Scout sent us a memo!
In the Hawaiian language, “ka” means the, “ua” means rain, and “i” means place. So, it translates to “the rainy place.” Kauai is often called the ‘Garden Island’ because it is filled with beautiful exotic plants and flowers wherever you look.
Kauai has a small harbor, but we made it thanks to a little tugboat. We had to be downstairs in the theater at 8:20 am to catch the tour.
The ship made it into the harbor, requiring a tugboat’s assistance.
Kauai is known for being one of the rainiest places on Earth. On Kauai, Mt. Waialeale receives an average of 450 inches of rainfall yearly. As a result, the river in Kauai is large and flows consistently throughout the year.
We went two miles up the lazy 19-mile-long river to the Fern Grotto.
Fern Grotto is a fern-covered lava rock cave located on the south fork of the Wailua River on the eastern side of Kauai in the Hawaiian archipelago. Several boat companies give river tours that lead to the grotto. This attraction is known primarily as the most romantic spot on the island of Kauai, and the area can be rented for weddings.
We are off!
Flat bottom boat!
I have the best seat in the house!
The river has been in many movies. It is affected by the tides for the first few miles. Sharing Songs and Legends of the Wailua River Valley is a Family Tradition. In 1946, Walter Smith, Sr. and his wife, Emily, started the family business with a small rowboat and a borrowed outboard motor. Four generations later, they continue Grandpa’s tradition of sharing our love of Kauai and its rich cultural heritage.
The river moved along quite rapidly.
The boats are pushed by the engine attached to the boat by a clever connecting device that allows the engine to guide the vessel at sharp angles.
A clever design by the originator of the boat rides many years ago.
On April 24, 2006, the grotto was closed by the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources for safety reasons. Heavy rains in March 2006 caused several rocks and boulders to fall from the grotto ceiling onto the viewing area below. It was re-opened in 2007 following reinforcement of the rock walls and installation of ramps to access the grotto. Before the 2006 flooding, visitors were allowed to enter the cave, but today the cavern may only be viewed from the designated observation deck.
The Fern Grotto was no longer a cave.
A grotto is a natural or artificial cave used by humans in both modern times and antiquity, and historically or prehistorically. Naturally occurring grottoes are often small caves near water that are usually flooded or often flooded at high tide. Sometimes, artificial grottoes are used as garden features. Water water everywhere!
We walked from the river to the grotto for ten minutes, surrounded by lush tropical plants and flowers.
There were flowers everywhere.
It is too bad the hurricanes destroyed the grotto. It must have been amazing in the day.
We enjoyed the visit anyway.
After leaving the grotto, the bus took us along the top of the canyon to visit significant historical sites.
What do you get when you cross a hula hoop and a boxer? A: Hawaiian Punch.
Mountains everywhere
Most of the island is agricultural, with large farms producing huge amounts of food. Coffee is now the main crop.
There were beautiful farms all over.
During lunchtime, we visited a secluded beach with few people around. The picturesque view was accurate! We savored turkey sandwiches and cold drinks. Mary dipped her feet in the water and exclaimed that it was warm.
Picture postcard time.
We asked the driver to photograph us, searching for shells at the beach.
I wish you were here.
Just one more…
We forgot our bathing suits.
Our driver was very informative, somewhat conservative, and a decent singer. He could play any song on his ukulele.
We were entertained.
After the tour, we took a 35-minute break to “shop.” Mary and I were not keen on shopping, so we strolled around the small center and attempted to purchase Hawaiian Ice. We managed to pay for it, but the line was too long, so we gave it to some friendly people we met as we returned to the bus.
Oh, La La!
We returned to the ship at 2:30 pm, went to the bar for a glass of wine, headed to the cabin to freshen up, and had dinner in the secluded Davinci dining room reserved for suite class passengers.
We had a delightful dinner.
We were docked at Nawiliwili Harbor, the island’s main port. Nawiliwili Harbor is located about 1.5 miles southeast of the small city of Lihue, along Kauai’s southeast coast, and has been the main harbor on the island since 1930The little tug gave us a shove to get around the breakwater.
We got some help from a friend.
At 7:00 pm, Mary marched me to her favorite spot, the Spa. I had one more session with the acupuncturist! While I stood there in pain, Mary took a nap!
Sleeping beauty!!
We decided to watch a movie back in the cabin instead of going out on the town! We had a full day!
