Today was nuts.  This morning we had a 9 am flight to Lihue, Kauai, which while it is only about a 30 minute flight, meant we had to get up and hustle to the airport.  After a lot of confusion and misjudgment caused by weariness, we made it on time.  For the record, gas on Oahu is about $4.20 per gallon.  Allowing Hertz to refill a Tahoe for you is something you should clear with your lending institution.

Once on Kauai, we were immediately in awe.  Everything was so lush and green, a stark contrast to the desert we call home.  It was also devoid of structures and concrete which, in my opinion, mar Honolulu.  The airport was tiny, and after a 30 second wait for bags, we had our rental car and were on our way.  And that’s when it happened.  Everything changed.  There were chickens everywhere.

I literally mean that, everywhere.  The dotted the sides of the roads, hovered in parking lots, and were even present in WalMart.  The island is literally covered in chickens and roosters, and lots of baby chicken, meaning this wasn’t something which wasn’t going to stop overnight.

Disappointed in having to leave my new-found chicken enthusiasm behind, we went looking for Kayak Wailua who was going to guide us on a kayak excursion up the Wailua river to Fern Grotto.  After the two mile paddle to the trailhead, we would hike to the waterfall called “Secret Falls”, hang out for a while, and then hike and paddle back.  The whole trip was slated for about six miles and should take about four and a half hours.

We were an interesting crew.  The four members of my family, and my inlaws, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law.  Oh, and some poor couple from Chicago who would have to put up with us.  If you’re doing the math, you’ll note that some thing is off.  We can’t all fit without usual one triple kayak.  So Chloe rode with Michelle and Jamie.  Rylie came with me, and Matt and Anna shared a boat.  No one was overly familiar with the concept of kayaking.  I’ve spent a lot of hours in canoes, so how different can in be?

My paddling buddy.

Come to find out, not difficult at all.  The paddling was reasonably easy, and Rylie and I worked well together.  The trip to the falls was against the current but with the wind, making the trip fast.  The Wailua River flow into the Pacific, and we put in just upstream of the mouth.  We were warned about drifting into the ocean (the waves were brutal today due to high winds) because of a strong presence of Tiger Sharks in that area.  Super fun, huh kids!?!

After the paddle to the pull out for the hike to the falls, and showing Rylie that trying to splash an old pro with a paddle wasn’t a good idea, we started to realize that the paddle back was going to be into the wind and likely a lot of work.

The river narrows as the pull out approaches.

The “Secret Falls” were pretty.  A tall waterfall cascading freezing water into a medium sized basin.  Some people were swimming up and under the falls.  No thanks.  I couldn’t imagine it would be any easier to see by looking straight up.

Secret Falls

And you might be asking why I am posting about some secret waterfall.  Let me tell you, there were enough people there that it can’t be too much of a secret.  However, it was quite enjoyable before we headed back.  People were tired and dreading the walk.  I did what any weary traveler would do, put Chloe on my shoulders and carried her the mile back to the boats.  She didn’t sit there the whole way, but at least half of it.  Did I mention the hike included several stream crossings?  Those are fun with 45 pounds of nervous on your shoulders and a full dry bag on your back.

She looks cute, but when she has a death grip on your neck, that is debatable.

Getting into the boats, the sun was out and it was beautiful.  Not long into the paddle, that changed.  The winds picked up, and if you weren’t paddling efficiently, you were drifting backwards.  Rylie proved to be quite the able partner and while she took a few very quick breaks from paddling, we had no trouble easily outpacing the rest of our crew back to the vans.

A kayaker in the making.

To top it all off, when we were about a quarter mile from the pull-out, the heavens opened and it poured.  I’ve seen rain.  I know what it looks like, this was something different.  It was like drops the size of buckets.  It was a true drenching rain.  Rylie and I paddled through it quickly, and while she got in the van, I helped load the boats as others rolled in.

All in all it was a fantastic day.  Everyone had fun, and many were talking about how well they will sleep tonight while we had dinner.  The kids were champs, Chloe followed up her earlier performance by falling asleep at the restaurant and letting me carry her the half mile back to the room.  She’s lucky I love her.

The two main things I learned today, are pretty simple, but quite valuable so please pay attention.  First, the idea of living someplace where chickens roam unchecked is awesome.  I love the idea of never having to pay for one of my favorite foods.  Second, the Secret Falls, while beautiful, are no secret.  You need an experience guide to show you the way due to a labyrinth of rivers.  But I’m quite sure the chickens know the way.  In fact, they may be the ones who told everybody.