Port Arthur
Our third full day in Kauai meant packing up and departing early in the morning from Poipu, as we were not only going on a morning boat cruise of the Na Pali Coast, but would be spending the next two nights on the north shore.
We needed to be at Port Arthur, Kauai by 8 AM which meant getting up and checking out of our room by 7AM. We managed to get everything including ourselves into the rental car on time, saying goodbye to a friendly cat that seemed to live in the Kiahuna resort complex as well, and started on our way.
We arrived a half hour early and checked into the Blue Dolphin Charters office. I chose Blue Dolphin from among the many charter companies based on the description of the tour (which included a snorkeling stop), the reviews, and the relative cost.
Since we were a half hour early we decided to get some coffee to kill some time and to feel a bit more alert after the groggy start to the day. We ended up driving back up the road to Kalaheo to Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company. They made our coffees quickly and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the coffee shop (even if we were in a hurry).
After getting our coffees, we hopped back into the car and drove down to the Blue Dolphin parking area and grabbed our backpacks with our supplies for the charter cruise. The cruise would last until 2PM so we needed to be sure to have sunscreen and anything else we might need for the trip.
Blue Dolphin Charters
Once we were back in the office we waited while the crowd slowly grew. By the time the captain led us outside there were about 40 guests. We walked down to the boat and were advised that if we did not have close-toed sandals we should leave them on the dock for our own safety. Then we boarded the boat and waited for departure.
Due to the topography and currents, the first half hour of the cruise would be through relatively calm waters on our way to the snorkel spot on the south shore of Kauai. We arrived and the catamaran was anchored for snorkeling.
Shelley and I helped get our sons their snorkel masks and flippers on and then we all jumped into the open water. Evan was having difficulty getting his snorkel onto his mask strap so I swamp him back to the boat and reattached it, making sure he was able to use it properly before we swam away from the boat.
Able now to look at the underwater world, I saw that we were about 40 feet above a reef with scattered fish far below. I swam around looking for larger schools but didn’t have much luck. And then my GoPro battery began to die out as well.
For the next half hour I swam with the family in search of fish and for the most part didn’t find very many. Not until we were just about to reboard the boat did I at last find a number of relatively large wrasse near the ship. I recorded these fish briefly amid the turbid waters of snorkelers reboarding the catamaran.
I felt a little disappointed, but there would be more snorkeling opportunities on the trip. I would not have use of my GoPro for the rest of the boat cruise (I had spare batteries but forgot to bring them). But I did have both my phone and my EOS.
The South Shore
For the next 45 minutes we cruised along the southern coast of Kauai with the current driving us along. We took turns on the bow deck platforms enjoying the feel of the wind and surf and taking in the views of Kauai and the island of Nihau in the distance.
Eventually we came upon a pod of spinner dolphins and I took as many photos as I could from the bow, hoping to catch one as it leapt momentarily from below. For the most part, they stayed just below the waterline.
As we continued on we saw flying fish darting from the sea. I took rapid shots just hoping to catch any of them. I got a couple photos of them in flight.
The Na Pali Coast
Turning northward to follow the coast of Kauai, we were entering the Na Pali coast. The word ‘pali’ means cliff in Hawaiian, and Na Pali means ‘many cliffs’. An apt description for the region of Kauai that we would be entering.
If you are wondering whether you should spend the money to see the Na Pali coast on a visit to Kauai, the answer is an absolute yes. The scenery is incredible and I don’t know that you will find any stretch of coastline that can match it for dramatic beauty, not only in Hawaii, but in the world.
This actually wasn’t the first time I had seen the Na Pali coast from the sea. Way back in June of 2003 I took a kayak trip from Kee Beach to Polehale Beach. A distance of 22 miles. I got seasick along the way and spent the majority of that distance puking, but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.
From the boat it was much more relaxing and instead of puking I was able to eat pulled pork sandwiches and drink mai tais and beers. We were also lucky in that, since it was mid October, the seas would have been expected to be a bit rougher than they were. As we cruised along the coast we had fairly gentle seas. I think God wanted me to enjoy this moment with my family as much as possible.
After reaching the point of Kalalau Beach (where I remember our kayak trip made a beach stop) the boat was turned about for the journey back to Port Arthur. The journey back was about 1.5 hours, spent lazing about on the deck, enjoying the views, the drinks, and the sun.
Once back at Port Arthur, we departed the boat and walked back to our rental car. We had about 1.5 hours to drive ahead to Princeville.
Kapaa
Along the way, the desire for shave ice and souvenirs became too much to resist and we made a stop at the Coconut Marketplace in Kapaa on the eastern shore. There was a lot here to choose from and we found JoJo’s Shave Ice serving up our much needed cool dessert.
After eating our delicious shave ice, we walked around and bought some souvenir shirts, a shot glass, and other necessities for our travel needs.
Princeville
The north sore of Kauai receives more rainfall than the southern shore of Kauai and the scenery is even more dramatic. Many postcards have been made of the scenery from Princeville and Hanalei Bay and movies such as South Pacific were filmed here.
We followed Google Maps along the windy route to the Alii Kai vacation homes and after a momentary bit of confusion, we found our nicely appointed two bedroom condo where we would be staying for the next two nights.
Guarding the path, however was a nene.
Carefully walking past the hostile nene we unloaded the rental car and made ourselves comfortable in the townhome. We had brought our groceries from the other condo, which we unloaded from an insulated bag we bought at Walmart, and placed in the refrigerator. This would enable us to continue to enjoy some inexpensive breakfasts without the cost of dining out.
Out the back porch was a nice view of the cliffs on the center of the island and a family of chickens. Because in Kauai you are never far from a chicken.
We showered and got dressed for the evening dinner. After some discussion I decided upon the Kalypso Island Bar and Grill in Hanalei. Only that is not where we ended up going.
Hanalei
We drove down the hill into Hanalei which is a really cool, laidback town on the north shore of Kauai. It kind of reminds me of towns you might find in some third-word beach communities.
Since it was dark and rainy we followed the directions from Google Maps until we approached a restaurant that seemed to be where Kalypso Grill should be. We pulled into a parking spot and walked around. The host seated us and we got a table under the covered, outdoor patio.
We were trying to avoid overspending on meals (which is a common issue for travelers to Hawaii), but we were already seated and things seemed pretty chill. Plus it started pouring rain and nobody was interested in walking back to the car in it.
Needless to say, this restaurant was pricier than we intended. And it wasn’t the Kalypso Grill. It was Tahiti Nui.
The dinner was a decent, but for the price it was a bit much. One personal size pizza was $30. Oh well, we were celebrating my birthday. They also brought me a free birthday dessert (although the person who brought it wasn’t nearly as nice as the waitress who was working our table).
So, do I recommend Tahiti Nui? Yes, if you want a bit of atmosphere and a sophisticated vibe. For cheaper eats, there’s plenty more in Hanalei.
After dinner we drove back to the townhome and crashed for the night. We had an early day planned with a big hike the next morning.