Capturing the Moment

Ancient fish pond Looking down at Halawa Valley    Molokai is known as the Friendly Isle, and for its large population of native Hawaiians. It is a place of no chain restaurants, high rises, or stop lights. Ancient fish ponds dot the coastline, tucked in behind the largest barrier reef in Hawaii. If one follows the state highway until it dead ends at the Northeast corner of the island you will find a hidden world of ancient Hawaii hiding away from the hustle of the rest of the state. This hidden gem is called Halawa Valley. Uncle Polipo Greg blowing the Pu    Halawa Valley is blessed with copious rain, a protected bay, an idyllic stream, and up to nine waterfalls cascading down the back of the valley. The valley was once a bustling farming community, but this all changed when a tsunami washed 1.7 miles up the valley on April 1st, 1946. It is moving hearing the story of that fateful day from someone who was there, watching and listening to the destru...

  It is pretty amazing what you can do with just one week, a boat, and an adventurous spirit here in the Hawaiian Islands. This past week onboard the Safari Explorer I had the benefit of a smaller charter group who had a focus on photography. I tried to go all out in their itinerary giving them ample opportunities for amazing photos and after looking through all of my photos I think the rest of the crew and I delivered big time.   Some of the stops this week were the normal places we usually go with the Safari Explorer, however we added a few extraordinary ones with the focus on photography. One of these was a morning dedicated to snorkeling with spinner dolphins. This was a bit tricky for me to organize because on some islands this just isn't done (Maui County), and even on the Big Island it is only accepted in one area.   Right in Kailua-Kona bay a circus of snorkelers and boats happens every morning, dropping people in with a small pod of resting spinner dolphin...

  One of my favorite parts of the UnCruise itinerary here in the Hawaii is that every week we stop into the island of Molokai. I feel like this is the hidden gem of the islands. And with very little tourists on the island there isn't a huge demand for hotel rooms. This is good news for the only hotel on the island, the Hotel Molokai .    With no beach or real snorkeling out front, no breakfast offered, and the worst coffee ever in the in-room coffee makers, it still somehow emits enough charm to make it a pleasant stay.  I don't know if it lives up to the base room rate of $204, but there is a beautiful ocean out back that is lined by very photogenic palm trees. The restaurant has been redone and with new owners boasts a delicious menu (lunch/dinner only). Quite often there is local live music at the restaurant and I'm sure the pool is open from time to time, although I havn't seen it.   The rooms themselves give you a feeling like you are in some ski-ch...

View from above Halawa Valley, Molokai     Molokai is the least traveled to of the main Hawaiian Islands not including Ni'ihau which is private and forbidden, and Kaho'olawe which is also forbidden due to unexploded ordinances. There are no chain restaurants and no chain hotels on Molokai. In fact there is only one hotel at all now a days. It takes a certain kind of adventurous, off-the-beaten path traveler to make their own way over to Molokai. Usually it is to see the historic leper colony where citizens of the kingdom of Hawaii were sent to whittle away their days on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by crashing north shore surf and the other by 3,000ft sea cliffs. Molokai is also home to one of the largest sandy beaches in the state of Hawaii on its west end. However the real hidden gem lies in its people. Taro Patches   Molokai has been dubbed 'the friendly isle' by those who have spent time there. A high percentage of the 8,000 or so residents have...