Swimming with Wild Dolphins at Makua Beach

Makua beach is a lovely crescent of golden sand framing unbelievably bright turquoise waters. The green Waianae Mountains add another dimension of color and ambiance. As the sun rises, people make their way to the water listening for squeaks and clicks. A large pod of spinner dolphins lives here, using the clear water to rest.

With a handful of friends, we swam way out into the ocean to listen for these small indicators. We saw graceful green sea turtles, vibrant reef fish, but nothing resembling the curved dorsal fins and bottle noses we sought. We swam back in. Two of our group were having equipment malfunctions.

When we arrived, people started heading out in force (all fifteen of them). Mike and I shrugged at each other and followed. After a few minutes, we started hearing the chatter of ocean mammals. Then they were suddenly right next to us! A pod of twelve including two babies swam and spun, exhilarated from a night of hunting. We followed for a while, but were just too slow to keep up. As I surfaced, I noticed they were coming around for a second pass. The group had actually combined with another pod. Beautiful silver spinner dolphins were everywhere! They gossiped and played paddy cake and did little flips in the air. It was the coolest thing! 

Once we lost the pod, we played in the ultra blue water and dove around looking at the fishes and coral. What a perfect morning!

Mahi Mahi Wreck Diving

 I honestly have no idea if anyone at all cares about my diving or Hawaii posts, but since this is my online journal, I'm going to write about them. Boom. If you're interested, enjoy. If not, I have lots of posts for landlubbers. :P

Occasionally my dive club takes a trip up north to Waianae on the west side of Oahu. I finally found a day we could go with them. We did two dives. The first was a wreck called the Mahi Mahi. It was originally just the Mahi, but a storm broke the hull in two. So people were super clever and modified the name. Jokers.  Anyway, it's a cool old US Navy vessel that was sunk on purpose as a reef since Oahu's natural reefs are toast.

As soon as we dropped the 100' to the deck, I saw two gorgeous eagle rays soaring around the wreck. I probably spent half my time watching them gracefully fly through the water. They're sooooo pretty!! Otherwise, I think checking out the rusty deck machinery being slowly overtaken by the sea is the best part of wreck diving. So cool!

The second dive was a reef called caverns with lots of fishies, swim throughs and some turtles.

Aiea Loop and a Plane Wreck

I've now run 'Aiea Loop Trail three times. It's somewhere between four and five miles long if you don't get lost (more on that later). The loop is in the foothills above Pearl Harbor. The trail goes up for about two miles with little peekaboo views of the ocean and Pearl Harbor from time to time. There are lots of nasty little roots to trip over. It makes for a great little adventure run, which may be slow, but is so more up my alley than road running. Bleh.

So the first time I ran the trail, Mike joined me. We completed the loop in about an hour. The second time, Joe joined me. We decided to check out a different overlook (worth it!) and ended up taking a back trail down to Camp Smith. There we did a few pullups at a cool park and used Google Maps to sort of get us back on course. Really this dumped us out at Smith Airfield which is a very cool open field with a really nice road, signs from ages past, and no people. From there we cut through the woods back to the trail and completed our loop. This ended up being closer to six and a half miles according to the running watch. 

I found out there was an old airplane wreck there. So Mike, Joe and I went back to explore it. As expected, the wreck is visible right off the side of the trail. We had gone right past it twice and not seen it. There was a big branch hanging into the trail with an arrow and the word airplane written on it. We walked down the side of ravine following a path of destruction. Here was part of a wing; there was the fuel bladder. Further down the landing gear was jammed under a fallen tree. Near the bottom we found the motor. Most of the pieces of the old plane had been scavenged, but it was fun to find what we did.

The hike back out was a weird scramble up the side of the ravine since we figured we had gone too far to turn around. We were all scratched, bug bitten, and covered in little bits of leaves, dirt, mud, whatever. It was a really fun adventure. Since Mike had missed the last run, Joe wanted to take him to Camp Smith and the airfield, so we completed the longer loop again.

Mokulua Plane Wreck

I love having visitors. My mom came to Oahu for the Labor Day weekend. We had a wonderful time hiking, kayaking, and just spending time together. Our kayaking adventure was something I have had on my list of Hawaii gems for six months. We rented a double and a single kayak. Mike took the single. We loaded our boats with fins, masks, and snorkels. I love the picture below. Mom is working hard and I'm hanging out. Good job, Mom!

We used GPS coordinates found on this blog and used Mike's triathlon watch to get us there. Mike found the wreck with far less trouble than I would have thought. Basically we looked for the dark reef and the landing strip at Bellows Air base. He jumped in and swam around until the watch told him we were there. Voila! While he was splashing around, Mom and I looked for sea turtles. She saw three. I only saw too. They poked their cute curious little heads out of the water to watch us, but swam away when we unloaded our fins.

The plane is a cool old P-47 thunderbolt that's been hanging out down there for the past 70 years. The engine of the plane failed right after takeoff from Bellows. The plane went down, pilot lived. Apparently in Hawaii, if you wreck your plane, you just leave it. We've been to three plane wrecks on Oahu now. I'll post on the other one soon. It seems the wreck was still visible above the water until the 70s when a storm pushed it out to see. Now it's wedged between sections of reef about 12 feet down. The tail is ripped off and lays to one side while the engine and propeller are further beyond it. The whole plane is in remarkably good condition for 70 years of harsh ocean water. We jumped in and did a whole bunch of swimming around. Mom even leaned over the edge to check it out. I paddled her over to the engine too.

After 20ish mins, we'd seen what there was to see and jumped back in. We took off toward the Mokes, a pair of beautiful islets off the coast of Lanikai. We landed on the bigger of the two (with about 50 other people...ewwww) and did a little walking around. The islands are bird sanctuaries and smell about how you'd expect. It's about two miles to paddle from Moku Nui, the larger of the Twin Islands, back to Kailua Beach Park. We totaled 4 miles round trip paddling. Go us! Our arms were noodles.

Playing Tourist in Boston

Two of my favorite people moved to Boston this summer for a yearlong escape from Utah. So, of course, I had to pay them a visit. My sister's birthday fell on a Friday and Mike and I always go somewhere for our anniversary (Belize then Iceland/Ireland the past two years). This year we flew 6000 miles to the gorgeous city of Boston.

After an overnight flight, breakfast and a nap, we rented kayaks and paddled the Charles River, then rode on Hubway bikes just for the freedom and novelty to Boston Commons. Next, we had fancy cocktails on the top floor of the Prudential. We walked back to Em's place and "got all gussied up" as Mike says. Then we had an amazing dinner at a jazz bar and restaurant called The Beehive. It was fabulous!

 

The next morning I woke up feeling like a superhero, weird since I drink so rarely. I talked Mike into running a loop around the Charles over a few bridges. It was gorgeous! We took off feeling pretty good. A mile in we joined a huge group of people doing a walk for heart disease. Two miles in, I realized I was not doing quite as well as I had though. Three miles in we did some walking and took some pictures. After five miles, we were back at the apartment. 

Em and James took us to the Boston Public Library. Its a super beautiful marble historic building with the coolest place to study. It also leads into the new library which is also amazing, but more modern. After that, I was finally ready to eat something. We went to a salad place called Sweet Green. Oh my gosh! So freaking good. I need one of these next door to my office, or maybe my house.

James was called into work on Sunday, boo! Emily, Mike and I went on a Duck tour. Our guide was a pirate with great jokes and a good attitude. Unfortunately, 3/4 of our boat was non-native English speaking. So most of his jokes went WAY over their heads. We were the three giggling in the back corner. Anyway, it was a great tour with a ton of history.

Next, we picked up a Zip Car and Emily drove us to Nashoba Valley Winery for apple picking and wine tasting. It was delightful! There were tons of people there with kids and dogs and picnic baskets. Everyone was just hanging out enjoying the beauty. The trees were just barely beginning to show signs of fall. We picked a peck of Gravenstein and Macintosh apples, sampled a bunch of red wines, and took silly pictures in the apple orchard.

On our way back we stopped at Trader Joe's (I miss this store so much! Pleeeeeese come to Hawaii!!!) and picked up meats and veggies. The rooftop at Emily's apartment building has grills, tables and chairs and even a big TV with cable. We watched a lovely sunset and had a feast. I made an apple pie for dessert. I think it turned out ok, but should have baked longer.

Monday we went whale watching. We sailed way out of the harbor until Boston was just a blip on the horizon. We stopped to watch a mola mola fish sunning itself in the water. These are the strangest looking creatures. They are gray and flat with long gray fins on top and bottom. They move by waving those fins. They don't have the tail and side fins most fish do. Super odd. I'd never actually seen one in person before. We ventured further and started seeing spouts. We found five or six fin whales which are freakin gigantic. We looked them up after the trip and realized we were only seeing maybe five percent of the whole. Then we found a single young humpback. It was a calf from last year and had NO fear of the boat. She swam right underneath us a few times. Seriously the coolest!

On recommendation, we had to try Tiger Mama. It's an Asian Fusian place with clever pairings. We ordered a bunch of plates and split them four ways. They have an extensive gluten free menu and are very conscious of it. The food was amazing! I can't decide whether their papaya salad or their seared scallops were better.

For our anniversary, Mike and I went to the aquarium. You'd think with as much diving as we do the aquarium would be nothing more than amusing. Not so. We spent a full 45 minutes in the shark exhibit. They had rays and sharks you can TOUCH!!! It was amazing! The place in itself is so dang cool. It has four levels with a huge cylindrical tank in the middle. A concrete ramp spirals up around the tank which is full of fish, rays, bonnethead sharks (!!!!) and even a huge old turtle. The first level has three penguin exhibits. They're super stinky but also super cute! Each has a colored band around one wing which lets you identify it on an ipad nearby. There are all kinds of fish on each level including a big octopus. Additionally there were poison dart frogs and anacondas. Yikes. Finally, they have some super cute seals, which are hilarious animals if you just sit and watch them for a bit.

 

We went to Legal Seafoods for lunch. I'd heard they had a GF lobster roll (at $30! yikes). The one we went to did not. Also the service was poor at best. However, we had really good lite clam chowder, a salad and seafood casserole. Very tasty, but we were stuffed for the rest of the day. So much for anniversary dinner. Haha!

Afterward we went back to the aquarium and watched a 3D IMAX film on great white sharks. So cool! I find sharks fascinating. Most people are terrified of them and think they should all die. Those people don't understand how important they are. Sharks are vital the the health of the oceans. They clean up dead and dying animals. They should always be treated with respect and awareness, but they're not mindless killers. I hope people realize that before it is too late.

We stayed at a cute AirBnb in East Boston just blocks from great dining, an amazing view of the skyline, and the airport. Easy peasy. Thanks to Emily and James for a fast and furious weekend in an amazing city!

Neato Maps and Gratitude

 It's safe to say I've been some places. I love to travel and see and do. I've been some places, seen some tiny portion of the world. I found these cool maps that allowed me to visualize how many countries and states I have been to. At the same time they show the whole state or country. I am amazed at how little ground I have actually covered and how many places I have yet to experience. This gives me a solid case of the wanderlust. Truuk? Peru? New Zealand? Australia? Palau? Mongolia? I'm coming for you!

At the same time, I'm immensely grateful for the life I was born into and have created for myself. Utah is a magical desert adventure land with nearly every sport imaginable. I was raised mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, skiing, and camping. My dad would sneak me out of school to go ski when I was in elementary. Mom took me for horseback rides in the fields and mountains around my house. When I was older, I did these things on my own and with friends. Greatest memories ever!

I moved to the great state of Washington in all it's dark beauty after college. I'd heard it rains there. A lot. Turns out, that's not really true. Amidst all of the towering evergreens, I discovered trail running, learned to snowboard, climbed my first multi-pitch, went backpacking, and hiked beautiful Olympic trails. Did it rain? Oh yes, often. Was it awful? Nope! I loved it.

Lastly and most lately, Hawaii is home base. It is a wonderland for anyone who loves adventure. There is so much to do here no matter your priority. Beautiful beaches and turquoise waters are just the first glimpse. I worried I would have island fever, be bored, or run out of things to do. Instead I am worried that I will leave before I can hike all the trails I want to hike, dive all the wrecks, learn to surf, kiteboard, freedive, play ukulele. I have fallen in love with cycling beneath the incredible green, jagged pali (cliffs) of Eastern Oahu, doing sunrise yoga on the beach, and chasing sunsets.

So, I choose to be ever grateful for the incredible life I have. Thank you to my parents for the guidance and lessons that put me on this path, to everyone who has helped me along the way, to my beautiful sisters who provide the most delightful chaos, and to my amazing husband who brings light to my life. I love you guys!

Honolulu Tinman Triathlon

A week and a half ago, Mike and I completed our first (mostly) Olympic triathlon. An Olympic tri is 1500m swim, 40K bike, and 10K run. Tinman has a shorty swim at only 750m. This turned out to be plenty. The race started at 5:45 AM in waves based on age and sex. Mike went at 5:55. My training partner Joe followed at 6:00. My group of ladies was the last and smallest group. Small but mighty!!! (too much? k sorry) About five years ago Mike and I ran an x-terra triathlon at Deception Pass in Washington. I trained hardest for the swim and was very unprepared for the thrashing mass of bodies that swimming with a group entails. This time, I was smarter. I trained with a buddy and learned to keep an eye on him to space myself. So, during the Tinman, I started all of the way to the outside of the group and stayed there the whole time. As the pack spread out and thinned, it was more comfortable. I survived!

I had practiced the bike ride several times. I tore out of the gate and made great time. There was one intersection that wasn't protected by a police officer and I was nearly hit by a car. Not optimal. Anyway, I averaged 18 mph moving pace over the 25 hilly miles. That's my fastest overall ride yet!

Transitioning to running was really hard for me. My legs didn't want to work and I felt like I was jumping up more than actually moving forward. Imagine how a toddler runs. That was me. Luckily I came out of the transition gate with Joe, who coached me and kept me moving down the road. After a couple of miles, I felt better and ran/walked the rest of the course. My heart rate was really high the whole time. As I approached what I thought was the finish line, I heard Mike cheering me on. Then someone on the side line yelled "Pass her!" to the runner behind me. Of course my first thought was "Aw HELL NO!". I took off at full sprint and realized the course kept going around 2 more corners. So I ran and ran and ran and crossed the finish just before him. We high fived and I tried not to die. This picture was taken 3 seconds after a whole series where I look like I just took a kick to the stomach. I like to pretend I ran across the finish line with such a big smile on my face.

I had a great time and I am really excited to run the H3 Triathlon in October.