The Travelling DesRosiers: Kauai

Up for brekkers as the ship docked at Kauai. Earliest and smallest of the main Hawaii Islands, it is the furthest west, and (because it has had 5 million years to build up some soil) quite lush with tropical vegetation. The windward side has 400-600 inches of rain a year while the leeward side of the island has only 15 inches per year.

We trooped off the ship at 8:30 to board a bus and set off on our tour. Our knowledgeable driver kept up an interesting commentary through the tunnel of trees, to millionaire’s coast and Waimea with its own statue of Captain Cook who landed here first before going to the Big Island to be killed. One tidbit: in the past 15 years 7 people have been killed by sharks in Hawaii. In the same period, 200 have been killed by coconuts. The 12-14 pound killers falling from 80-90 feet in the air can easily spoil your day. So don’t worry about sharks.

Then it was up the usual twisty mountain road to Waimea Canyon State Park and one of the main lookout points for this spectacular canyon. Called by Mark Twain the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, the canyon is 10 miles long, a mile wide and 3,400 feet deep. Unlike the Grand Canyon, this one is very colourful due to the different colours of lava and the vivid vegetation.

Then back to the ship for an afternoon by the pool before another Lucullian feast and an Eagles tribute show at the Club Mardi Gras. Easy to take.