Na Pali Catamaran

(created Sun. July 29, 2018; updated Sun. Feb. 17, 2018)

Another ocean boat, this time to the Na Pali Coast, which is only accessible via boat or helicopter

Kauai is 33 miles wide and 25 miles tall. Much of its western side is comprised of Waimea Canyon, which Mark Twain dubbed “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” It is 14 miles long, a mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep. It stretches up to the northern shore where it meets the Na Pali coast.

The Na Pali coast spans 17 miles along Kauai’s north shore and includes a place where you can look back into Waimea Canyon from the ocean.

The Na Pali Coast is a “sacred place defined by extraordinary natural beauty. These emerald-hued cliffs with razor-sharp ridges tower above the Pacific Ocean, revealing beautiful beaches and waterfalls that plummet to the lush valley floor. The rugged terrain appears much as it did centuries ago when Hawaiian settlements flourished in these deep, narrow valleys, existing only on the food they could grow and the fish they could catch.”

source: https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/kauai/regions/north-shore/napali-coast

The Na Pali coast does not have any roads; it is only accessible by boat or helicopter fly-over.

We knew we wanted to take a boat tour, and selected Na Pali Catamaran based on the recommendation in Hawaii Revealed.

We enjoyed a four-hour boat tour with snorkeling and some of the most beautiful scenery we have seen.

Na Pali Catamaran is located in Halanei, and the boat sails from Hanalei Bay.

Yes, Hanalei, is the home of Puff the Magic Dragon, the song by Peter, Paul, & Mary.

Puff the Magic Dragon links:

-the 1978 full-feature movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FyhTBvLu4w
-The song is about children growing up, no more, just as Peter, Paul & Mary have said over and over and over: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/puff/
-The song with lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7lmAc3LKWM
-Peter, Paul & Mary: http://www.peterpaulandmary.com
-Lyrics: http://www.peterpaulandmary.com/music/f-songlist.htm

The drive to Hanalei is on a two-lane road. Near the entrance to town there is a one-lane bridge that the locals continue to retain because its presence helps keep down over-development.

This is the view from the overlook, just above and to the east of Hanalei Bay.

Hanalei Bay was also the backdrop for “South Pacific,” the 1976 version of “King Kong” the opening scenes of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and several other movies.

source: http://hanaleibayresort.com/filmed-on-kauai/

Hanalei Pier and several homes, and many along the coast between Hanalei and Na Pali, were damaged by the worst flash flood in US recorded history, when on April 15, 2018, 50 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. As we approached the pier we saw some of the beach homes that have been damaged.

Much of the coast beyond Hanalei is still not accessible, almost six months later.

There are many ways to help, and one is Catholic Charities Hawai’i:

https://www.catholiccharitieshawaii.org/relief-support/

As we departed the harbor, we saw many spinner dolphins. Most swam near our catamaran, but one caught our eye... it happened too quickly to capture, but our eyes were amazed to see the dolphin leap out of the water and complete several spins before splashing back down... amazing!

jumped all the way out of the water!

What a beautiful coast!

The size of their catamaran makes it possible for them to take passengers into several of the sea caves along the coast.

This sea cave is the second largest in the US, and it has a waterfall at its entrance, and they drove nice and slow through the waterfall on our way out of the cave.

Matt stuck his head out to get wet...

... and Abby and I stood on the front deck and got ourselves completely soaked!

This is a different sea cave, with a waterfall deep inside the cave.

And then we visited what I called “the sea bathtub” - through the archway you enter then see that the entire space above you is a large round opening... and there is a “donut hole” of rock in the middle of the water... and the entire space is round from way up at the top all the way down to where we are in the boat in the water... the captain shared that they rarely get in here... we were blessed that the seas were calm the day we sailed!