Kauai July 2009 – Heading to the North Shore

As Willie K sings North Shore Reggae Blues –
Under the Mango Tree, waiting for the sunrise, headed for the North Shore
Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa

My body’s aching for a freedom ride, My brothers calling me to join them

The party’s jamming on the other side, over on the North Shore

The Myna Birds are leading all the way, they’re telling me how to get there

I’m concentrating on my early drive, driving to the North Shore

Under the Mango Tree, waiting for the sunrise, headed for the North Shore

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa

I hear the surf calling me, singing a new song, headed for the North Shore

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa

I wipe my hair away from my eyes, I like to feel the wind on my face

The salty air begins to make me breath, down in the North Shore

I lay my mistress on the surface swell, and as I move she starts to mile at me

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Let it ride much higher and higher

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Take me now Im your’s take me

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Look at me Im higher than a mountain”

There is something about the north shore of Kauai that makes me feel like I have come home again everytime I visit there. Years ago when I thought seriously about moving to Kauai I would have been perfectly happy settling in Hanalei on the north shore. Oahau has its Haleiwa and Maui has Paia. These three cities have a lot in common. They are surfer towns and laid back hippieish, new age feeling places with a strong sense of community and ohana (family).

And of course now there is all of the controversy about the meaning of the song “Puff the Magic Dragon”.   Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea, And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee”. When Tara was little I used to sing this song to her everytime we went to Hanalei. That was every year until from age 9 – 16 and at least 3 or 4 times a trip. She hated me singing the song especially as she got to be a teenager. At dinner one night Kelly brought up the drug reference and Tara said “Nu Huh! You used to sing this song to me all the time when I was little.”

Tara and Kelly drove beyond Hanalei to the end of the road. The plan was for Tara to take Kelly to a couple of her favorite places, Lumahai Beach and the Blue Room. However it was so busy that Sunday that there was nowhere to park. So they came back to Hanalei Bay where they had dropped me off a couple of hours earlier.

Kilauea Lighthouse

Kilauea Lighthouse

During the winter months Kilauea is a good place to spot whales who have migrated south for the winter.

First stop on the way to Hanalei

First stop on the way to Hanalei

Kalihiwai Bay – summer months it is a great family beach
Kalihiwai Bay , water looked like glass this day but during the winter this is a popular surfing spot with big waves

Kalihiwai Bay , water looked like glass this day but during the winter this is a popular surfing spot with big waves

This has always been one of my favorite Hanalei Bay homes.

This has always been one of my favorite Hanalei Bay homes.

Fabluous views of Na Pali from Hanalei Bay

Fabluous views of Na Pali from Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay pier

Hanalei Bay pier

I want this great beach house. Problem is I dont have the millions of $ it would take to buy it.

I want this great beach house. Problem is I don't have the millions of $ it would take to buy it.


Shop in Hanalei

Shop in Hanalei

Heading back from the north shore we make this stop at a scenic overlook. Those are taro fields in the valley.

On the way to and from the north shore we pass the Sleeping Giant. “Legend states that this giant once roamed the land and was much loved by the Hawaiians.”
I took this photo from a moving vehicle so it’s not real good.
Sleeping Giant

Sleeping Giant

The end of a great day on the north shore. Goodbye North Shore until next year when I plan to return again for a summer vacation.

Kauai – 2009 vacation coming soon!

Tara, her husband Kelly and I will going to Kauai in less then two weeks. Kelly has never been to any of the Hawaiian islands. He is going to love Kauai. There is great snorkeling, beautiful beaches and lots of really fresh seafood.

I have two timeshare condos reserved in the complex right next door to where my friend Karen and her husband used to live. We will be in Poipu Beach with a good snorkeling spot right across the street.

These are some of my photos from 2000 and 2007 visits.

 

Oops, wrong caption this is Wailua Falls not Opaeka.

Opaeka Falls

Opaeka Falls

Morning at Poipu Beach Park

Morning at Poipu Beach Park

Anini Beach

Anini Beach

Lumahai Beach

Lumahai Beach

View from Prince Kuhio condos, the unit next to where my friends lived

View from Prince Kuhio condos, the unit next to where my friends lived

Bottle Nose Dolphin seen from Kauai Fun boat

Bottle Nose Dolphin seen from Kauai Fun boat

Inside a seacave

Inside a seacave

Looking south toward Kapaa

Looking south toward Kapaa

“Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee”


Hanalei Bay pier

Hanalei Bay pier

Hanalei Valley taro fields

Hanalei Valley taro fields

Spouting Horn

Spouting Horn

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon

Photo album on Webshots of 2007 trip

Posts from my 2007 Kauai trip includes a map to orient yourself to the island and lots of photos.

2007 Kauai Trip Report – part 1

2007 Kauai – part 2 Na Pali boat trip and Waimea Canyon

2007 Kauai – part 3 The east side and the north shore

2007 Kauai – part 4 The end

Isla Mujeres – Car ferry

To me the car ferry says “Isla“.  The sight and sound of it says to me “your back where you belong”. I have so many photos of it that I intentionally tried not to take another photo of it this last trip. Well I never took a video of it before so I said OK do it. My daughter had been to Isla three times before she asked “What is that?” I replied “come one you have to have seen the car ferry before with all the time you spent on the beach at Playa Sol.”
This video was taken on May 4th. You might notice how few people are up on top of the ferry, maybe only 1 0r 2 and how you really can’t see the vehicles on the lower level. This to me was a real visual of how the H1N1 virus was affecting Isla. People were not coming to the island either by the regular ferries or the car ferry. It was slow and from all reports remains extremely slow to this day.

Condos Ixchel on Isla Mujeres – Love them or hate but…

you can not beat the fantastic views. These are photos that I took last month from the rooftop of penthouse 501 where friends were staying.
While I don’t necessarily believe that the condos do anything at all to enhance Playa Norte or fit in with the feel of the island I loved the views. A couple of photos that I didn’t include are ones of the tar paper roofs of a couple of nearby houses that you can see from the penthouse. So you could pay $599,000 to purchase this penthouse and you can see the local style houses with the tar paper roofs and the laundry out front in the little yards. It wouldn’t bother me but then again I wouldn’t be buying a condo at Ixchel. But if I were the type of person (if there is one)  that would spend that kind of money to buy a small condo on Isla it might bother me. I’m just saying…  😈

Isla Revisted 12/26/08 – 1/10/09

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