The Traveling Man
Traveling never ceases to amaze me. The smallest of the Hawaiian islands is as family-friendly as it comes. You can go snorkeling with sea turtles only feet from your fingertips or lay on the beach with monk seals sunbathing only a few feet away. There are sandy beaches with amazing snorkeling for the whole family and a palette of vibrant colors.
When hiking over volcanic hills to wonderful waterfalls and picturesque valleys to little spots where the ocean meets the river waters cascading down the volcanic hills, you will always find a family nestled in their little cove, relaxed and enjoying the time. They are without a care in the world, even before the next cloud drops a quick 10-minute shower.
With a population of less than 74,000, the island is a paradise for raising a family and being in a healthy spirit of life.
Diving was the reason I was invited to the forbidden island of Niʻihau, which is reserved for advanced divers with at least 30 logged dives. With my previous dives in Thailand with Jordon & Shalyn Rosak, my 50-plus dives put me in a position to experience the best dive. There was visibility of well over 200 ft, light currents, hammerhead sharks, sand sharks, schools of tuna and jacks, and manta rays gracefully gliding past. A monk seal was tucked in the overhangs of volcanic rock, rolling in front of you before making the most graceful upward ascent to the surface.
Those that are truly blessed have the opportunity to swim with this very curious fish, the whale shark, the largest known fish species. Not to worry, it only eats plankton. This large fish strains its food through 300 rows of teeth with 1,000 teeth per row. Be in the water with a fish that reaches 60 feet. Exciting!
Let’s not leave without fishing for wahoo and yellowfin tuna. We had a wonderful day with a 125 lb yellowfin tuna (fresh and tasty) and a 25 lb wahoo. The crazy thing is all the bait is run on top of the water, and the fish come up to the bait. It’s not like here, where we run baits down 20, 40, and 60 ft.
December to April is the humpback whale mating season. Come join the fun! For excursions, check out Poipu Offshore Adventures with Adam King. For the best dive guides on the island, see seasportdivers.com and ask for Jordon R.
About the Author
