Our condo was next to Lydgate State Park which is at the mouth of Wailua River. Before Ben and Martha left for the Big Island, the five of us took a short trip up the Wailua River and into the Wailua State Park. As usual, chickens and roosters were everywhere.
We could both look down at where Hawaiians used to farm by the lowlands along the Wailua River, as well as an area with historical and religious significance up on the bluff from which we could look down on the river.
In such a lush, green environment that gets 40 inches of rain per year at the coast, and more as you go up in elevation, I was surprised to see agaves growing wild along the road.
We could see several waterfalls of the Wailua River.
We then took another road and went to the end to find Wailua Falls, which is in a different part of the Wailua State Park.
We then said goodbye to Ben and Martha as they left for the airport and their flights to the Big Island. Megan, Patty and I continued on to Waimea Canyon State Park - another road that goes up into the interior and ends in the mountains in the park. The park is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific and my photos do not do it justice. We stopped at all of the vistas, but because of the rain, we did not hike out on any of the trails - they were all mud, and here in the canyon is where the rainfall is about 400 (yes, four hundred) inches of rain per year.
From a couple of the lookouts, you could look west and see Niihau and Lehua islands.
Kalalau Lookout is the end of the trail. Unfortunately, the weather was such that there was not much visibility when we looked west towards the ocean.
We then returned to the condo for a quiet dinner.
We could both look down at where Hawaiians used to farm by the lowlands along the Wailua River, as well as an area with historical and religious significance up on the bluff from which we could look down on the river.
In such a lush, green environment that gets 40 inches of rain per year at the coast, and more as you go up in elevation, I was surprised to see agaves growing wild along the road.
We could see several waterfalls of the Wailua River.
We then took another road and went to the end to find Wailua Falls, which is in a different part of the Wailua State Park.
We then said goodbye to Ben and Martha as they left for the airport and their flights to the Big Island. Megan, Patty and I continued on to Waimea Canyon State Park - another road that goes up into the interior and ends in the mountains in the park. The park is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific and my photos do not do it justice. We stopped at all of the vistas, but because of the rain, we did not hike out on any of the trails - they were all mud, and here in the canyon is where the rainfall is about 400 (yes, four hundred) inches of rain per year.
From a couple of the lookouts, you could look west and see Niihau and Lehua islands.
Kalalau Lookout is the end of the trail. Unfortunately, the weather was such that there was not much visibility when we looked west towards the ocean.
We then returned to the condo for a quiet dinner.
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