic stick. Where are the parents when you need them?! Jan went over there to tell her to stop doing it but was too late - the turtle had already left the beach and went back into the ocean. A shame...
From our cozy spot we saw a few more turtles in the ocean, just sticking their heads out and floating by.

Saturday, 05/23/2015: The Road to Hana.

I awoke to rain this morning. Not the light kind, but really heavy rain with big drops. So spending the day in the car driving up to Hana actually sounds like a good idea!
But before we get there - the car story continues: Remember what I wrote about the third rental, the "upgrade"? That the 'check engine' light was on, and that it was pulling to the right? Well, in addition to these two things, this morning it also displayed a 'low break fluid level' warning. That was the last straw. After leaving a furious message Jan and I called local rental companies to see if anyone else has a car we can get. And Enterprise did. They have a small location a few miles north of here, so after a short taxi ride and a chat with the Enterprise guy (nice fellow, was born in Germany and had lived in Portland before moving to Maui - what are the chances!) we were the proud 'owners' of a fully functional car! Dang, what a hassle. Jan later got an email with an apology from the owner of the first rental place; they will reimburse us for the full week. So, they're doing the right things, but their cars are just so bad....

Anyways, moving on! Two hours later than we had planned, but with still enough time left to enjoy the drive and stop at various spots.

Our first stop was Ho'okipa Beach, a famous windsurfing beach. Unfortunately, not much was happening. Maybe it was still too early? So on we went.

The drive is fantastic. Lots of turns (as expected) with a speed of 10 to 30 miles an hour. Enough time to really enjoy the scenery! And scenery it had. Lots of lush, green plants left and right. Gorgeous! We also saw a few water falls on the way. We decided not to stop for all of them; after all, we've been spoiled when it comes to waterfalls with both NY and OR having some of the more spectacular ones.

Our next stop was Ke'anae Peninsula where Jan had a banana bread and I some coconut icecream. We walked around and enjoyed the views of the rugged coastline with plenty black lava rocks in the ocean. It felt good to stretch our legs a little!

And on we went! After a brief stop at Pua'a Ka'a State Park with a beautiful view of two small waterfalls,

we drove all the way to mile post 31 where we left the highway to look at the longest lava tube on the island. A lava tube is essentially a pipe for lava that forms as the lava on the outside cools and forms a protective tunnel for the still hot and flowing lava on the inside. This particular one, Ka'eleku cavern, was formed about 30,000 years ago, but some formation are as young as only 960 years (yeah, I couldn't believe that either!). The tunes were a lot bigger than I had anticipated, but in terms of height and length. And wetter :). The operator said the had about four inches of rain last night, which makes the caves "drippy". Jan got an umbrella to protect the camera; I toughed it out :). Well worth the stop!

Then... Hana happened. Kinda. We were in and through Hana without really realizing it. I guess it's really the road to Hana that matters, not so much Hana itself!

Our last planned stop was the Ohe'o Gulch in the Kipahulu district of the Haleakala National Park. It's a cascading system of tiered pools that are fed by waterfalls. Very pretty (and yes, there were lots of people there, as expected).

It's also called 'The seven sacred pools"; none of which is true: There aren't seven pools, and they aren't sacred either. This name is pure fiction because 'it sounded better on fliers'. Go figure...

Now, originally we had planned to drive the same way back since the road was said to be pretty bad for the next ten miles or so after the state park. But then we decided to trust the guide book that said it would be fine. And while it was a bit of an adventure (rumble, rumble, rumble) and sometimes a tight fight (try to squeeze two cars into a one-line road anyone?) we made it! (Given that a tour bus (!) was right in front of us and made it too relativizes it a little ;).)

But I'm glad we went; the island changes drastically from the lush green that we had seen all day long to a more barren brownish and dry color, then back to green as we past the southern most point.

After a good nine hour day we were back at the condo. What a fun day!

Sunday, 05/24/2015: Kayaking and beaches.

This morning we got up early (5 am!) and made our way to Makena Baby to go on a kayaking/snorkeling trip with Maui Kayaks. We arrived early, of course, just to be informed by the tour guide that he will cancel the trip due to high waves and cloudy water in the bay area. What a bummer! We were looking forward to the turtle cleaning station (a spot where turtles come to get cleaned by fish). Pooh....

So, what to do with the day? Beach day all the way it was! We first went on the Big Beach just south of Makena. Big signs warned us of 'dangerous shore break', and boy, did it deliver! Jan took a few photos and videos of the big waves rolling in.

He also went in to play with them for a while (five minutes?). Boy, they were huge! I chickened out. With these big waves that close to shore, you got to be comfortable ducking under them. Which I'm not. So - got a front row seat to enjoy the fun from a distance :).

After a while Jan and I sat down on the beach to watch the waves some more. And a big one just crept up on us. We barely lifted the backpacks out of the water, but the towels were soaked. Didn't see that one coming at all!

After a few hours we drove up The Shops at Wailea to grab a coffee. Since we didn't find a Starbucks we went to Longhi's where we had a second breakfast/early lunch consisting of eggs with bacon and fresh fruit. It was good, but not 'the best breakfast on the island' as the sign on the entrance claimed. The coffee on the other hand was fantastic: Maui Mokka, which they get from Maui Oma Coffee Roasting in Kahului. We might just stop by there tomorrow morning before heading to the airport to grab a bag of two.

Fully refreshed we went to a beach near the resort (trespassing anyone?!), but didn't stay long. Instead, we drove to the Kamaole Beach Park I where we had fun in the much calmer waves (although they were still quite powerful even there today!). Despite the sad start of the day it was a perfect way to end this vacation. Can't believe we'll leave tomorrow morning already....

After a brief break at the condo, we walked into Lahaina for the last time. We found a comfy spot in the shades that overlooked the ocean, and spent a while there admiring the waves.

Then we went on all the way to the north of Lahaina to Betty's Beach Cafe where I had a fruit platter with yogurt (yum!), and Jan had the fruit platter plus Nachos. The nachos were so-so (yes, I stole a few :)), but the fruits were great. Thank goodness it will be almost market seasons when we get back!

That concludes this year's adventures of the Kleinert family. To be continued next year in Oahu!