Enjoying the Least Relaxing Boat Ride of My Life
Capt Andy's Kauai Boat Tours took me on a wild ride along the Na Pali coast. For four hours, fourteen of us, including Alison (the driver and tour guide) and Keanu (the crew member), hurtled across the ocean on a 24' rigid hull raft.
If you don't know what that is, imagine a blow-up rubber raft with a motor and a middle console for the driver. Alison wasted no time in getting right to the point: this would not be a comfy ride. There would be no lounging around and sipping fancy drinks.
After we had stuffed all of our belongings into rubber dry bags, we surrendered our shoes and boarded the boat by scooting off the pier from our bums. We then sat along the edge of the boat (read: rubber rim), tucking our feet under a rope on the floor and grasping ropes that ran along the top. When Alison sped up, we found out how important those ropes were. We bumped along the ocean, and every time a particularly large wave headed our way, the tip of the raft propelled upward in the air before slamming back down.
It took us about an hour to get "out there". I'm not sure where "there" was because the whole time it was just more and more ocean. Along the way, Ali cranked up some Hawaiian tunes, and we zipped along the naval base that Keanu told us does war game simulations to stay sharp. On the way back through that same area, we saw a helicopter in the distance retrieving a missile and carrying it back to shore.
In the open water, we saw humpback whales breach and splash in the ocean. Everyone pointed and shouted over the roar of the engine to signal the flapping whale tails. We stopped to spend several awestruck minutes watching the whale. Throughout the tour, we saw several whale sightings, including one mother and baby pair. In addition to humpback whales, we also had some dolphins swim up alongside the boat. Ali said that it was common to see whales this time of year, but that they only see dolphins about twenty percent of the time.
Finally, we arrived at the reef for snorkeling. For 30-40 minutes, they anchored and gave us sanitized flippers and masks. We squealed at the sight of sea turtles drifting along the top of the water and then jumped off the boat to find more. The snorkeling was uninspiring. The water was clear, but the view lacked the kind of color and activity that Finding Nemo has led us to expect. Having been on a few other snorkeling tours, I would rate this one pretty low. That said, the water was warm and beautiful, and everyone enjoyed the swim. When we came back onto the boat, Ali offered us homemade granola bars (not made by her, she declared), an assortment of chips, and all the sugary drinks one can desire. Fed and snorkeled out, we continued along the coast to see the grand cliffs and sea caves in the area.
At a slower pace than before, Ali took us along the coast and pointed out the history and pop culture associated with each point. We saw a view from Jurassic Park and a sea cave featured in Mary J. Blige's Everything music video. Though the boat rocked enough to make several aboard queasy, the views could not be denied. The dark clouds set against the bright blue sky gave the rugged scenery even more drama. I've never seen anything like it.
If you find yourself in Hawaii, be sure to tour the Na Pali coast by boat. And if you're up to it, I'd recommend seeing it with Capt Andy's crew.
