Big Island of Hawaii

For the kids' Spring Break we headed to the big island of Hawaii. 
We were ready for a week of fun!

The first day we travelled north on the island for our Waterfall Hike.  The temperatures were cooler and more humid as we travelled north.  Rainfall and lush green landscape.  So different from the west side of the island where our hotel is surrounded by lava rock. Good thing they supplied us with these great jackets.  We love matching!

We stopped at the first of several waterfalls.  It was quite a hike to each of them.  Each waterfall different and so very beautiful.

 

We hiked out from the dense trees to a beautiful bright sky.  Here we found a spectacular outlook to stop for picnic lunch. 

The following day, we had ATV ride through lots of mud and strawberry guava tree forest.  The kids drove with our guide (not 16 yet).  The ponchos kept all the mud splatters off our clothes.

We came upon a waterfall- had to hike down to go for a swim.  Unfortunately, it was a dip long enough to get a photo.  It was like wading through a glass of ice water.  Notice Camille didn't join us!

 A very bumpy video the kids took of the trail.

The boys wanted a break from the sun.  Camille and I couldn't stay in the room so we headed to the beach for some snorkeling and paddle boarding.  The black lava rock against the green grass and blue water was such a great view.

 

The view from our hotel room. 

 

One cannot visit Hawaii without going out on the ocean for a day of sun and snorkeling. 

 

The funniest thing this day was when we were using the propulsion ...Camille had a cute ruffled bikini top.  The ruffle got sucked into the motor!  One of the snorkel instructors spent about five minutes trying to remove the ruffle from the motor, unsuccessfully.  I wish I had my camera then.  Camille was mortified- the rest of us were laughing.  He had to cut the ruffle off. 

 

 We had fun with our under water camera.

The day ended with sunburns for me and Ryan, seasick for Jose and bathing suit drama for Camille. 

 

 Rainbow Falls-  some beautiful banyan trees.  So many roots to climb through.  Great for a hike.

 

 A visit to Akatsuka Orchid Garden. So many types of orchids- even one that smelled like chocolate!

 

 This was our last day on the island.  We took a tour to the volcano crater, Kilauea Caldera, we walked through Thurston Lava Tube and saw the massive sea turtles on the black sand beach.  We were happy to head back to hotel after this very long day (10 hours start to finish).  I could never be a tour guide.  Our guide talked about the island, the sites and tons of corny jokes throughout the day. 

 Long day of travel makes for some fun pictures.

 

 

Channel Islands/ El Capitan

December 2013

The week before Christmas we travelled to Ventura.  We rode a ferry out from Ventura Harbor to the Channel Islands.  It was about 30 minute ride with lots of waves (tough to keep stomachs at bay) and seals swimming along beside the ferry. 

 

 

After arriving on the island, we all changed into wetsuits, life jackets & helmets and set out on the kayaks. 

We had kayaked many times prior to this trip.  This was tougher than imagined.  The strong ocean currents were tough to keep moving forward.  Our arms sure got tired.  Our trip while on the kayaks was about 2 hours.  A great time exploring the different caves.  We'd love to go back again having experienced it before.  I think we'd all be a little more brave.  It's scary entering a cave when it's dark and worrying the water level would rise while we were in the cave.  You know what would happen then?....the ceiling of the cave would be closer to our heads. 

 The caves were so dark inside but, so beautiful to look out to the perfectly blue sky!

 

It was an exhilarating trip.  Glad we wore our sunscreen! 

The next day we drove to El Capitan Cabins in Santa Barbara (@ 30 minute drive).

This place was featured on Real Housewives of Orange County.  I'm telling on myself- yes...this show is one of my guilty pleasures.  This kind of camping, aka"glamping"- my kind of camping (my family too).  We love the outdoors but, love a bed and shower just as much!

 

 The cabin was so cozy...love the knotty pine walls.  An upside for family time is that there was no tv and not really any cell reception.  We enjoyed reading, talking and playing Risk.  We had to move furniture so we could fit around the table.  Such a fun time together.

 

 

The property has a Market that delivered a full barbeque kit to the cabin.  We got hamburgers to BBQ ourselves on the BBQ pit out behind our cabin. 

We also had beans, corn and S'mores for later.  It was great!

 

 

 

The next morning we woke, had breakfast and headed off on a hike behind the property.  We hiked up to a Llama farm.  It was great to stand on the hillside with the llamas and have the fabulous site of the ocean across the way.

 

 

After our hike, we got sandwiches from the Market and headed a very short walk across the way from the Cabins to the beach (El Capitan State Beach).  Jose and I took read and took a nap.  Ryan and Camille had fun enjoying the beach...better weather than in Visalia.  Who wouldn't enjoy the ocean sun & breeze in December??!!

 

After a few hours, we took the kids back to the cabin.  Jose and I then took out bikes from the property and rode back over to the beach.  It was great to ride for a bit then to sit and watch the sunset.  We headed back over to the cabin for dinner.  We got up early the next morning to drive back home to Visalia to celebrate Christmas.