Hawaii '09 - Day 3

Day 3 -  Nawiliwili, Kauai

Kauai greeted us with cloudy skies and a fine rain. After a quick pancake breakfast in the Ocean Grill Cafe, we hurried to meet our tour bus for a visit to Waimea Canyon, the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific'.

We were warmly greeted by our native Kauaian tour guide Juan and who proceeded to give us a thorough and informative tour of his beloved 'magic' island. The first order of business was learning a brief Hawaiian chant to ward off the rain. We must have been apt students, as the sun greeted us by the time we reached Waimea Canyon after a scenic drive around the southwestern coast of Kauai.

Kauai is called "The Garden Isle" because of its lush green landscapes, valleys and waterfalls. It is  also the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands. As we headed to the Waimea Canyon lookout, we learned of the history and culture of this beautiful paradise. Juan continued his interesting and lighthearted narrative as we passed through many small towns, past the only remaining sugar cane operation on the island and by the Kauai Coffee Plantation. We made a brief rest stop at a souvenir shop before heading to the Canyon Lookout.

Waimea Canyon is breathtaking, with its cascading colours and lush green valleys. The Lookout provides the perfect vantage point for photographing the magnificent vista, and Ian and I snapped pictures to our hearts' content. Leaving the Canyon, our last stop on the way back to Nawiliwili was at the "Spouting Horn", a rocky point where the ocean sprays up from several large blowholes as the waves crash onto the beach. Juan entertained us on the way there with a story of the mythical origins of the site, involving the fire goddess Pele, her sisters and brother.

We were back at the ship by 1 o'clock for some lunch and 'downtime' before it was time to get ready for the 1st Formal Night .