Waimea Falls and the Giant Wave

Today we decided to go back to Waimea Falls (where we were yesterday) and take the hike to the waterfall.  The weather forecast predicted rain, but this is the rainy season here and there has been some rain every day that we've been here, though you can tell from the pictures that it hasn't mattered at all.  The rain comes in, lasts a few minutes, then drys instantly.  You can be standing directly in it, and not even get wet.  We ignored the forecast and went hiking anyway, and long story short, it mattered today...

Granny checking out the cool trees as we enter the botanical gardens.

Me and Riley heading out on the trail

Bamboo

Mom and Dad rode the shuttle to the falls.

Interesting facts about Hawaii's agricultural history.

Along the  wet trail

All of the flowers are so interesting and beautiful.

Anneli

Along the path was a hut where ladies were playing the ukulele, singing, and teach us how to play the instruments.  Riley is beating a drum.

They also taught us how to play Hawaiian games.  In this one, you have to swing the bag in a pattern, hit it, then catch it in the pouch.

Finally, we make it to the falls.

The appeal of this waterfall was that swimming was allowed.  Everyone got in, but they were slow moving because the water was freezing!

After about 2 minutes of being in the water, everyone had to get out because the rain had raised the water level  to a dangerous point and the waterfall was getting too big for people to be in it.  Swimming was closed for the rest of the day. Bummer!

On the bright side, the waterfall was at its prettiest.

This is Riley playing with my camera, but he did a pretty good job.

The music ladies taught us how to swing poi balls on our way back down.

This is Riley with my camera again.  He thought it was so cool that we saw a tree that looked like a sling shot.  I told him I'd Photoshop an angry bird in it.

We also passed a craft hut on the way back down where we learned how to make a fish out of coconut palm fronds.

Riley learning how to weave.

Riley, proud of the fish he made.

The rain really hit after we left the craft hut and we got soaked coming back down the trail.  We dried off while we had lunch at the snack stand, made another round of the gift shop, then decided to go to the beach.  The beach in the rain?  Why not?  We were already wet and had passed this beach a few times and really wanted to go because it looked like a beach that had big waves where swimming was allowed, one of the few on the North Shore.  Waimea Falls Beach Park.  Riley was so excited to play there.  The beaches have been his favorite part of the trip.

The waves were huge, and the current was so strong.  If this is what a beach safe for swimming is like, I can't imagine going out on one of the dangerous ones.

Jumping the waves was almost impossible because they would break and totally cover you before you could even move.  It was still fun to try.  We all got soaked!

Riley thought the key to surfing was to start out standing on the board and let the tide carry you around when it came in.  It worked a little bit because the tide and the pull pack was so strong.  You could sit on the sand, have a wave come in, and suck you clear into the ocean!  Us land locked folks, just don't understand the power of the ocean!

Taking a break with mom before getting back in the water.

We were having fun playing in the waves and you can see Dave in the background with the boogie board.  He was riding the waves with it and had actually gotten pretty good at letting it carry him all the way to shore.  He was  having so much fun, I decided to try too.

So, without even thinking, I took the board and headed deeper into the water.  I was letting the waves bounce me around and getting used to the feel of the board when a man pointed behind me and said "watch out."  I looked just in time to see the biggest wave ever close in right on top of me and totally wipe me out!  It is such a crazy feeling to be turned in every direction like that, be underwater and not know which way is up.  My surfing days were over, fun ended.  I was climbing out of the ocean to sit with mom and recover for a minute before going back in when I realized that I didn't have my glasses.  I am so used to having them on, and so used to feeling them on my face that it didn't even occur to me to take them off before heading out on the boogie board.  We had been to several beaches already, and I had worn my glasses out of habit each time with no problem.  I searched my bag in case by some miracle I had put them in there, and all along the shore, but my glasses had been sucked out to sea.  The funny thing is that I had bought a cheap flower clip for a few bucks at wiamea falls earlier in the day, and forgot to take that out too. It survived the wipe out!  Can you believe that!

I don't have any more pictures from the day as the rest of it was spent searching up and down the shore looking for my glasses and asking others to keep an eye out.  I even went to the lifeguard station where they wrote my name and number on the back of a Triscuit box and said they'd call me if anything came in.  We finally gave up and I resorted to having my doctor fax over my prescription and I've picked up a few pairs of temporary contacts to tide me over until I get home and get the other glasses replaced. Dave was nice enough to drive me an hour away to the nearest Lens Crafters.  I felt a little less like a stupid tourist when the guy that was helping me at Lens Crafters said that he had lost glasses in the same part of the ocean before.  I also noticed several pairs of glasses and sunglasses at the life guard station.  This must happen a lot!  I'm not surprised. Those ocean waves mean serious business!

Despite my complete stupidity, I had a fun day.  Beaches with big waves are my favorite, and I wouldn't mind having a redo day at this beach if we get the chance.