Day Five

We started out back in Lanai for breakfast at the Blue Ginger. Reed got the most amazing apple turnover!

We thought this sign was cute, it tells the distance to Nome Alaska, the next closest city in that direction.

We were all set to spend day 5 at the beach all day when some friends we made on the trip invited us to go snorkeling with them. We walked out around the cliff on the way to sweet heart rock and then climbed down the cliff face to... 

this secluded little beach where we had water access to sweetheart rock as well as a bigger, closer, more fish crowded reef.

Here I am with Sweet Heart rock in the background. One our friends actually climbed up on the rock, but with the wave surges getting a little rough I didn't dare go that close to the rock.

On our private beach. It was quite an adventure and something that not many people probably do while they are here. Totally Awesome!

So, today is our last day. We check out at noon, but our flight doesn't leave Lanai until 7pm. We are still aloud to use the hotel amenities, so we will hang out by the pool/beach and have a late lucy and then head home. We fly through the night first to Honalulu, then Denver, then into Columbus at 3pm. We have had a great time, but I can't wait to see the kids!

Quattro

Another morning hanging out in the sun

They have these really nice love seat type things right along the cliff in front of the pool they are very comfy and the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sun and the view. And they come around periodically with ice water, fruit skewers, sandwiches, smoothie samples, cold wet wash clothes, etc. Talk about the lap of luxury! I think I would get way too lazy if I lived like this all of the time, but it's perfect for vacation.

Then for we took the long twisty shuttle ride back into Lanai city to do some souvenir shopping and have some lunch.

We ate lunch at the Poke (sounds like Pokey) market. Poke is Hawaiian style sushi. This is where all of the locals eat and was fun to try. It wasn't bad.

For dinner we headed out on a sunset Catamaran ride. We got the perfect spot right on the front of the boat (sitting on one of those trampoline looking things).  

On our way out. They served what they called "picnic food" some chicken skewers with sauce, a couple of sushi rolls, spring rolls, refular bread rolls, fruit, and cheese. Yum

Awe. They had good food and drinks. Of course we didn't go for any of the alcoholic beverages, but the guy doing drinks brought us a pineapple ginger ale mix that was yummy.

The best part of the ride was when we drove right into a pod of dolphins

They were very friendly and let the boat come right up close. They were jumping and waving and one even did a flip.

We were so close and it was so cool to see them. The first day we were there one of the hotel staff was telling us about the dolphins and said that if there is a pregnant lady in the water they will circle around her.  She said they can actually sense that extra presence and want to protect her. According to the story there was a lady out snorkeling and the dolphins circled around her. When she got back to town she did a pregnancy test and Surprise, she was pregnant! 

There wasn't much wind, so they only put the sail up for a little while.

This is Sweet Heart rock again, the ocean view.

This is supposed to be our sunset picture, unfortunately it didn't turn out very good

There's the ship after we got back all lit up in the dark.

Palm  trees! They actually have tons of coconuts in them. So cool

Going back to our room we saw TONS of these little lizards all over the hall ways. (the hall ways are open) Yet another great day!

Three Down 3 to Go

We started off day 3 with a sunrise hike along Fisherman's trail

It was really cool to go down in the rocks where we found some pieces of coral to bring home

and look into the some of the tide pools

the waves coming in and out of all the rocks were so neat

Lanai is more of a desert paradise. Besides the grounds of the resort and the beach front it mostly looks like this

It has it's own beauty that we have been thoroughly enjoying

But not the tropical paradise that you usually think of when you envision Hawaii. Until about 1993 a lot of the island was used by Dole for pineapple plantation. It was just recently sold to someone else and they are anticipating a boost in growth of businesses and residences because of it.

This is my favorite flower here on the island. It grows on a tree and they fall all over the ground. I always pick one up to put in my hair when we walk by.

On our way back from the hike we cut through the golf course and found this big guy hanging out.

After the hike we did some more of this and enjoyed lunch with another incredible view 

After lunch we went down to the beach and did some of this...

...and this. We actually did venture out into the water to do some more snorkeling and didn't take to camera. We figured we already got pictures of that and it's better safe on the beach. We ended up seeing some awesome things on the reef including being right in the middle of a giant school of fish. They just let us float right in the middle like we were one of the group. It was awesome and a little disconcerting. I kept waiting for one to nibble on my toes.

At one point the waves got really big and there were some guys out in the water getting hammered and loving it 

Reed watched for a while, but then couldn't stand being left out and finally went and joined in the fun

The pictures don't quite do it justice. The waves got huge!

Someone else built this cool sand castle, but we wanted a picture to show the boys. At VA Beach we don't think we could build one this big, the sand is too coarse. 

We ended the day with a sunset hike to sweetheart rock

More really cool tide pools. They looked like glass mirrors inset into the rock.

And wild life

Sweetheart rock is in the one right over Reed's shoulder. We hiked all along a ridge and up to the cliff right over my shoulder.

There were lots of amazing views as the sun sank lower in the sky.

Here we are at our destination with the sunset in the background

And here is the sunset just as we were getting back to the beach

Then to the hot tub to soothe our aching muscles. Between hiking in the morning, snorkeling in the afternoon and another hike that evening, we were a little tired. But it was another perfect day.

Today we are planning on sitting on the beach this morning, back into Lanai city for lunch at a highly recommended restaurant, more beach sitting, and finally a sunset cruise and dinner on a catermaran to top it all off.