In aloha (being in love and being happy with...) everything evolves organically from a place of surrender to higher direction. Hawaii by its very nature is aloha. In this place, new land literally is being created by the second as the lava flows into the sea. As the pop saying goes, resistance is futile.
The card I drew today from the Journey to Kanaka Makua cards was, appropriately...HAWAII.
Its message for me is to find and move from my centre. " There is a sacred place inside, your spiritual home, go there."
So, while I am in this process I'll post the remaining e-mails to Rod over the next few days and more pics from my travels. I hope you enjoy.
IN THE SPIRIT OF ALOHA
NANCE
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E-mail to Rod March 14
I've just come in from a sauna and star gazing under a cloudless sky. It's brilliant out there tonight!
I arrived back at Kalani just in time for dinner (6PM our time 12PM yours) and hula class at the Emax. Lots of the English country dancers showed up and they picked up the steps and direction really quickly! Jonathan the instructor was really humbled by their enthusiasm and ability as last weeks class was a little klutzy. I got the transition into the last steps this week, so I'm pretty pleased with my progress. There was an AMAZING young woman in the class tonight - I suspect she's a real hula dancer. NOTE: I ran into her on Wed morning. She is a volunteer at Kalani working in the kitchen and has been taking hula with Anthony for about 2 years. WOW could she ever move her hips - she was like butter, so smooooooth and she floated, her steps were so light but grounded. The way she worked her feet was key to the total effect. It shows just how one can finesse something so simple and make it magical.
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| Kealekekua Bay and the view from Mike's rentals kayaking destination is the green area across the bay |
Anyway, this morning I got up about 6:30 and was on the road by about 7:30. I took pictures of THE FISHBOWL the beach where I snorkelled yesterday and went down the road about 30 mins to the COFFEE SHACK which has a fantastic view of the whole coast. I had French toast - made with macadamia nuts and other goodies. Service was 2 pieces of thickly sliced bread with maple syrup - I took 3/4 of a slice for the road and got to Kealekekua Bay where I hoped to see fish and dolphins.
I rented a kayak (for $30) the kind that you sit in a shallow uncovered cockpit and headed out to the bay. The guy at the rental place told me where to head to and that I could tie up the kayak to some overhanging trees or put it up on the rocks. I was pulling it on the rocks when a guide stopped me. She told me that the plastic gets scraped off the boat and the fish eat it and it can kill them. Duh! I should have gotten a permit (online for free) which would allow me to tie up. I suspect the site also educates you on the ecology of the area and how to protect it. No permit, you tow your kayak behind you as you swim. She said that it's actually a lot better to do this. I thought it was going to be difficult but she was right it worked out brilliantly.When the hoards came (multiple kayakers and a huge boat carrying lots of very rambunctious people) I made a quick and easy get away into the bay. I loved looking down as I swam and seeing bright blue rays of the sun pinpointing to a place deep, deep below. When I got tired I just hauled myself across the boat and floated til I decided to swim again. And then I paddled for a bit; exploring. I was a little disappointed when there were no dolphins but I thanked them for their presence anyway.
I then went to Honaunau Bay (The city or place of refuge) aka TWO STEP so called because it takes 2 steps to get into the water. I parked away from the bay and walked the short distance down a one way street to the beach. This is one popular spot. Not at all what I'd pictured considering its solemn history http://www.hawaiisnorkelingguide.com/city_of_refuge_snorkeling.html
A sign was posted saying that this was a dolphin retreat area. They come into protected bays to hang out and rest during the day as they go into deeper waters at night to hunt. People are not to "swim" with the dolphins. There were a few far off in the bay when I went in and though they were Spinner dolphins there wasn't a lot of the spinning behaviour going on, just gentle cresting with the occasional leap of a young one.
There was an abundance of fish and coral. The shoreline dropped so abruptly and the water was so clear that it was difficult to get an idea of depth. I swam over the white sand below and over a message of ALOHA spelled out in cinder blocks and newly formed coral. A diver approaching the message revealed the depth to be about 50 feet at this point. NOTE: depths get to over 100 feet.
I was drawn to a few snorkelers floating blissfully in an area. As I approached, I noticed shadowy big fish far below. Dolphins! We just floated and watched them as they hung out with us. I was surrounded by them; too many to count. They moved in clusters in the pod moving in sync like schools of fish do. A little baby lept out of the water almost hitting a snorkeler. Quickly after her scooted back snuggling securely under its mothers belly.
During my hour long love fest they'd come close and then glide off and return from deep below or a different direction. At one point I heard someone chiding a woman for chasing them, he said "Why did you do that? They have the right of way you know!" I loved that!
NOTE: The next day the beach masseur told me that they kind of move in circles. A native Hawaiian English country dancer said that they were sleeping and that's why they weren't spinning or leaping.
I'm so-o-o-o-o mellow; still floating over that experience!!! I'm more than inspired for my water dance session tomorrow. It's going to be amazing.
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| See how tiny those people are in the pic and how fit this guy is it's a lo-o-o-o-o-ong way down! |
I took my time driving back marvelling at the ever changing nature of the scenery. I was not intending to go to SOUTH POINT (the southern most point in the USA) but when I saw a 12 mile sign on the road leading there the car just turned in. The way down is grassy and barren, like cattle country with windswept trees and the ocean spreading out in all directions.
I walked to the edge. The cliffs, about 80' high, serve as leaping off points for kids to pitch themselves into the ocean. "You gotta do it" a young man high on the experience exclaimed. He showed me where to climb back up. If you're concerned about the height work your way up to the top by jumping at lower ledges and move up incrementally. I WAS tempted but seeing the age and fitness levels of these projectiles, realized that MAYBE I should skip it. After all I don't want to miss hula at Kalani tonight!
This was a most incredible day!!!
I'm going to float off to bed now.
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