First I should tell you that we are booked on the Napali Coast and Niihau Super Tour. We saved $20 by booking on line so our total price including taxes is $185.79 per person age 12 and up. Children 6-12 years of age are $119 plus tax and children under 6 are not welcome (let's face it, a 4 year old would be bored silly on a boat for 7 hours). Yes, that's right, we'll be on the water for 7 hours today. In addition to the two meals, we will be doing some snorkeling and our drinks (including beer and wine after the snorkeling is complete) are furnished for the day as well.
So, as we leave the hotel, we are heading south to Port Allen where we will get on the boat. The drive is only 23 miles but according to Google maps it is going to take us 48 minutes to get there! Yikes! So, we left the hotel at 5 a.m. just to be safe. I hate morning! Arriving at the Holo-Holo office we are taken to the boat. After we board we were offered a continental breakfast. We filled up on all that they had available since snorkeling burns some calories. We took Dramamine as soon as we woke up this morning since we read on Trip Adviser that the boat ride could be kind of rough and it sounds like a lot of people get sick on this trip. Also from reading TA reviews we've learned that we will be in the sun all day with no relief so, we brought hats since sunscreen won't mix well with our hair.
So, we are ready and we are off! It takes about an hour to get up the Napali Coast and to our first stop. This early in the morning our seas are still pretty smooth so that is nice while we all digest that breakfast. Later in the day it could be pretty touch and go. Since we knew we would be on this trip this morning we only had a single glass of wine last night on the balcony since alcohol consumption can increase your likelihood of motion sickness and as I said earlier, we took a less drowsy 24 hour Dramamine this morning as soon as we got up. Hopefully that will be enough to get us through the day, but I must say, I am a little worried after all the reviews that I read. So many of them talked about a number of people on the boat experiencing motion sickness. Keep your fingers crossed!
As we approach the Napali Coast the crew points out mountains, caves, beaches and rock formations and gives us information about each. The scenery is quite simply amazing! I wish I could show you better pictures but the resolution isn't great in any of the ones I'm finding on line. But you get the idea and besides... it's a "mind trip", I think it is supposed to be a little fuzzy.
During the boat ride spinner dolphins swim along with us jumping out of the water. They are a lot of fun to watch. But what I really want to see is a humpback whale and I don't have to wait long to see just what I was hoping for as a whale breaches right in front of us! Again, crappy resolution, but you get the idea. The scenery combined with the wildlife is already making this day one of the best ever even if the snorkeling proves to be less than spectacular. Below is one last picture of the Napali Coast before we head off to Niihau.
On our way to Niihau we get to see more dolphins and the crew chats with us. It's a nice trip and still not too rough as the captain speeds across the water to get us to our snorkeling location as quickly as possible. At Niihau we will be snorkeling in the crater. Talk about greatness!!!! I can't wait to get in the water. I have read dozens of reviews on Trip Adviser and so many of them mention monk seals that swim right up to you! I hope we see a monk seal. I tried to go see a monk seal pup on Oahu once, but we couldn't find it. I had talked to a man on Trip Adviser who told me right where it would be, but when I went a week later, either I was in the wrong place or it had left.
One of the reviews I read from Jessica C. who happens to be from Beaumont said that she swam with a monk seal and a mantaray swam right below them just before they got back on the boat. How cool! One of the pictures on Holo-Holo's website shows snorkelers with a whale shark..... I'm posting it below. Yep, just a little swim with a whale shark before getting back on the boat and having a beer....
Anyway, we've arrived at Niihau. Do you like how I kept you entertained during the boat ride? Totally kept our minds off the possibility of motion sickness, right? Anyway, as I see the crater up close, this place is kind of amazing. I think that the snorkeling here might be better than it was when we snorkeled on the leeward side of Oahu. I mean let's face it, that was practically open water and it was in the evening so we didn't have that mid afternoon sun. The sunlight today is very strong plus the crater protects the water so maybe it won't be so murky. Now if the fish will just cooperate and show up to swim with us, all will be well.
This is my "mind trip" and you all are only along for the ride, so I'm just going to go ahead and tell you that in my mind, we swam with monk seals, dolphins and a whale shark. After all, what is the point of a "mind trip" if you aren't going to imagine experiencing every single thing you wanted to experience, right?
As I stepped back on the boat after the single best day of snorkeling ever, I was handed an ice cold beer. As the crew makes sure we all have drinks we start heading back to Kauai. It has been a fantastic day! I can't remember a better day on a "mind trip" ever!
Back at Eleele or Port Allen, I'm having a little trouble figuring this out. The address of Holo-Holo is Eleele, but almost everything else I see on line calls it Port Allen. Wikipedia says that it was originally called Eleele but was renamed Pork Allen for an Oahu business man. Yet apparently, the US postal service still recognizes it as Eleele.... Whatever, anyway it is only 3 p.m. so we decide to walk around "town". Okay, I'll admit, it isn't much of a town. The population is only 2,000 people. There isn't too much to see here. But this is the home of Hawaii's largest coffee company, the Kauai Coffee Company and the Red Dirt Shirt Company. I always wanted one of those red dirt shirts. So, we head to their outlet store and make a purchase.
With our purchases in hand, we hop back in the car and make our way back to the Courtyard by Marriott. Tonight dinner will be casual, cheap and easy at the Fish Hut. From what I understand the $8 fish taco special is a "can't miss". They have shave ice too, so we get those for dessert! Tomorrow is going to be a day of relaxation since we are going to need it after all of the activity today.
It's still hard to believe that we are doing all of this for only $1,041 per person including air from DFW and a 5 night stay at the Courtyard by Marriott thanks to the great deal from Places You'll Go Travel. That Susan is a genius!!!! Of course, the rental car, the Holo-Holo charter and the meals are not included in that price. But what can you expect?
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