A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

It was a weekend of sunshine and warmth! Skiing and exploring in lovely weather. Following the tracks of snow machines, moose, caribou, and snowshoe hare. Soaking up the warmth and serene sunlight. The question is: will spring come early or is winter gearing up for one last surprise?

Swimming with Sharks

Back from a week long stint in Hawaii. I escaped the deep freeze in Alaska for the warm beaches in Kauai. the day I left it was -50 in Denali and when I arrived in Kauai it was 75. Nearly 125 degrees warmer! Eeek!


The sunshine and warmth was heavenly. I feel like it has been about 2 years since I have been in warm weather like that! Right off the plane, headed to the beach and dove in the ocean! It was salty and a weebit chilly, but it was AMAZING!

I met up with a few friends on the island and we headed off to camp on the west shore of the island, at the end of a dirt/sand road. Our campsite was front and center to the ocean. And what a show it was! The waves were HUGE 20 to 30 feet. It is pretty amazing the power and force of the sea. Not only were the waves fun to watch, but there were whales out there breaching every few minutes. Humpback whales spend their winters in Hawaii giving birth and raising their young, then spend summers in Alaska feasting. What a life :). After the beautiful sunset, the stars were out in full force, and with such lovely weather, we camped on the beach under the stars next to a warm fire. 

The next few day were a mixture of relaxation and adventure. One day was a hike to a secret beach. Along the way there was beautiful coastline, clear blue waters, and sea turtles. Another day we rented a kayak and paddled the Wailua river to a hike that took us to (not so secret) Secret Falls. The hike ventured into the jungle, with giant trees, ferns, and vines towering above. The trail was pretty muddy at times, so I took off my shoes and hiked footloose and fancy free through the mud. Frolicking fun in Hawaii. The waterfall was pretty tall, and at it's base was an inviting pool of water. So without a moments hesitation I jumped in the cool water and swam under the base of the falls. Getting showered in the refreshing, cool water of the falls. As one guy who went under said, "It's how you know you are alive." 

I rented snorkel gear and venture out into the waters to see what was under the sea. I LOVE snorkeling. I mean what could be better than swimming with turtles, schools of fish........and JAWS! Yup, I swam with a shark! It was a scene out of a movie. I was minding my business, entranced by a a reef, watching fish scurry about, when I looked up out of the water to notice a lot of people on shore looking out into the water. They were pointing and some were waving their hands. I thought that maybe it was a whale they were all looking at that was breaching in the distance. But in any case, I thought I should get out. Once I got out I heard there was a shark fin spotted in the water. From the sound of it, it was probably a couple of feet behind me! I was swimming with a shark and didn't even know it! Would have been pretty cool/"pee my suit scary" to have seen the shark snorkeling.

Sunsets in Hawaii are showstoppers. Everyone piles on the beach to watch a 10 minute display of color sensation. They are remarkable. But I have to say, being in Alaska this winter, I have seen the sky lit up with the most amazing pinks, purples, blues for hours. I am not sure anything will quite compare the beautiful light that can be seen in Alaska winters, although sunsets in Hawaii come close. 

My time in the islands was dwindling, a quick camping trip to the north shore of the island, a visit to the botanical gardens, more snorkeling, and a few Pina Colodas were the events of the last few days. I started out in Hawaii insanely white. I mean I don't really get a lot of exposure to sun in the winter time. I ended the stay with a tan! I even got a local discount at a coffee shop my last day. It was hard to leave; next time I am spending more time. But I have to admit, I felt a hankering to return home. When the plane landed, it was a warm 30 degrees in Alaska and we had gained an hour of light. I returned from my vacation in Hawaii to "spring" in Denali.