My alarm went off at 5:30 AM today...hit snooze and then got up at 5:40 AM. Ugh, but I got to go on a Catamaran Sail and Snorkel to the Na Pali Coast. You can only get there by hiking in (a 9/10 difficulty rating...not for me!), by air (too expensive!), or by boat.
I guess they don't see single parties much. I think that I freaked them out a bit. They did not know what to do with me...especially when we went snorkeling. I did not have a snorkeling "buddy", so someone on the boat kept a watch on me. I apparently was not with a lot of fish. I was the first one in the water and the last one out. The snorkeling was OK. I have definitely seen better. BUT, I saw a humuhumunukunukuapua'a (Hawaiian State fish) and a Green Sea Turtle. On the way out we saw a couple of spinner dolphins, but on the way back in, we saw quite a few. None of them spun for us, but some were playing. They are so cute and little and have such a long snout. We also saw a couple of rays splashing around at the surface of the water...mating? fighting? a bit of both? The captain and the crew said that they had never seen that before.
On the way back, I decided to stop down at the Nawiliwili Beach area. I did a little tourist shopping/looking and then headed back towards the hotel.
I have seen the signs for Lydgate beach Park for years, so I decided to stop there to check it out. At first, I found the little scary camping area. I hightailed it out of there. Then I found the nice part of the park. It is a pretty beach. There were quite a few people there.
After a shower, I ventured out to the restaurant Verde. Yelp recommended. It was good. I got the blackened Mahi mahi and shrimp as recommended by the waiter. They were both good, but the blackened Mahi mahi taco was better!
I finally got my Margarita...and it was only $3! I think it is the cheapest thing that I have bought in Hawaii! They were having a special, so I went for it. I had to take a picture of the Chips and Salsa. You got the first one free. Being a Texas, you plow through chips and salsa. It is a good thing that they were quick with their service because I was chomping down on those chips and salsa. This is definitely a place that I would go back to.
Afterwards, I went to the Coconut Marketplace and walked around a bit. I really wanted ice cream from Lappert's. Really yummy ice cream. Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut. Yummy!