FRIDAY - LET THE MORNING TIME DROP ALL IT'S PETALS ON ME - KAYAKING

Chickens of Kauai

Please excuse the window screening in the picture:

Good morning last full day in Kauai. How I will miss you!

Larry and I got up first thing in the morning and met our tour guide at the Waimea River for a kayaking and hiking trip to "Secret" Falls. Larry and I have never kayaked before and it was a lot of fun. We kept pulling right. Must be because we are right handed. After we kayaked for about 90 minutes we hiked 2 miles into Secret Falls.

This is what most of the hike consisted of. Our tour guide - Judah - a dreadlocked surfer DUDE kept us on a fast pace. He wanted us to get to Secret Falls before anyone else. He took us over boulders and I think we were a little off the beaten path. We got a late start waiting for one couple to show up.

When we got there we ate dried mangos, bananas, and papaya. We all looked at the falls and ate each other. Our group was three young honeymooning couples and US. Haha

It was so beautiful, but I didn't go there just to look. Finally I said, "Well, I'm getting my fat butt in the water." So Larry and I did. We were then joined by the honeymooners. We also were the first to go under and behind the falls. The pool is only about 6 feet deep at it's deepest. Because we were the first ones there it was crystal clear and VERY VERY cold. You soon numbed up and it didn't matter.

On the way back down, Judah went slower and explained how this canyon at one time supported 10,000 Hawaiians. Now no one lives there.

In this picture you can sort of see the terraces where the Hawaiins grew taro.

I truly have no idea how the chickens got back here unless they hopped on a kayak.

This is what our trail was like - very dense and roughly figured to be a trail. Larry and I were pretty pleased that we kept up with Judah and the Honeymooners.

The river we kayaked. On the way up we were against the current. On the way back we had a head wind. I would pick against the current over the head wind.

It was a beautiful, glassy water day. In the afternoon the tour boats come in and rough up the water. We only saw one. The Fern Grotto is in the middle right of the above picture.

From the bridge, a view of the Waimea River.

We hung out at the pool in the afternoon and then headed back to Bubba's. On the way (and several times) we drove by the famous:

It is completely in ruins now.

A Japanese investment company bought it. Then a hurricaine came through and caused some damage. They filed an insurance claim. The insurance company said the place had gone to the dogs already so they sued the Japanese and now it is all wrapped up in a court and a major eyesore.

What is NOT an eyesore is

They put relish on your hamburger buns! Very yummy!

This is the view from the outdoor eating bench.

The onion rings were AMAZING. I love onion rings and hate onions. Can anyone explain that? Except that nearly everything tastes better breaded and fried.

You see what I mean - you just can't take him anywhere.

I forgot to take a pretty flower picture today so I will leave you with this pretty ground covering:

And the sunsetting on the palms. Our last sunset in Kauai.

Where did the time go? Do we have to go home? When can we come back?