Saturday, 21 Oct 2006: We made two boat dives in the morning. First dive was at “Fast Lanes” where we saw one swimming turtle and I spotted one large one hiding back under a rock cavern. We saw a large variety of fish but not a lot of fish in the numbers that we see them in the Carribean. Second dive was “Turtle Town” where we saw 7-8 huge turtles. They were relaxing at a “cleaning station” where smaller fish nibble off the things growing on their skin and shells. I'd say it is something of a 'turtle spa'. The area was actually the top of a rock column that stood about 20 feet up from the sea floor. The turtles made the dives very memorable and worthwhile. Great dives.
You will see more lava rock than reefs diving here. Diving is best on the south shore in winter and the north shore in summer. North shore is rough in winter. Much of the coastline is rocky with intermittent beautiful beaches. There is also the island of Ni'ihau for experienced divers. It requires a 70-mile round trip to reach, but is supposedly rich in sealife, arches, and caves. But be prepared for drop-offs, currents and sometimes rough seas. We did not have time to try this one.
The island of Kauai is lush and beautiful. We rented a house near Anini Beach on the north shore. We had fresh fruit from the back yard; Aunt Ann made homemade lemon pie from the fresh lemon juice, and Grandma cooked Hawaiian cherries from the backyard. We went horseback riding and ziplining at Princeville Ranch on the north shore. Ziplining was an exhilarating, different experience! You strap in and hook up to a cable and ZIP across a river or valley. We also hiked through and up to some waterfalls and beautiful scenery. Beach snorkeling and kayaking and tubing in the rivers are other activities available. The Waimea Canyon is a must for breathtaking scenery - sort of the Grand Canyon of Hawaii, except green and lush. The temperatures at night were cool, in the high sixties and warm, in the eighties, during the day.
Beware of the roosters crowing throughout the night and day. It is said they are dumb and don't know exactly when they are supposed to crow, so they do it throughout the day and night to be sure they cover their job! During the storm, 'Aniki,' in about 1992, the chicken population escaped its domestic captivity and has become quite adept in the wild. They can be seen in the streets, woods, parking lots, golf course, and back yards all over the island. They are actually quite charming. The proud roosters and the hens and fuzzy biddies add a nice touch of character to the island.
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