from the St. Petersburg Times, May 2, 2004
Blue Hawaii
For a unique view of the state, tour the island
of Kauai by inner tube, kayak or sailboat.
By JANNA GRABER
Published May 2, 2004
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[Photo: Janna Graber]
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| Kayakers paddle the Hanalei River, one of the
few navigable rivers in Hawaii. The route is lined with tropical
vegetation. |
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"Turn on your headlamp so you can see where you're
going," our guide says, pointing to the tiny lamp strapped to my
hard hat. The hat doesn't match my white swimsuit and black water
shoes, but it's what you wear when you're floating on an inner tube
down the flumes of a sugar cane plantation.
It's a former plantation, actually. Farming cane
is no longer profitable on the island of Kauai, so the fields of
Lihue Plantation have sat empty for years. Until now.
Kauai Backcountry Adventures recently turned the
Hawaiian farm into an exciting natural playground. Now you can hike
the green lands on foot or rush through them on an ATV. Those who
want a truly unique Hawaiian experience can grab a tube and float
down the flumes of the Lihue waterway system, which originates in
the rain forests of Mount Waialeale. The Lihue ditches, dug by hand
for irrigation in 1870, still are in excellent condition. We drift
past wild sugar cane and pluck fruit from branches hanging over the
waterways while enjoying views of lush mountains.
Then suddenly, the ditch makes a turn, and a black
hole looms. The woman drifting next to me says, with worry in her
voice, that the tunnel looks too small.
Abruptly, we're in blackness, the smell of wet
earth in our nostrils. My headlamp casts a thin beam of light on
rock walls hewn more than a century ago. The darkness ahead is
filled with bobbing lights - and laughter. After all, it's the first
time most of us have floated through a narrow tunnel inside the
Earth. We can't help but enjoy the experience.
Yet, it's a part of Kauai I had never imagined. I
pictured myself lying on the beach but, instead, ended up kayaking
and tubing.
Like siblings in a big family, the Hawaiian
Islands each have their own reputation and character. Kauai has
sometimes been typecast as the quieter and wetter island, yet that
stereotype is misleading.
It's true that Kauai has a slow, small-town pace.
There's not much nightlife, and high-end shopping opportunities are
limited. But the island has plenty to offer those who want to
explore its natural assets, from hiking and snorkeling to golfing,
boating and fishing.
And while the island's remote interior does
receive a great deal of rain, the rest of Kauai enjoys pleasant
weather. Even though the isle is only 33 miles wide and 25 miles
long, you can almost pick the weather of your choice. Kauai has
several different microclimates.
Like dry, arid conditions? Then stay on Kauai's
west side, which receives an average of 18 inches of rain a year.
Home to Waimea Canyon State Park with its dramatic 3,600-foot
red-walled canyons, the region looks more like Arizona than a
tropical island.
If fertile greenery and occasional misty rains are
your thing, head to the North Shore. Numerous movie stars live near
here, drawn by the region's amazing scenery. The elegant Princeville
Resort, built in tiers on the cliffs overlooking Hanalei Bay, is
known for its stunning location. It has, some would argue, one of
the best views in the region.
Like much of the island, the southeastern area of
Poipu enjoys a quick rain shower here and there. Yet most of the
time, the weather is warm and sunny. Poipu Beach Park, with its
soft, white-sand shoreline, is a popular local draw. There are
dozens of resorts, bed and breakfasts and apartment rentals. With
its manicured tropical gardens, natural pools and open
1920s-inspired architecture, the Hyatt Regency Kauai reflects the
true essence of Poipu.
On the plantation, though, I'm floating through
the island's remote southeastern interior. The vegetation is thick
and the dirt roads narrow. It took sturdy, four-wheel-drive
vehicles, driven by our fearless guides, to reach this part of wild
Kauai. This certainly qualifies for "off-the-beaten track," and
that's exactly what I had hoped for.
More than 58,000 people make their home on Kauai;
many of them work in the tourism industry. Some locals go back
generations here, while other residents moved to Kauai from the
mainland to retire, motivated by Kauai's warm climate.
Still other arrivals have come to enjoy the
island's outdoor lifestyle. Patrick Gmelin is one such example. A
former ski guide from Colorado, he says that Kauai allows him to
enjoy outdoor activities year-round.
Gmelin is now a guide with Kayak Kauai Outbound.
When I join him for an afternoon kayak tour, the sun shines in a
bright blue sky as we paddle the Hanalei River down toward the
Pacific Ocean. We kayak past fishermen on the banks, patiently
waiting for the catch that will grace their dinner tables that
night.
The Hawaiian Islands are not known for their
gentle surf, and the going gets tougher as we pull into open ocean.
We paddle along the shoreline until we reach the beach near
Princeville, where we pull ashore to stop for a break.
Yet our ultimate goal is to snorkel, so we head
back into the water and paddle around the bend to secluded Hideaway
Beach. We pull snorkel gear from the back of the kayak and, within
seconds, we're in the ocean.
The water is warm and clear, and I can see purple
coral and sea cucumbers lining the ocean floor. The current sweeps
me from side to side as I dive down to view these living treasures.
It's a surreal world that Hawaiians enjoy all year round, and I must
admit that I'm envious.
But all too soon, it's time to paddle back. As we
kayak upstream, we pass a young man on a wide surfboard. He has
attached a small engine that propels the surfboard through the
water. Fishing gear and a cooler sit atop the board, and a huge
smile covers the surfer/boatman's face.
Such is life in Kauai.
Sore from paddling, I opt for an adventure of
another sort the next day: a sunset cruise on a small catamaran. As
afternoon moves toward nightfall, some friends and I board a Captain
Andy's Sailing Adventures boat for a sunset sail.
A warm wind whips through our hair as we sail
along the Poipu Coast, listening to local musician Calvin Chow strum
Gordon Lightfoot tunes on his guitar. We sail past huge mansions and
tidy homes, and then suddenly, Kauai is wild again. Green mountains
jut into the sea, their cliffs sticking out like proud chests, as
gulls glide in the breeze behind our boat.
Then the captain stops the engine near a secluded
beach, and the catamaran slowly dances in the waves. Below deck, a
chef prepares us a dinner of lobster tail and tropical fruit flan,
which we enjoy as the sun is setting.
Later we recline on the ship's tarps and watch the
moon begin its nightly show. It's been a magical evening. Many
people conjure pleasant memories to help them relax when life gets
stressful. And right now, sailing under a star-filled sky along the
rugged Poipu Coast, I know that this is one of them.
- Janna Graber is a freelance writer living in
Golden, Colo.
If you go
GETTING THERE: Many airlines offer connecting
service from the Tampa Bay area to Honolulu and on to Kauai.
STAYING THERE: The Princeville Resort, which
offers stunning views of the island, is at 5520 Ka Haku Road,
Princeville, HI 96722-3069. Rates, effective through Christmas, are
from $450 to $4,800 the Royal Suite. Call toll-free 1-800-325-3589;
www.princeville.com
The Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa, 1571 Poipu
Road, Koloa, HI 96756, has more reasonable rates. Call 808 742-1234;
http://kauai.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml
PLAYING THERE: Kauai Backcountry Adventures,
toll-free 1-888-270-0555;
www.kauaibackcountry.com Kayak Kauai Outbound, toll-free
1-800-437-3507;
www.kayakkauai.com
Captain Andy's Sailing Adventures, toll-free
1-800-535-0830;
www.sailing-hawaii.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Kauai Visitors Bureau, 4334
Rice St., Suite 101, Lihue, Hawaii. Call toll-free 1-800-262-1400 to
order a Kauai Travel Planner or ask questions about touring Kauai;
www.kauaivisitorsbureau.com
