Taking a Hiking Break to Work on Balance: Ka'ena Point, Mermaid Caves, Slacklining and Stand Up Paddleboarding

I haven't been out hiking as much as I'd like the last few weeks.  Still watching my neighbor's kids, working on school work, and getting ready to go back home to visit family for a bit, has made my adventuring slightly harder.  However, I did have a day where the boys and I decided to go searching around Ka'ena Point on the west side to kill some time before a movie.  I had left my IDs at home and had to stay out until I could have someone retrieve them for me.

Anyway, for some reason I've always been wary of going out on the West Side of the island, not sure entirely the reason, but I have done little to no exploring out that way.  We drove out to Ka'ena Point, which is the westernmost tip of the island, and hopped out.  Most people walk on the old dirt road out to the bird sanctuary, but I decided that we should hang out on the shore and walk through the rocks and coral.  It was so scenic, and beautiful!  I am definitely going to have to go back on a day when I am planning to explore that area, and not just on a whim.

In the last few weeks, I also had to get a present out to my sister before her birthday.  When she was visiting last month, I promised I would get her some crystals and cleanse them in the mermaid caves.  Never having been to the mermaid caves before, I decided to do some google searching, and luckily enough, the caves come up on google maps, so they are very easy to find.  Go park at the Nanakuli Beach Park, and head towards the left away from the beach behind a neighborhood area.  You'll pass by some interesting tide pools in the rocks.  The entrance to the mermaid cave is the closest hole to a house's backyard that has an opening in a gate with a chain across and a no trespassing sign.  Also, there were some other people there, so we could hear their voices and used that as a guide as well.  We hopped down into the cave, and luckily were there at a midpoint between high and low tides.  It was such a cool and serene place to hang out.  The ground is covered in large chunks of coral, and the sounds the waves make as they come in are majestic and slightly intimidating.  I was able to cleanse the crystals I purchased for my sister and then take a moment to meditate. 

The tricky part about the mermaid caves is getting out.  My friend, April, went with me, and she had no problem hopping up and down the main entrance hole, but I for the life of me couldn't get out (I blame going to the gym earlier that day and being tired), so I ended up having her give me a boost on a secondary entrance that has a shoot type feel, and shimmied back up and out of the cave.  Definitely go with someone else if you have upper body strength issues, so you don't get stuck in the caves.  I can't wait to go back and take my good camera and Buddha to get some shots, and sit and meditate.

This week, I've become obsessed with Slacklining.  I did it a couple times in college, when I was in better shape, and remembered it was quite a core strengthening activity, so I decided it was time to bring slacklining back into my life.  For those of you who aren't sure what I'm talking about, slacklining is when you take 1-2" wide webbing and set it up between two trees, or pillars, so it is kind of like a tightrope.  The difference is it is bouncy, and when you become proficient at just walking across it, you can learn to do cool tricks on it and yoga poses, whatever your heart desires.  I went to Climb Aloha, which is a great local store up on Noah St in Honolulu, although I was informed they are about to move down close to Ward Center, and purchased a "Slackers" kit that is 50ft long, 2" wide and comes with a learning line that can be hung above you to use as a stabilizer.  (Thank goodness for the learning line!)

I tried it out in my front yard for a bit, and loved it, so did my boys.  When my neighbor, April, got home, we went and set the line up by the local beach and started walking the line.  It was so much fun, we decided to slack the next day, and the next, and the next!  Keeping us busy, and eventually we got some other's to join in and play around on the line with us.  We tried out some yoga poses, holding them just long enough to snap pics, and continued to work on just plain walking across the line.  My neighbor enjoyed it so much, she purchased her own line that just got in yesterday, so I see many nights of slacklining in our futures.

The other new adventure I've been taking up this week is Stand Up Paddleboarding.  Other than hiking and trying out new adventures, singing is one of my passions.  So, back in April I saw there was going to be a summer karaoke contest down a Shore Bird Restaurant, in the Waikiki Outrigger.  I entered, and lost the first night I went, which was sad.  However it was a multiple week long qualifier to the grand finale, so I went back the next week, won my night, won the week, and then almost a month later at the karaoke finals, won the night and an amazing 11ft Miller Lite Paddle Board!  So excited about that.  It took me a few weeks to be able to purchase the other items I needed, but I was lucky enough to find a local Surf shop, Blue Planet Surf down on 540 Ward, that has a great selection of paddle boards and accessories that fit my limited budget.  I was able to get an adjustable paddle, leash, soft rack, tie downs, and a deck pad with installation for $250!  Not bad!  So taking into account my winnings I got an amazing, unique paddle board, and all the stuff I need to transport and use it for around $150! (The weekly prize for winners was $100). 

It just so happens that our slacklining place is right by one of the calmest beaches on the island, so deciding that was the perfect place to try out my trophy, I brought it along!  The first day was a little rough getting used to the balance, and dealing with the currents and small waves that come along.  The second day we took it out, I was able to cruise around, try out some yoga poses (although I fell off attempting the warrior II pose), and take my kids out for little cruises to watch the sunset over the Waianae Range!  What a magnificent experience that was, so beautiful to be gliding across the water while the majestic sunset is before you!  Definitely excited to get back out and play around on my new toys some more.

So what did I learn from these hectic weeks of responsibility and play time?  Just that, there is a balance in everything.  There are always going to be outside tasks, forces, responsibilities, what have you that you have to accomplish by certain times, or that cause you to be stressed out and taking a break from things you love to do.  Find new things that you can accomplish in the limited time you have to help center and rejuvenate yourself.  You may be surprised at what those new tasks are, or at how well you can accomplish them, but make sure you take the time to find what helps you de-stress and find your balance.

Here is a video I put together of all the adventures we've been having.  It has some video clips as well as more pics of what we've been up to, if you want to check it out.

Until the next adventure...

Chasing the Sun: Koko Head Arch and Pu'u O Hulu

The last couple weeks have been crazy hectic, I've recently returned to school to finish my bachelor's degree, I've been babysitting my neighbor's kids during the week, and I had a karaoke contest that was 2 months in the making for the finals. Stressville, population me!  I've been wanting to "Chase the Sun" for weeks, but every time we planned on it, something went wrong and we had to postpone.  So this last week, in the midst of all my stress, chasing the sun with my husband and boys was a necessary activity. 

I did a bunch of research on the Koko Head Arch hike, I've seen a lot of people doing it for sunrise, and I thought, "what a magical spot, we must go!"  Sunrise was at 0510 that morning, so we got up around 0330 to get ready and drive out there.  I had seen most people can do the hike in under 30 minutes, but since I was bringing my children, I figured it would be potentially an hour for us. The best place to park for Koko Head Arch is at the blowhole parking lot for Halona Blowhole.  Cross the street, and walk up the road back towards Hanauma Bay.  There is a large rock formation at mile marker 15, we climbed up here, however on the way back down, we noticed that if you keep walking past marker 15 to the next little ridge, it is a much easier beginning spot to the hike.  Once you reach the main ridgeline, the path is very straight forward. 

Make sure to wear grippy shoes as the hike is steep, and sandy over rock.  We wore our regular hiking boots, which were sufficient, but we saw a few people in flat vans and things that were having slipping issues.  When you get to the arch, there are two ways to get underneath, you can go to the right side, that side looked pretty steep and slippery, or to the left side, by climbing over a tiny ledge, but it was fairly easy to navigate.  We reached the underside of the arch with about 20 minutes before sunrise, and it was beautiful to see.  We could see one of the neighboring islands off in the distance, and there was a nice breeze.  The only downside is it was crowded with people playing current pop music, which kinda killed the serenity, but it was gorgeous otherwise. 

After we sat for a while, I climbed around a bit to get some good pictures of the arch, and then we sat and waited for the large group before us to leave, and enjoyed the last few moments of sunrise splendor.  On the way back down, a light misty rain began, and there was a rainbow over the arch, it was a wonderful moment!

We went about the rest of the day as usual, and then we headed out to the west side of the island to tackle Pu'u o Hulu.  First time I took the boys on this hike, we chose the harder section of the hike by accident, going up the trail beginning at between the 7th and 8th light poles on Kaukama Road.  If you are a good climber, I suggest going this way as it was intense, however if you are with kids and just wanting a nice hike with a little bit of incline, go to the 10th light pole where there is an obvious trail that is quite easy to find.  Hike in a bit, and where the trail splits, head left. 

There are so many great views along this trail!  Early on you cross a white tree that is growing with its roots cascading down the side of a rock formation, it was truly a pretty sight.  As you get up higher on the trail, the views of the valley, Waianae Mountain Range, and the ocean are just breathe taking. 

When you get to the top of the ridgeline, there are 4 bunkers that are pretty easy to get to.  The ridgeline is a bit narrow in places, but not something that feels unsafe.  We picked a bunker that wasn't too full of people, and had some snacks and settled in for watching the sunset.  In all honesty, I wasn't really expecting much variation from the sunrise hike, I mean how different is the sunrise from the sunset, but holy guacamole was I wrong!  The lighting during this sunset was magical!  It was so much fun watching the light go from a heavenly white glow, to a nice soft orange and pink, into the intense vibrant colors of the descending sun. 

Overall, I am so happy that I got to finally "Chase the Sun".  I had this idea in my mind for a while, and it was even better than I imagined it would be.  It was a bit tough, as I carried my Buddha on both hikes, and I had been working out just the day before, it hurt at times, I was out of breath at times, but having my boys with me made it worth the discomfort.  As I was hiking up the steeper parts of Pu'u o Hulu, I was reminded of one of the universal truths of Buddhism, "Life is suffering" there are many things that can cause suffering, it is how you deal with it, and overcome it that is important. For me chasing the sun was the best remedy.  I started the day focused on the stresses that were in my life with the first rays of the starting day, and I finished it by focusing on releasing the negativity that was surrounding me and replenishing my spiritual well with the last rays of the sun! I felt so centered after that day, my children and husband also had a great time.  I am so happy that we were all able to be there together making those memories together!

Until the next hike...

More Waterfalls and Coastal Lava Tubes: Likeke Falls and Lava Tube Lookout

A bit late on writing this blog, but we did these hikes on the same day about a week ago.  The boys were still in a waterfall mood, so we decided to head out to Likeke Falls, as I had heard it was a really short hike, and I wanted to hit the lava tube after. 

The Likeke Falls hike starts at the back corner of the Ko'olau Golf and Event Center on the windward side of the island.  There is a access road with a chain across it, that is the beginning of the trail.  Now I had read a lot of info about this hike, so I knew that while it was a short hike, there are multiple ways to get there, and some are slightly easier than others.  The crucial turning points on this trail come up on you quite quickly.  Almost immediately once you've set out on the paved access road, you will see a water tower up ahead covered in graffiti, just before you reach it, there is a path that branches off to the left, take this path.  Follow the path for a while, you will come upon a section that is all cobblestone and really pretty, a little ways past the cobble stone there is another path that branches off to the right just before a big white tree that has tons of people's names carved into it.  Take that path to the right, you have to take a few steps down off the cobblestones, but it isn't in anyway tricky or dangerous.  From there you just keep hiking until you hit the falls.  One thing to note though, while many people hike this child carrying, or with packs (like I do), there are some pretty tight spots that you have to maneuver through, and having a large pack, or carrying a child in a harness could be a bit difficult, so just be aware of that.  I had to crawl on my hands and knees in a couple spots just to get under some of the overgrown branches.

Somehow, I ended up leading two other groups of hikers, they were small groups mind you, but I couldn't help but laugh about it, as I had never done this trail before either, so I felt like the blind leading the blind.  Anyway, this path gets pretty muddy, and I was surprised at how many people I saw hiking in flip flops, or slippahs as they are called on the islands.  I guess personally I wouldn't recommend that.  I saw one child having a particularly bad time on the trail due to his flip flops, and another group of tourists took twice as long as we did to reach the falls, hiking in flip flops.  I know this is an easy trail, but when you are hiking even if only for a couple miles, always wear decent footwear, it just makes it a better experience.

When we reached the falls, my kids ripped of their shoes and socks and started splashing around in the lower pools.  This is a cool waterfall in that it has multiple levels that are fairly easy to climb up to, so the falls was covered in locals and tourists climbing up to the higher levels and taking photos.  If you are going on a weekend and want a good shot, expect it to take a while.  We hung out there for a bit, and then as we were leaving, noticed that one of the groups of people we originally led in, who had already packed up and left, had left a bit of trash behind.  If you pack it in, make sure you pack it back out.  I was a bit concerned in some areas due to broken glass right at the falls and what not, let's show some respect for the trails and the Aina' and make sure we clean up after ourselves.  Anyway, the hike back to the car was fairly uneventful, so we went to get some food and head over to the lava tubes for a quick little jaunt down to the coastal reefs.

I know that I normally give detailed directions on locations, however this is a spot that took me a lot of research to find directions to, and that locals prefer isn't shared openly on the internet, so if you want to go to the Lava Tube Lookout, the directions are out there, just do a quick google search and you will find a way.  I will say that it is between Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail and Hanauma Bay, to narrow it down for you.  The reason I've changed my tune on sharing spots that aren't as popular is because of how trashed the lead trail to the tube was.  The trail couldn't have been more than 50ft long, but it was littered with broken bottles, cigarette packaging and butts, abandoned towels, socks, and shirts, and tons of fast food cups and what not.  So, in regards to respecting the land, I've decided to keep spots that I see being abused to myself and do my best to clean them up when I go.

Now onto the Lava Tube.  I've seen in some blogs that a flashlight is required to traverse the tube, I didn't find that to be true, and the views you get when you pop out the other side are spectacular!  We were there on a lucky day, as the resident monk seal was sunning himself on the rocks, and allowed us to get fairly close for pictures.  I didn't get too close, and we made sure to stay quiet as not to disturb him too much.  I brought two different zoom lenses as I knew that running into the seal might be a possibility and I wanted to get good shots, (which I did).  The descent onto the flat reef wasn't scary at all, the rock was solid and had good grip and it was an easy climb down. 

We went at high tide, so as we explored there were large waves crashing on the shore next to us, which made it an even more magical place to me.  We got to she some tide pools with fish, some crabs scuttling over the land, and of course the large monk seal.  Overall it was an amazing place.

As we left for the day, I vowed to come back later in the week and clean up the trail, as I didn't have my trash bags with me that day.  So, we went back a couple days later, during low tide, and got to explore more of the area, which was really neat!

I didn't see a cool bridge the first time we went, and we got to walk out to the edge of the rocks and see some urchins hanging out.  It was also an extremely clear day, and we could see another island off in the distance.  It looked so close, which was an interesting thing because it seemed almost like you could paddle there (I'm sure that would be a dangerous undertaking, and definitely do not recommend it).  But it was once again a very peaceful place to be, with beautiful views, and not too crowded. 

On our way out, we spent some time and cleared the trail of all the broken glass and rubbish we came across. And I have to say it looked so much better, and it made me feel so happy to see the trail looking nice again.  I'm definitely adopting this tiny trail and going back to keep it clean. 

I guess what I learned from these hikes was simple, respect the land and the hikes you are on.  It is such a gift to be able to go out and enjoy nature, what a shame that some people don't respect the beautiful land that they are going to and forming magical memories of.  If you pack it in, pack it out.  Be respectful of those who came before and those who will come again, don't leave a trace of yourself behind.  Enjoy the moment for what it is, and move on to the next adventure, there is no need to tag rocks, or carve in trees, or leave rubbish behind to destroy a beautiful area.  Live in the moment, embrace the experience you are gaining, and move forward with that.

Until our next adventure...