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ALOHA and welcome to Parsons Adventures! If you haven't read our other posts, go read em! We are full of excitement here in Hawaii, and we try to keep things as cheap as possible! We also have our super cool Youtube Channel, so click on the video above and go subscribe because we have lots of other videos to see!
THIS WEEKEND OMG! Possibly the FUNNEST weekend we have had yet!! (I say that because we have had so many other AWESOME adventures, it's hard to pick a favorite!)
So, first of all, Brad and I do take the bus pretty much everywhere, but recently we signed up for Car Share through Enterprise-which basically is renting a car for a limited time and sharing it with others. So instead of paying for a full day, you make a reservation online for however many hours you want, and it's $5 an hour! No hassle, just go pick up the car, unlock it with the card key they issue you when you sign up, and go! That's what Brad and I did this past Saturday morning because taking a bus all the way to North Shore is a LONG ride. And we don't like leaving Kodiak for a long time. So we reserved a car for 6 hours. (7:00 am-1:00 pm)
ANYWAYS, TO THE FUN PART! We got up at 6:00 am, got ready, walked the couple blocks to Enterprise, picked up our car at 7:00 am, and drove to Waimea Bay!
OUR TIP OF THE DAY: Get there early! I can't stress enough how important this is if you plan on coming here! Like, 7:00 or 8:00 am. We got there at 8:00 am and got a parking spot at the Waimea Bay Beach Park lot. (If you go any later, it's really tough to get a spot!)
Obviously, once we get there, the first place we head to is JUMP ROCK! The EPIC, best cliff jumping spot EVER! (Picture below). There are different levels you can jump off of, and it's a popular spot for local and tourist alike! We jumped several times, mainly off the high jump, and Brad also did a front flip off one of the lower jumps.
It's an amazing feeling, and the water is so refreshing! Not too hot, not too cold! Perfect! Plus AWESOME view at the top! Crystal clear, calm, ocean water! Go in the SUMMER time! I hear during the winter, the waves are too huge to even think about it! This is the place where the big wave surfing competitions take place in winter months! Definitely bring your GOPRO or underwater camera for this! The rock is smooth enough to climb in your bare feet, and it's such an easy way up; little kids do it.
The only bad thing that happened was once when I jumped, I felt my ear POP as I hit the water and it started pounding! I'm not sure if it was my ear drum, or just getting acclimated to the height, but it HURT! I sat on the beach for a little bit, holding my head. Then, after about 10 minutes the pain started to go away until I was fine! But man! I still don't know what happened!
Anyways we took a break from jumping for a while and went behind that area to snorkel for a little bit! At that time we only had Brad's snorkel gear (I don't have any of my own), so we switched off as we swam out there and took GoPro video of some tropical fish! There aren't nearly as many fish as there are in Lanai (says Brad), but there are still lots and I thought they were pretty cool!!
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After that we jumped again off the rock, then left the beach to go SNORKELING!
We drove east for about 5 minutes and you hit Shark's Cove! A popular snorkeling spot (as well as 3 tables; all near each other). I rented some snorkel gear for $16 (you get it for the full day) at the snorkel place right across the street from Shark's Cove. The employees are very nice, and will tell you the best spots, depending on your skill level, for kids, where to park, etc. It is advised to not leave your stuff on the beach anywhere (for good reason), or leave your stuff in your car. You can rent a locker for $5, or take a chance like we did and leave stuff in the car or on the beach. Your choice. We live on the edge, you know? Lol.
So we started out snorkeling at Shark's Cove. There were cool tropical fish, big reefs, but also lots and lots of people, including scuba divers (which were pretty cool to watch actually). The rocks were hard to get around going out there and coming back but the snorkel is definitely worth it.
BUT, as fun as Shark's Cove was, HERE is what I recommend! About 10 minutes back the other way (past Waimea Bay, towards Haleiwa), is Laniakea Beach (aka Turtle Beach). GO THERE INSTEAD and here's why!
Laniakea Beach is a famous spot to see sea turtles! (Hence the nickname Turtle Beach), but last time we went, there were tourists everywhere on the beach taking pictures of the ones that came up on shore to rest. They crowd around them on the beach, trying to get a good selfie but also trying not to get too close because it's illegal to touch/ride them and you don't want to hound them either. They are just animals trying to get some rest on the beach and don't want to be disturbed. There are SEVERAL sea turtles to see there and you can see them in the water too! I was thinking to myself, I don't want to take pictures on the beach, I want to be in the water with them! So I bet to myself that if I snorkeled out in that area away from the beach, I could maybe see one, AND I DID!
So Brad and I found a parking spot on the side of the road by the ranch with the horses across the street from the beach. We walked to the beach and since Brad was tired and wanted to stay with our stuff, I ventured out alone. The beach was super easy to get in with snorkel gear (as opposed to Shark's Cove which was rocky and pokey; I got some scratches to prove it). And ironically there aren't that many people out there! (At least not when we went-and on a Saturday too!). For many tourists, it's a pit stop to see a sea turtle, and then they're on their way.
I was snorkeling around, looking at the cool fish and reef when all of the sudden I spot one! A little sea turtle out of the corner of my eye! Such a magical moment! It seemed like it lasted like 5 minutes, but in reality, after looking at the video, it was really only about 20 seconds haha! Oh well! He came SO CLOSE to me! I reached my hand out so people could see how close, but made sure not to touch him because it's illegal and someone would have made some snark comment on my video if I had.
I film him and let him come swim past me; I know that if you chase them they will just leave; and they are faster underwater than you may think! I kept my GoPro on and hoped he would stay for a while longer. I heard a beep underwater, and it wasn't familiar, so I look at my GoPro, PRAYING that the battery didn't die! But I realize it wasn't mine, but a fellow snorkeler had seen me filming the turtle and he came and turned on his GoPro. I feel like being bitter and saying that he was the one that chased the turtle away...because then he just got sick of us and swam off. The other snorkeler had a long stick for his GoPro which helps in getting a better shot, but I think it gets the animals annoyed and they will just leave...but that's just me. All in all, I had my moment, and when we both came above water, we talked about how cool that was.
Oh my gosh I was floating on air! I couldn't wait to get back to the beach to tell Brad! The only thing that could have made it better, was if he was there with me! I love adventures with Brad! This is such an incredible experience, and what better time to do it, than when we have been married for ONE year! :) He's my partner in all we do here. I love going on adventures with Kodiak too, don't get me wrong. But, it's nice to have the love of my life there to say "Wow, look at that!", or "Let's go try it!"
Anyways, I danced the whole way back to our car and then we made the drive back to Waikiki to return our car. We would have stayed longer if it wasn't for our reservation ending. I made it only 6 hours on purpose in order to get home to Kodiak. I don't like leaving him home for very long. He does well, but I just don't like it. I feel like we are abandoning him.
But WOW, SUCH an incredible morning! It was just how I imagined, and I couldn't have asked for a better day! Beautiful weather, on a GORGEOUS island with so many things to do!
JUST A HEADS UP, next week is SO EXCITING because my FAMILY is finally coming to Hawaii! (Well, 3 of them!) My parents and my youngest brother Danny (16), fly out to see me on Friday!! I can't wait! I am so excited; I have planned so many cool things for them to do! Who knows, maybe they will get to see a turtle too! ;)
Pictures are posted below as well as a link to the VIDEO!
http://youtu.be/UIpEjzxf1L4
Mahalo for reading and ALOHA!
Laniakea Beach is a famous spot to see sea turtles! (Hence the nickname Turtle Beach), but last time we went, there were tourists everywhere on the beach taking pictures of the ones that came up on shore to rest. They crowd around them on the beach, trying to get a good selfie but also trying not to get too close because it's illegal to touch/ride them and you don't want to hound them either. They are just animals trying to get some rest on the beach and don't want to be disturbed. There are SEVERAL sea turtles to see there and you can see them in the water too! I was thinking to myself, I don't want to take pictures on the beach, I want to be in the water with them! So I bet to myself that if I snorkeled out in that area away from the beach, I could maybe see one, AND I DID!
So Brad and I found a parking spot on the side of the road by the ranch with the horses across the street from the beach. We walked to the beach and since Brad was tired and wanted to stay with our stuff, I ventured out alone. The beach was super easy to get in with snorkel gear (as opposed to Shark's Cove which was rocky and pokey; I got some scratches to prove it). And ironically there aren't that many people out there! (At least not when we went-and on a Saturday too!). For many tourists, it's a pit stop to see a sea turtle, and then they're on their way.
I was snorkeling around, looking at the cool fish and reef when all of the sudden I spot one! A little sea turtle out of the corner of my eye! Such a magical moment! It seemed like it lasted like 5 minutes, but in reality, after looking at the video, it was really only about 20 seconds haha! Oh well! He came SO CLOSE to me! I reached my hand out so people could see how close, but made sure not to touch him because it's illegal and someone would have made some snark comment on my video if I had.
I film him and let him come swim past me; I know that if you chase them they will just leave; and they are faster underwater than you may think! I kept my GoPro on and hoped he would stay for a while longer. I heard a beep underwater, and it wasn't familiar, so I look at my GoPro, PRAYING that the battery didn't die! But I realize it wasn't mine, but a fellow snorkeler had seen me filming the turtle and he came and turned on his GoPro. I feel like being bitter and saying that he was the one that chased the turtle away...because then he just got sick of us and swam off. The other snorkeler had a long stick for his GoPro which helps in getting a better shot, but I think it gets the animals annoyed and they will just leave...but that's just me. All in all, I had my moment, and when we both came above water, we talked about how cool that was.
Oh my gosh I was floating on air! I couldn't wait to get back to the beach to tell Brad! The only thing that could have made it better, was if he was there with me! I love adventures with Brad! This is such an incredible experience, and what better time to do it, than when we have been married for ONE year! :) He's my partner in all we do here. I love going on adventures with Kodiak too, don't get me wrong. But, it's nice to have the love of my life there to say "Wow, look at that!", or "Let's go try it!"
Anyways, I danced the whole way back to our car and then we made the drive back to Waikiki to return our car. We would have stayed longer if it wasn't for our reservation ending. I made it only 6 hours on purpose in order to get home to Kodiak. I don't like leaving him home for very long. He does well, but I just don't like it. I feel like we are abandoning him.
But WOW, SUCH an incredible morning! It was just how I imagined, and I couldn't have asked for a better day! Beautiful weather, on a GORGEOUS island with so many things to do!
JUST A HEADS UP, next week is SO EXCITING because my FAMILY is finally coming to Hawaii! (Well, 3 of them!) My parents and my youngest brother Danny (16), fly out to see me on Friday!! I can't wait! I am so excited; I have planned so many cool things for them to do! Who knows, maybe they will get to see a turtle too! ;)
Pictures are posted below as well as a link to the VIDEO!
http://youtu.be/UIpEjzxf1L4
Mahalo for reading and ALOHA!
