Days 5-6: Beach, whales, beach, repeat

Thursday we were eager for another laid back day. We headed out to the Coastal Trail at Kapalua for a walk. The clouds made it especially beautiful, but it was extremely windy with spitting rain. But oh, how lovely tropical rain is - still warm enough to be outside. We walked up past Oneloa Bay to the pool and set up camp by the kids' pool again via lawn bowling.

After reading, napping and popsicles on the lanai, we wanted to check out DT Fleming beach. Apparently it was names "America's Best Beach" in 2006, so we had to see it. It was beautiful, but stormy and late enough in the day that we weren't up for swimming. I enjoyed my book while Steve and Grace did some serious building. Grace thought jumping in and out of the hole the dug was the bee's knees. For dinner Steve grilled mahi magi by "our" pool. Yum. I will be so happy when we have a grill of our own and Steve cooks dinner every night.

Up early again on Friday, this time for whale watching. At first we were bummed that the sunrise boat was the only one available when we finally booked, but it turned out to work for our early rising child who pretty much stayed on Cali time until the day before we left. Plus, the water was so pretty and calm early in the morning.

Setting out from Lahaina Harbor

View back to West Maui

We weren't allowed to hold Grace while the boat was moving, but she of course was in one of those moods where she had to be attached to me. So, we found a nice little spot at the front of the deck and sat down. It turned out to be an ideal spot.

We saw lots of females with calves, lots of spouting and lots of tail flukes. It was really cool and the views of Lana'i and Moloka'i were lovely.

The off the port side a whale breeched. We were pretty psyched and in the remaining hour or so, we saw several more breeches from various whales. At one point, there was a double breech of a mother followed by her calf. It was amazing. The pictures don't do it justice at all (but Steve made a valiant effort to get a good one, but those whales were just too unpredictable). They told us the grand slam of whale watching is one breech, and we ended up seeing five plus lots of other whale excitement.

We had a really great time and once Grace stopped saying her favorite part of the trip was the flight there, she decided it was the "going on the boat and seeing the whales." I wasn't sure she would enjoy it or realize what she was looking at, but she really did.

Back in Lahaina, we checked out the largest Banyan tree in the US

And wandered around Lahaina's waterfront (so touristy but still charming). Grace shopped for and selected an ukulele on which she now plays lovely songs while singing .

Since it was too early for lunch, we got shave ice. Maybe it's silly to have it for brunch, but we did it for the president so actually we are true patriots. Grace luuuved it (and it was approximately the size of her head).

We finally killed enough time to head to the main event... yum. Thanks for the tip, Katy and Anthony!

And we just loved this picture of Maria Lanakila church in Lahania, West Maui mountains in the background.

After naps and reading and a fair amount of ukulele strumming, we hit Kapalua beach again. There was another wedding. Steve went for a swim and found sea turtles (which of course made me think of you, Megan). Grace and I built castles and made sand oatmeal. I love the beach. We all do.

Just another pretty sunset.