A volcanic eruption, twenty foot manta rays, and a barefoot hiker

January has been an absolute dream. We spent three full weeks soaking up the tropical magic of Hawaii, somehow managing to live our normal lives… just in paradise. Sure, that meant waking up at 4 a.m. to log on for work, but with 8 p.m. bedtimes, it weirdly worked out just fine. There’s something about working through the quiet, dark hours that makes the day fly by and leaves plenty of daylight for adventure.

We island-hopped our way through three very different corners of Hawaii, and it was incredible how each one had its own distinct personality and landscape. Our journey started in Kona on the Big Island, continued on to lush Kauai, and wrapped up on sun-soaked Maui. Unfortunately, Gus Gus and the big blue truck both had to hang back on the mainland for this leg of the adventure. They were both missed. I’ll do my best to capture the unique vibe of each island, and, of course, share all the wild and wonderful adventures we found along the way.

Hawaii was fantastic because of each of the incredibly unique things we got to experience there. Every day my mind was blown and I was left speechless at seeing not just something new, but sometimes otherworldly. We watched lava flow from a volcano, so hot it illuminated the night sky around it with a red-orange glow, we hiked to the literal edge of a cliff and looked over its edge to see 40-foot swells splash into its side, we hiked into the depths of a volcanic crater walled with red sands like we were on Mars, we hiked through a forest of bamboo so tall you could hardly make out the tops, we sat in the branches of a massive, beautiful Banyan tree, we saw sea turtles, whales, and manta rays, we drank Mai Tais until we found the best one and ate so many fish tacos I couldn’t even tell you how many. I think we did it right. Or at least we did our version of right. 

Views from Pololu Valley Lookout trail 

Ocean views on the Captain Cook Trail in Kona

On the Big Island we stayed in Kona. This island is well known for its turquoise blue waters, white sand beaches, and the incredible marine life you can see without even getting in the water. Some of us love this, and some of us actively choose to get in the water…at night… with twenty-foot manta rays swimming directly at you. I think you can determine who’s who. I found a lovely little beach where you could see adorable sea turtles poke their heads out of the shallow pools of water among the rocks. Such chill little animals, they gently moved their little flippers and floated along with the waves. Meanwhile, somewhere off in the ocean, Matthew and Sean were jumping into the dark water and shining a bright light to attract the phytoplankton, so ginormous, hungry manta rays would find them. To each their own. 

Kilauea volcano "fountaining" during our daytime visit

Views Kilauea when we returned at night

The Big Island also boasted black sand beaches, charming beach towns, and Volcanoes National Park. This is where we were lucky enough to see the active volcano, Kilauea, in the beginning stages of eruption. We learned the official term for the stage it was in was called ‘fountaining’, which it did sort of look like a lava fountain, so pretty solid name. It was like the mountain had sprung a leak and red goop kept bubbling out of its top, oozing down its sides. We were constantly checking the USGS Volcano Update website all week for any sign that it was going to blow. We had heard that once it begins to erupt (which could be anywhere from 800-1200 feet of lava shooting into the air!) it can last for 4+ hours, and we were about 2 hours away from the park in Kona. We visited on Saturday, which was a day within the window of time USGS predicted it could erupt. We stayed for a few hours and admired the bubbling lava fountain from a distance, but then we got hungry. And thirsty. So, we went down the road just a few minutes to Ola Brew in Hilo. It turned out to be the perfect spot to wait out a volcanic eruption. They had tacos and beers and football on. And somehow, when we returned to view Kilauea at night, it was even more breathtaking! We got to witness a remarkable red glow that lights up the sky around the lava, which only occurs in the dark. You could see it miles away while driving into the park. The sky was washed in a red-orange hue, like a scene from a magical Halloween movie. As we walked back down the trail to the spot we’d visited earlier that day, its beauty left us, and everyone around us, completely speechless. Lava had begun to pool at the base of the mountain, sending glowing red trails down each crevice of the mountainside. There were Ooos and Ahhs from the crowd, but mostly a quiet recognition of a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Those moments where you take a deep breath, feel those goosebumps on your skin, and realize the world around us is absolutely incredible. We watched for a long time. Long enough that our two-hour drive home in the dark was hard, but I would do it again a hundred times over. The volcano wouldn't actually erupt until a few days later, when we were already on another island, but it didn't matter. It still felt like one of the most incredible things I had ever seen.

Look how thick that bamboo is!! 

All smiles at Hanakāpīʻai Falls

Incredible Nā Pali Coast views

The barefoot hiker

After just a few hours of sleep, Matthew and I hopped on a tiny plane to explore a different island. The airport in Kona has outdoor terminals, so we waited for our plane in the morning sun with birds hopping around our feet. After a super quick flight, we touched down on Kauai. The landscape and atmosphere were immediately different, lush green forest and mountains in the distance. While Kona felt like a city you could find on the mainland tucked within a tropical paradise, Kauai felt laidback and rural. Chickens running around everywhere and windy roads that warranted one-way bridges, where you took turns with oncoming traffic when crossing.

We did several incredible hikes here, mostly exploring the dramatic coastline that drops into the ocean in sheer rocky cliffs. I really loved the hike along the Nā Pali Coast to Hanakāpīʻai Falls. The reward is an up-close view of the waterfall as it spills over a 400-foot rock wall, speckled with green moss and tangling vines, into the refreshing stream below. To reach this point, you had to cross the beautiful stream, so many times I lost count. Most could be crossed by carefully planned rock hopping. But one in particular was so deep and fast that I had to take my shoes and socks off to cross barefoot. I say ‘I’ because Matthew was rocking his Teva sandals on this 8 mile 2000 feet of elevation gain trek and walked right through. Remember the sandals. They play an important role in this adventure. The trail was super slick, as we had just had a good rain, so we were both covered in mud from the get go. The path boasted tall bamboo tunnels, ocean cliffside views, and even a black cat perched by the stream, enjoying the view. We set off with a strict turnaround time so we could make it back to the last shuttle of the day on time. We made it to the glorious falls and had just enough time to enjoy a snack at its base before our descent. Around step five into our long way down Matthew’s sandal strap broke. And around step ten, a second sandal strap broke. It no longer stayed on his foot, and hiking with one shoe seemed silly, so he committed to a 4-mile barefoot hike home. To his credit, there were no complaints, only laughs. No doubt, I would have sat down on the side of the trail and cried. It was rocky, muddy, and full of spiky pinecones and fallen aloe leaves with sharp edges. Our turnaround time estimate was now out the window. Turns out you are a tad bit slower without shoes. We could only go as fast as we could go. We made jokes about Matthew really getting back to his roots. About staying grounded and feeling one with the earth. I asked silly questions like rank the top five best candies and the top five worst and more serious ones like top five best Celtics players of all time, to keep our minds occupied. We made it with 6 minutes to spare, barefoot, covered in mud, and hungry. Someone also forgot to pack the snacks that were carefully laid out for them next to their pack, so we split one apple and a granola bar. It was quite the journey. One that I am sure will be recounted for years to come. In true Mashley fashion, we devoured a plate of ‘Macho Nachos’ at the local bar upon our return and washed them down with a well-deserved pint. 

End of the Earth on the Nualolo Lookout Trail

Climbing back up to the Nualolo Lookout Trail

Waimei Canyon- The Grand Canyon of the Pacific

The next day, we set out to find Matthew some new shoes and to explore Waimei Canyon, The Grand Canyon of the Pacific, and its surrounding hikes. Somehow, he came out of the shoe store with another pair of Tevas. No comment. After a pitstop at Holey Grail Donut in Hanalei, which had a variety of unique and deliciously flavored donuts made from a local root vegetable called taro, we made our way to the Nualolo lookout trail. This was another uniquely beautiful experience along a trail that stayed atop one of the island’s rocky cliffs and plunged into the tumultuous ocean below. We followed the trail to what felt like the end of the earth, no land in the distance from this tiny dot we were on in the very middle of the ocean. No other humans around. We carefully climbed as far as we could go, and peered over the edge. White-tailed tropic birds soared in and out of the cliffs around us, their long white tails giving them a prehistoric look. The sun bathed us in its warmth, and we watched the ocean’s gorgeous spray as wave after wave crashed against the cliffs.

The next morning, after another stop at Holey Grail Donuts and another quick flight, we landed at our last destination, Maui. We both chose Maui as our favorite island we visited during our time in Hawaii. It was a good mix of outdoor activities, beautiful beaches, and fun little cities to explore. It had a little bit of everything and felt very livable. It also had a Flatbread Pizza! Which was a lovely little taste of home. There are several of these in New England, one being in our hometown of Amesbury, MA. This was our first stop after landing at the airport. We were hungry and demolished an entire pie. We did some snorkeling on the gorgeous white sand beaches here, watched lots of sunsets, but mostly found some more incredible hikes.

We explored Haleakala National Park on two different days because it has two distinct areas that are not connected by (driveable) road. We were rocking a minivan rental on this island, so off-roading felt like a bad idea. One side of Haleakala is green, lush and flush with waterfalls, the other is a stark volcanic landscape void of any green plant life at all. 

Sliding Sands hike in Haleakala National Park

Silversword plant found only in Haleakala National Park

Headed down into the crater on the Sliding Sands trail

The volcanic side had an otherworldly feel, like we were slowly descending into a crater on Mars. The hike we chose was called ‘Sliding Sands', which felt appropriate because the surrounding mountains looked like massive piles of sand that could blow away at any moment. Of course, they did not; in fact, they have been there for thousands of years after Haleakala volcano erupted and left this massive hole in its wake. Cinder cones, or little hills crowned with small craters, sprouted out at random throughout the landscape as well. All of the features were layered with a beautiful history of the rocks and sediment that had shaped this landscape over time. Such an interesting mix, like a child’s sand art creation only with reds, browns, and purples, instead of neon pink and lime green. To add to its extraterrestrial feel, the Silversword, a silver, spiky plant, sprouted randomly across the crater floor. We enjoyed a day exploring here and then checked out a few places for happy hour in nearby Wailuku. Happy hour was big in Hawaii, I think, because everything is so expensive. Whatever the reason, we approved.

One of the many waterfalls on The Road to Hana

Our new gecko friend

Path through the bamboo forest on the Pipiwai Trail

Matthew in the Banyan Tree

400-foot Waimoku Falls at the end of the Pipiwai Trail

One of Maui’s most popular tourist destinations, The Road to Hana, led us to the rainforest side of Haleakala National Park. The famous road started with beautiful ocean views and was soon thickly lined with tall trees, hanging vines, and hidden waterfalls along the way. Some falls were tucked deep into the forest, spilling into pools that created more falls below, and others were visible right from the side of the road. There were many scenic view pullouts and trailheads to explore along the way. A unique highlight was a store called Halfway to Hana, famous for its banana bread sold in small loaves. We enjoyed one, still warm from the oven, with a cup of coffee and with a tiny new gecko friend that sat with us in our Adirondack chairs waiting for a crumb. Observing his blue-rimmed eyes, tiny suction cup toes and orange spots up close was pretty neat. We passed through the town of Hana, which felt a lot like any other small town, a school, a post office, a baseball diamond, but it was just so happened to have some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and ocean views too. This end of Haleakala National Park offered another beautiful waterfall hike complete with a journey through a mile of bamboo forest and an iconic Banyan tree. Despite the road being windy, narrow and only allowing room for onr car on its bridges, the scenery was unmatched and the adventure was top-notch. We really showed that minivan a good time.

Beautiful trail run in a rainy rainforest

Makawao Forest Preserve

Start of the Waihe'e Ridge Trail in Maui

Views from Waihe'e Ridge Trail summit in Maui

Ocean views from Lahaina Pali Trail (we saw so many whales!!!)

We sprinkled in a hike and a happy hour each afternoon here, the most memorable being in the Makawao Forest Preserve. It rained maybe twice the entire three weeks we were in Hawaii, but when it did, it came down hard for a few short hours. Somehow, we timed this hike with one of those torrential downpours. It was through a gorgeous, green rainforest, so it felt right. It was one of those walks where you start out stepping around the puddles trying not to get wet or muddy, but by the end you’re so soaked you just run right through the middle. It felt like I was a little kid running, jumping, and laughing through puddles, my shoes so full of water, I dumped them out when we got back to the car. The park was awesome and had some really neat biking features, ramps, seesaws, and bike-only single-track trails. No bikers that day though. I’m guessing monsoon-level rain and biking don’t mix well.

So grateful to have spent three unforgettable weeks exploring such a beautiful place. Hawaii is truly something special. Up next: dusting off our skis and heading to Durango, Colorado for some winter adventures ❄️⛷️