Hawaii Day 8 Volumn 9 Kauai

Friday March 12, 2010 Island of Kauai / Kauhueli/Nawiliwili

We were up and very EXCITED! Were going on a Helicopter Ride. Brownie has gone up in one but not really taken a trip so this is really our first trip. Years ago I had a bad dream about crashing in one! It didn’t, I’m still here :)
Since they are picking us up at 8:00 a.m. we ate a very light breakfast.. REALLY GOOD IDEA! We also dressed in dark clothing per instructions, but wish I’d wore all black.(reflection off glass)

Off to find the shuttle to take us to Jack Harter Helicopter Tours!

Lihui, Kauai. We are so excited to do this and we need not worry, Jack was right there at the gate by the ship ready to pick up people ! He picked up a couple of other couples at different resorts and we were off!
The Shuttle took us to the Helipad/Airport. We were escorted in to a little hut where Jacks wife gave us the run down. Mostly about what to expect and what to do if……….

We were all weighed, as that determines which seat you sit at. We were instructed how to wear the ear phones. They were to keep out the noise and enable the pilot to tell us what we were seeing. He did say we could also ask questions but I don’t think anyone did.

We were told where to sit. Two people plus pilot in front. 4 in the middle, 2 in back. I sat by the door, but everyone could easily see because the windows went all the way around. Ours had doors(thank you very much) but the other one taking off at the same time did not. They paid more, but I bet they got wet!!!!!!
As we lifted off, it was nothing what I expected!

We were up and flying without even knowing it!. Just looked down and we were floating! Of course with ear phones the sound is blocked so it’s very surreal.

For the next hour and half we saw the most incredible sites. Ones that we only dreamed of. It truly did not look real.

(The Sister's)

I know I took about 200 pictures, but none will do it justice.

Waimea Canyon

Kauai is know as the “Garden Island” and it is lush and green and absolutely breath taking.

We saw so many water falls, we lost count. We saw one area called the “Sisters”. The name reminded me of the 3 sisters Mountains in Oregon, but these were water falls.

Dozens of movies have been filmed there including all of the Jurassic Park movies & some of “Lost”. Also “South Pacific” (Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta my Hair”).

We flew over the Grand Canyon of Hawaii called “Waimea”. Just breath taking. . Not as big as AZ Grand Canyon but oh just as beautiful! The colors and shapes and deep pits were incredible.

If I could describe this canyon and this Island, I think I would win a Pulitzer Prize for literature! There just are not enough words. Just awesome. Dozens of lakes, ponds, water falls galore!
About 10 minutes before the trip ended, my stomach started to feel queasy.. They had provided barf bags but it didn’t get nearly that bad. There are just so many dips and swirls going through the canyon that it was a bit of a stomach lurcher!

AND THEN….your back at the Heliport. Just like that. Us and the other chopper. Couldn’t believe that trip of a lifetime was over.


I want to do it again and not take pictures. Not that I didn’t see everything but I wish I could do it and just look and look and soak it all up.
After we landed we had an opportunity to take photos of the helicopters and the pilot etc. It was a trip I’ll never forget. This might get old to some people but to me it was just more then I can even begin to describe.
The pilot was fantastic. Born and raised in Hawaii, but he didn’t look like it!
They delivered us back to the ship in plenty of time. This was an early (2 p.m. ) departure day. They had extremely tight security that day.

When we returned to the ship we took a brief nap. It had been a glorious morning! We then got up and fixed ourselves presentable and went to lunch! We walked around the ship trying to decide what the best place to eat free was. Went to the Cadillac Restaurant. Very cool and decorated with Elvis stuff. Elvis is a BIG deal in Hawaii! We had hamburgers and they were very good.
We had an instruction session in the theater and over the intercom
about disembarking the next day, so we got busy in the afternoon and pitched away a whole lot of stuff to make the carry on’s lighter.
We did find out that we can have our big bags picked up at our door and won’t have to worry about them again till we get to Nashville! We watched to see our last cruise away from an Island. Kauai was just SO awesome!


We got our bags stuffed and labeled per instructions and set outside out door in the hall. We had to make sure we had the change of clothes for the plane ride home the next night and everything we would need for the following day in our carry on’s. But once done we were out of there to try to see a sunset!




We found a table at the back of the ship and watched as we slowly sailed by Kauai and the tiny Island of Nihue. We didn’t see a genuine sunset but it was breathtakingly beautiful and a whale surfaced to bid us goodbye. And just before sunset, the most beautiful RAINBOW!


We waited for the clouds to part but alas, it’s like Key West,


if you don’t see one the first night your probably not going to see one
We really got beautiful pictures.


We decided to have a last snack and drink for the night then down to our cabin.



Came back to room to show and watched an old movie on TV. We drifted to sleep again for our final night on the cloud soft mattress. We so hate to have it end.