On our last full day, Laura kicked back at the hotel while I did a little kayaking up the Huleia River.
I rented a single-man kayak at "Beach Boys Rentals" near the Lihue Marriot, and paddled through the Huleia Bay and past the harbor to enter the mouth of the river. This is a typical view from the wide, brackish portion of the Huleia.
I tied my boat to a tree and lunched at the cute little farm by the riverside. They planted flowers and even had a picnic table ready for me -- I don't know whether this was done by the state or the farmer. (The Huleia River is along a wildlife preserve, so I suspect the state did it.)
After three miles, the river became impassible due to shallow water, rocks and vegetation, so I pulled my kayak up on a rock under a low tree and went off to find a trail. Each leaf in the foreground is about two feet across and three feet long. (You can see the kayak as bits of blue under the tree on the opposite side of the stream.)
This was a typical view along the lush jungle trail.
Here is a pool I saw along the way.
Upstream, I saw these trees all arching over the water.
Here is a flower I identified as a member of the Pink family.
Here is a shot of the cliffs on the way back down the river.
This is how I found Laura when I got back to the hotel, occupying her favorite hammock.
This regal bird was perched in the tree outside our hotel balcony, and must have been at least two feet tall.
My last little road trip was to visit these famous waterfalls, whose name escapes me at the moment....
Across from the waterfalls was this site of a former Hawaiian temple of worship, and it is still considered a sacred place by many natives.