More Mud And Farewell To Paradise...

Steven, Gannon, Ian, and Sean at the waterfall

After Sean chose our ATV mud experience, it was Steven's turn to choose an activity. Steven chose deep sea fishing, hoping to repeat last year's experience of catching a marlin, but the wind came up the night before their trip, the seas were rough and filled with whitecaps, and the charter boat captain called to suggest that calmer waters might be in order for a fishing trip with kids.

Steven's second choice was a guided trip called the "Kipu Falls Zip Line Safari", which is what we did on our last day in Hawaii.

Our day started in sea kayaks, an upstream paddle in strong headwinds (the same winds that were whipping up the seas and preventing the boat trip).

The kayaks were followed by an uphill hike to a rope swing over a river, where the four boys (and some of the other tour guests) swung to their heart's content.

The theme of this year's trip is mud, and this trip was no exception, deep, slimy, slippery mud was in great abundance wherever we hiked, our feet (in waterproof sandals this time) sinking in mud to above our ankles.

At the top of the hill, we climbed into a covered wagon pulled by a John Deere tractor which took us on a drive (through more deep mud) across beautiful privately owned ranch lands in Kauai.

We got out of the wagon and did some more mud hiking down to a picnic spot next to a waterfall.

The tour company had set up a zip line 50 feet above the river for the purpose of scaring their customers.

After lunch we donned helmets and harnesses and attached ourselves to the zip line before jumping off a 50-foot platform above the river (think about a toned-down version of "Fear Factor")

Even I did it

Doug went first so that he could help Steven when he got to the other side. Steven stood on the platform for several minutes before deciding maybe he didn't want to do the zip line after all.

Steven's first failed zip line attempt

Everyone else went, then Steven finally decided he would try again. He made his jump to the enthusiastic cheering of the tour guides and other participants.

Steven's successful zip line jump

Then it was time for some more hiking in the mud to another waterfall, this one with a rope swing that wasn't for the timid. Among our little group only Doug was both a strong enough swimmer to brave the strong currents to get to the swing and brave enough to make the jump.

Doug's daring Kipu Falls jump

We hiked back from the falls to the wagon, where the John Deere tractor pulled us through more mud to yet another muddy hiking trail.

Steven and Gannon on the trip home

We disembarked from the wagon and began a long muddy, slippery descent to the river we'd paddled on in the morning.

Sean and Ian sacked out

When we got to the river, a double-hulled canoe was waiting to bear us home.

The next morning we bid farewell to paradise, flew home, from weather in the mid-80's to cold weather in southern California (we've been having frost, we're not used to all this cold stuff).

It was a great trip, we are blessed.

- Kathleen