This is the first time we have been to any of the Hawaiian Islands. We decided to go to Kauai, the "Garden Island" as it is less developed and still quite rural.

I think our favourite spot was Waimea Canyon. We visited twice and did the hike out to the waterfall you can just see in the top left-hand corner. NOT from the viewpoint of the camera, no, that would have taken years, okay, days, okay, a day....actually who knows, but further than I can throw. No, we drove to the look-out point, and then you can do a hike down to the falls from there. About an 1 hr down and 1 1/2 back. The extra 1/2 hour is for all the huffing and puffing back up a straight, never-ending incline. (Which was odd, because that incline wasn't there on the way down... )

This isn't our photo, but it is the best pic to show our trip on a catamaran up the Napali Coast; 70 miles of exquisite landscape. We stopped for a snorkel, and yes, the water is that ultra-marine blue. The Napali Coast "holds" Waimea Canyon, so to speak.

The view from the catamaran.

We saw Spinner dolphins on our way up the coast, but they were sleeping. One woke up and did a spin in the air but that was it. On our way back though, they were awake and I think, waiting for the boats to come by to put on the show. They all chittered back and forth to each other, you could hear them quite clearly, and then they began their leaping spins out of the air.

And then, if that weren't fantastic enough...there was a BABY dolphin...fer crying out loud.... Can you see it?

Here they are, zooming off the bow of our sister ship who met up with us.

And there were rainbows...

and sea turtles napping...

and sunsets...including the Green Flash!

The North End of the Island is quite different from the south, far more dramatic and more rain, as the mountains catch and hold the clouds. Fortunately, we has the blessing of both the sun and rain.