On Saturday, May 19,2018, Holo Holo Charters and the Kauai Historical Society collaborated on a fundraising tour to benefit KHS. Excited participants were blessed with clear skies for the crossing to Niihau and Lehua. Captain Drew took good care of us, sailing across the Kaulakahi Channel to Niihau, then across the Kumukahi Channel to Lehua, and then back to the Na Pali Coast for a 7-plus hour tour.
https://www.kauaihistoricalsociety.org/event/niihau-lehua-adventure-tour-with-holo-holo-charters/
The crossing to the two islands was made interesting by three dolphin pods we encountered – spinner dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins and bottle nose dolphins. We learned that rough-toothed dolphins prefer the deeper waters offshore and the sea birds flying above the water hoping to snag a fish that the dolphins had forced to the surface, gave their location away.
Approaching Niihau was fun for us all, but deeply moving for Mama Lu Koerte, one of our speakers on the tour. Mama Lu was born was born on Niihau and left her island home at age 14. This was the first time she had been close to Niihau since leaving, so it was especially significant for her.
We all were awestruck by Lehua, which is both brown and green. The small island takes your breath away as you get to see things up close. Kauai geologist Chuck Blay educated us as to how the islands were formed and the undersea geology. It was great to actually be at the Lehua site where Chuck’s narrative moved from the intellectual into the physical world. We could almost feel the crater being formed and the waters moving around us, based on his description of what he terms “Kauai Nui.” The snorkeling was amazing in the crater and we saw fish that we had never seen before! Mama Lu Koerte and Lopaka Bukoski performed a hula appropriate to the locale, supported by Mark Rossi who sang and played music with a Niihau emphasis during the whole tour.
We enjoyed lunch as Captain Drew took us across the channel to Na Pali, and then south, back to Port Allen shortly after 2 pm. After the tour ended and we returned to Port Allen Marina, we were treated to a display of Niihau shell jewelry and honored with a hula performance by the ‘Atua Ohana’, the Kahokuloa family from Molokai.
Mahalo to all who participated in this exceptional fundraising event! Our sincerest gratitude to Cindy, Chandra, Captain Drew and crew of Holo Holo Charters.
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