Paddling In and Out of Sea Caves by Kayak in Kauai, Hawaii
The ocean is battering your kayak, wanting you to flip over into the foamy blue water. All you can hear are the waves loudly crashing onto the sharp, rocky coastline. The steep, fin-shaped walls extending down from the cliffs offer no refuge. But then, there it is, hidden in the shadows: a sea cave, where it's calm and protected, and with an opening where the sun's rays shine in. Gliding your kayak inside, the panic subsides as your muscles and claw-like fingers regain strength. An outfitter like Kayak Kauai can guide you to one of these natural lava-rock chambers. Queen's Pond is a favorite and lies near the halfway point of the 17-mile Na Pali coastline on northern Kauai Island.
When signing up for a whale watching trip along Kauai's Na Pali Coast don't expect to strictly be looking out to sea. As intense as the sight of two humpback whales battling over a female during mating season may be, the view of the western coastline itself is no less inspiring. This mesmerizing 17-mile stretch (a protected region of the island by virtue of its natural seclusion) is untouched by the 21st century save for the image of a handful of hikers who cling to the side of a cliff in an effort to reach, what must be, the world's most pristine beaches. An 11-mile hike, treacherous in even the best weather, is the only way to reach the Na Pali Coast by land which is why it is unusual to see any swimming or sunbathing on its white sand beaches. The water changes color around every curve – from emerald green to turquoise and navy blue – depending on depth and shadow. An unearthly light peeks from behind the iconic and appropriately named, “Cathedrals,” the towering cliffs that loom above romantic sea caves as though the heavenly landscape wasn't alluring enough.
The ocean is battering your kayak, wanting you to flip over into the foamy blue water. All you can hear are the waves loudly crashing onto the sharp, rocky coastline. The steep, fin-shaped walls extending down from the cliffs offer no refuge. But then, there it is, hidden in the shadows: a sea cave, where it's calm and protected, and with an opening where the sun's rays shine in. Gliding your kayak inside, the panic subsides as your muscles and claw-like fingers regain strength. An outfitter like Kayak Kauai can guide you to one of these natural lava-rock chambers. Queen's Pond is a favorite and lies near the halfway point of the 17-mile Na Pali coastline on northern Kauai Island.
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