After a very island-like laid back day yesterday to rejuvenate our bodies, we were ready for a bit more excitement today. Oh boy, did we get it!
 
We both wanted to do some snorkeling and that isn't something you can do easily without some guidance (aka tour group). The hotel had a tour desk, so we chatted with them and booked a combo snorkel, historical site tour and white knuckle boat ride.   
 
The tour started about 45 minutes west of the our hotel at 930am. So we got moving and grabbed breakfast at the Kalaheo Cafe at the halfway point. This is obviously a local favorite and it was easy to see why...I had a wonderful mango/coconut muffin with a 1/2 mango for a very reasonable price. Ken had a more hearty meal of an omelette , hashbrowns and toast.   
 
We got to the small harbor where there were two rigid bottom inflatable boats ready for our trip. We got some safety instructions from the two captains and hopped on. There were only three seats in the back, which were reserved for those up front who get fatigued from hanging on. The boats have no roofs or inside, and you sit on the side of the boat with your foot under a rope on the floor, while hanging on to ropes along the side of the boat. They do give you one large glove to protect one hand from rope burns.  Ken and I were towards the back, and the captain asked if I would mind sitting in one of the chairs to help even out the weight on the boat. Hmmmm, let me think about this for about one second...uh, yeah are kidding me? Sitting for two hours in a seat, where I can relax and not hang on for dear life? No brainer.  
 
And off we went...flying across the water, which was relatively calm. That was a good thing as the boat felt every bump. We were on the west side of the island, where Waimea Canyon is located. The terrain is very different from what we had seen, with very a dry, brown foliage and red dirt look. The tour was taking us back to the north side of the island, where we had hiked on Wednesday. So, soon the beautiful green lush mountains began to reappear and soon they were towering over the shoreline. The various shades of green, from emerald to a dark forest shade are in every view, and are so condensed they almost look velvet. Along the way we saw a bunch of dolphins (one pod with a little baby...so cute!) and turtles. 
 
We stopped by waterfalls, went into caves and saw the exact trail we hiked a few days earlier. It was cool to see what the end of the trail awaited us, had we done the entire 11.5 miles versus the 4 miles to the waterfall. After one of side trips into a cave, two of our tour mates got seasick and I was bumped from my fabulous seat. Luckily, Ken and I had taken Bromine to combat seasickness or I would have been heaving right along with them.
   
After 2.5 hours on the water, we headed into a Nualolo Kai, a state park beach, only accessible by boat. We did some snorkeling and saw some colorful fish, including clown and parrot fish. The reef was very white, which generally means dead, but were told that was what it always looked like. Not sure we believe that one. While we snorkeled, the crew set up a very good lunch of teriyaki chicken, pulled pork, rice and salad. Once again, great food overlooking some beautiful scenery...we really live well.   
 
After lunch, K-Sea (yes that was her name) took us on a tour of an ancient Hawaiian village that lived on this site hundreds of years ago. The archeologists are now trying to excavate and rebuild what was once there. We weren't allowed to wander off the paths or explore on our own, as it is a sacred site. Only three companies have permits to visit this area and they are very particular about the preservation.
 
It was now time to head back. Since our sickies were still looking green, they again took my fab seat in the back and I was relegated to the side like everyone else. So, got my Michael Jackson glove, slipped my foot under the rope and did the death grip to ensure I didn't fly out. The trip back took about 1.5 hours and about halfway back the winds picked up and we began hitting some very big waves. It slowed us down and our sickies got even sicker. While we knew we were flying up and then crashing down, it wasn't till we saw our partner boat that we realized how rough it was.   We made it back, but both of us are in need of either a chiropractor or a deep tissue massage (maybe both??).  
 
Once again exhausted, we chose to walk over to Casa di Amici, where we ate last night for dinner. We brought some champagne (from Costco), had some wonderful food and toasted to the end of a wonderful trip.  
 
Tomorrow...home. (sad face)