Thursday, March 5

Kauai/Waimea, day 5

We took a zodiac raft along the coast, from the south moving west all the way around to the Na Pali coast.  Pretty astoundingly dramatic landscapes here, so much so that movies from South Pacific to Jurassic Park and many other films have used various spots along the coast for their scenery.

“Cathedrals”

The ride, with 27 passengers and two crew, was somewhere between a roller coaster and a bucking bronco for about 3 hours. 

Looking north to the Na Pali Cast State Park

Stops to enjoy the coastal views, and lots more stops to enjoy some very close whales, led to a truly breathtaking (in many ways) trip.

Whale ho!
A nice jump, and a tail wave
And a whale that loves jumping

Really a beautiful, if physical, day on the water. The whales, the cliffs, all quite something to behold.