R and R around Kauai

 

I didn’t take this picture, but we have been watching a population of up to 5 anoles at one time near our river pool. Two Brown anole males were bobbing heads and flashing their orange dewlap yesterday.  One did pushups, and others ran adjacent ones off their rocks.   Sometimes we see only three, but they are always out on the rocks in the same place.  Anoles are a type of fence-lizard sized iguana.  Little Hawaiian doves, cattle egrets, and a long-legged shore bird are always around the river pool with its draping tropical greenery and beautiful flowers.

We are having a lazy last few days— going on small hikes near Kapa’a and just lazing about in the river pool and hot tubs. On one of the beach trails, we saw whales again in close but none were leaping, only occasional backs revealed. 

Today we will enjoy the resort again, then organize and finally pack as we have to leave early tomorrow. 

Allerton and Resort Life

We enjoyed the river pools and being lazy around the resort after visiting Waimea--generally we are exploring one day and lazing around this lovely resort on alternative days.  The next trip is to Allerton, one of five National Tropical Botanical Gardens (one is in Florida, and the rest are in Hawaii).  We have been to several before, but Allerton is always a lovely place to visit, so we scheduled a morning excursion that involves about a three hour walk through garden spaces designed to surprise.  Our docent guide, Dr. Bob (a retired dentist), was delightfully informative about the history of Allerton and impact of native and invasive species, destruction of tropical forests, and more.  The original Jurassic Park movie had several sequences filmed in Allerton, including the huge tree roots of the banyan:

We tasted pomolo fruit--tree ripened and deliciuous, and wandered around statuary, water features, interesting fruits, golden bamboo, and gorgeous blooms which abound:

Pomelo is the ancestor of the grapefruit, but was much sweeter.  

We lunched in Poipu at an interesting sports club (as road closures and detours seemed everywhere that day--we took the first restaurant we could find after our morning at Allerton) with a humorous young man as our waitor, and enjoyed our pulled pork sandwiches and burgers.  That evening, Lizzie and I used the river pool after dark, enjoying the lighted ambiance which gave it a totally different feel.

We again stayed around the resort on Friday, enjoying the beach and pools.  Tidepools adjacent to the resort were abundant with fish, and I identified seven different types swimming near me.

Friday evening we dined at the Resort's Oasis by the Sea restaurant, as Elaine had asked Helen to buy us dinner with Elaine's complements.  It's an open air restauant right on the beach and the view was lovely through sunset.  I started with a mai tai cocktail, then had the seared ahi, along with a lovely salad, pupus (wontons) and a great chocolate mousse dessert.  The ahi was the best I've ever had.

We finished up the evening with another documentary by Will Smith on his earth adventures--so interesting!

Hanalei, Lydgate, and Waimea Canyon

  At Hanalei, we observed changes from our last visit--the new pier extending out into the bay (picture above and below taken from pier), changed road conditions, and of course Covid19 impacts.

The valley to Hanalei was as lovely as ever, but the pot-hole roads were more severe and driving was dedicated to keeping the car tires out of holes.  We lunched in Hanalei, and the lunch was delicious and the waiter helpful and friendly.  Most people were courteous at the bridges, but every now and then a string of ten cars went over past the signs that said 5-7 cars at a time was common courtesy.  Puff must have been asleep, because we saw no magic dragons this trip...

The next day we stayed at our lovely resort, as Lizzie and I would use the pools multiple times during the day: we would walk the length of the river pools at least three times, basking in the sun in a quiet pool between each trek, and finish up in the hot tub.  Helen generally walks around the land area, but hasn't been in the pool as much as Liz and I.

The next day (Monday) was going to be a beach day, and Helen decided to stay at the condo.  Liz and I went to Lydgate, but the surf was really high.  We first took the paved walk to the Golf Course, and as we walked we passed some feral cats which people were feeding (judging by water and food bowls tucked under the pathway hedges).   One Tom Cat clearly had decided that chickens were not on its dinner plate, and the rooster clearly also had decided that peaceful co-existence was a good plan, as shown on the image below:

Kauai chickens and little chicks are everywhere, as we remembered. At another location on the coastal path, we stopped and watched whales playing--breaching and splashing.  By the time I managed to get my camera ready and snap a picture, all I could catch was a spout, but the whales were in quite close to shore. 

I got ready to snorkel at Lydgate, but the current was so strong that day, even in the protected lagoon (see image below), that my balance in the water was topsy-turvey so I followed Liz' pattern and just sat partially submerged on rocks--we didn't see a single fish, and according to our guidebook, that has been the case since the county dredged the pool.  So sad because we used to see lots of tropical fish at Lydgate.

We returned to the resort and enjoyed the calm river pools instead, heading later over to the Lemongrass Restaurant for another lovely meal and my first MaiTai of the the trip.  Helen had a virgin cocktail, which was also very pretty.

The next day, Tuesday, we drove south to the Waimea Canyon Park--a long drive but such a lovely park, with spectacular canyon views--helicopters are moving up and down the canyon, bird-like specks in the distance and flying below the lookout points.  It is easy to see why this section of Kauai is roadless--the terrain is deeply rugged.

We lunched late in Hanapepe, and relaxed that evening at our resort.

Kauai in 2022

 

Helen, Liz, and I arrived in Kauai on February 2nd, journeying to the Waipouli Beach Resort at Kapa'a, and settling in to F202 (view fron lanai, above). A brief walk past the river pools takes you to the beach front.

  

We were tired after our flights, and decided to eat out at the Lemongrass Restaurant, located across the street and down about a block.  Liz and Helen had the pork ribs and took home half of the large servings, and I had a steak--all were delicious.  Next we stocked up on supplies at the nearby Safeways and returned to the condo for an early night.

The condo is a 2 BR/ 3BA unit, with a roomy lanai opening off both the living room and the second master bedroom.  A small lanai opens off of the primary master bedroom, and a third narrow lanai (on which I am standing in the photo below) is also off the living room allowing for plenty of ventilation from the trade winds (but the unit also has A/C, which we are not using, and ceiling fams, which we are).  The kitchen is lovely, mostly well equipped but could use a few more basic bowl sizes, additional silverware, and other standard items.  No condiments are left from past visitors because of COVID, which meant everything had to be purchased.

On Thursday, we decided to stay around the resort and familiarize ourselves with its offerings.  We explored the beach, walked around all of the flagstone walkways, located an elevator in building G just around the corner from our unit. Liz and I later went swimming in the fun river pool for the first time, and that evening relaxed in the condo with a chicken dinner.

On Friday, we decided to explote the near vicinity, pick up snorking gear, etc.  We drove up the Wailua River watershed to the Opaekaa Falls, and an overlook of the river looking downstream, away from Fern Grotto.

 

Next we continued to the end of the road and the Keahua Arboretum, where a large grove of rainbow-barked Eucalyptus can be found by the trailhead.

On the way back we stopped at the ABC where we purchased some odds and ends and again at Safeways to pickup the things we missed earlier.  That night we watched Batman Begins on the living room big TV (both bedrooms also have a TV).  It was very good. 

On Saturday Feb 5th, we again stayed at the resort for the most part, with Helen going into the river pool  for the first time, and  Liz and I later returning for the second time when I braved coming down the high water slide.  Unfortunately, I submerged at the end and splashdown, and my glasses (on a Chums retainer string) floated off.  The retainer was tourquois blue, the same color as the bottom of the pool, so I couldn't see it....But then, a nice man saw my glasses on the bottom and gave them back to me.  Since Lizzie had warned me to leave them with her, but I said my strings glass retainer would hold them in place (wrong), she got to say I told you so.

On Feb 6th, we headed to Hanalei and end of the road.  The Hanalei valley is still one of the most lovely places in all of Hawaii.   More on that trip to be posted tomorrow!

 

Today we searched for reliable wi-fi, ending up in fron of the Point Arena library, so I could upload the following blog post: 

On Tuesday, we decided to “do the beach” as it was warm and there wasn’t a soul on the Manchester Park beach when we arrived.  Lizzie first walked north along the beach, then came back and walked about 20 minutes to the south toward the lighthouse in the distance.  She reported finding no sea shells but did find a bit of polished green glass. 

My beachcombing was a little more limited because my replaced knee does not like shifting sand, plus the tide was coming in and few exposed shells or large pebbles could be seen.  But I basked on the warm sand, and listened to the wildly crashing waves. 

We picnicked at the trailhead, then Lizzie returned to the beach while I had a 90 minute Healthcare Foundation conference call  three does walked past my car where I say quietly, a jack rabbit scampered by, then for about an hour, two weasels played in the nearby field:

Manchester, Mendocino County: Day 1

 

Rattlesnake Grass (Briza maxima L.) is sometimes known as Big quaking grass, and is now a common non-native grass species that can be found across many California grassland habitats.  It was introduced from Europe long ago, and was planted as an ornamental grass, but has long escaped into the wild where it is mostly found in coastal grasslands and coastal woodlands,  but also inland in many counties including Mendocino. It can form dense grass stands that displace other species, but typically is mixed with other grasses and forbs.   The common name is from its resemblance to rattlesnake rattles and it makes a "quaking" sound  when blown by the wind.  It is frequently used dry bouquets.  Today, we found it in our campground, the adjacent state park, and at the Elk beach park, where I photographed it with the hints of purple.  

We started out our first day in Manchester, heading east on Mountain View Road into Boonville,  traversing this windy narrow road through lovely forested areas.  In Boonville, where we stopped at the Mosswood Market (cafe and bakery) and bought a delicious, still warm loaf of sourdough bread.

We left Anderson Valley via Greenwood Road past Hendy Woods State Park, and on to Elk where we had planned to lunch at Queenies, but it was closed even though it usually open on Mondays in the pandemic.  There, we walked out toward the beach overlook.  The cliff side of the trail had some interesting insect holes:

The overlook has spectacular views of the rocks off the Elk coastline.

We returned to the trailer and made a lovely sandwich lunch with the fresh loaf of bread.  After a lazy afternoon, we walked along the beach trail from the campground and saw many beautiful wildflowers, as well as three buzzards interested in something in the distance.

Liz had walked the trail the day before, never seeing a soul.  Today, it was the same--we had the trail to ourselves.

Tonight as I write this, we have a grey squirrel in the pine tree overhanging our camper.  He is dropping cones on the top of the trailer, and now we hear his footsteps on the trailer roof as he comes to carry them away...

Pandemic Travel: Not!

 

Sixteen years ago, I took this aerial photograph in a flight from Little River airport, south to Point Arena then back north to Mendocino.  Since that time, much has happened.  And now there is a pandemic affecting our world, and confining many of us to our homes with limited ability to travel, except in our memories.  Usually, I travel with Liz throughout the year--to Hawaii, Costa Rica, Cruises through the Panama Canal or down the Eastern Canada/New England area during fall colors, as well as camping in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and more. In 2020, the year started of well with a trip to New Zealand and Australia. 

Then the pandemic hit, just a few days after our return from the New Zealand trip, and by mid-March, Shelter-At-Home orders were enacted, then extended, then modified but still there, and now we await vaccinations.  Gone were spring camping in the desert and summer camping in National Parks, and fall trips up the coast.  Gone too were our brief trips to San Francisco or Disneyland or other nearby areas of California.  Like all Americans, my family just struggles to stay well or recover from Covid, and hope for few family and friend losses, and wishing the vaccines could be deployed faster for all.

Many of us have baked more bread than ever before in our lives (count me in that group as I have ordered my third 50-lb sack of bread flour), and resumed gardening with a vengeance (while fighting raiding bunnies and racoons in my case).  

The above Google Earth picture shows the place much as it is today.  A few more trees have been taken out and brush pushed back along the edges of the clearing than in this 2018 image as we address the new fire reality.  The greenhouse now has three new raised beds at waist height (yay!), and will soon be home to lettuces and other later winter vegetables.  All in all, life in a pandemic up here is much the same as before, just with interesting masks, and more careful behaviors with outside, socially distant small meals and catch-up conversations.  New tools are patio heaters, exterior hand wash stations, etc.  And of course, Zoom.  Zoom Family sessions, Zoom meetings, Zoom collaboration, Zooming, Zooming, Zooming...

I need new glasses.