Sabins on the Sea - Day 17 - Nawiliwili, Kauai
by Nina Sabin - Travel Blog
Today we woke up to tug boats guiding our ship into port. The ship had to do an S-Curve to get into the bay. It was a very tight opening and we were intrigued to see such a big ship travel through the narrow passageway.
Tugboats tug, push, or pull ships in circumstances where they can or should not move under their own power, such as in crowded harbor or narrow canals, such as the bay in Kauai.
Once we cleared customs, passengers were able to leave and explore.
Nawiliwili is a neighborhood in Kauai County, Hawaii. It is located to the southeast coast between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Nawiliwili is a harbor village home to the Kauai Cruise Ship Terminal and the island’s only commercial airport. Kalapaki Beach is popular for swimming, plus there’s Kukii Point with its lighthouse, and a handful of bars, eateries, and shops at Harbor Mall. Nawiliwili offers Vidinha Stadium, the Grove Farm sugar plantation museum, and the lush Puakea Golf Course.
The area to explore near the ship is not very big so we were only out sightseeing for three hours.
We walked along the coast. Right next to where the ship docked is Nawiliwili Beach Park. We saw lots of roosters, hens, and baby chicks. They were pecking and scratching at the grass to search for food. One of the roosters looked like he was dancing. I will post that video on our YouTube channel travel playlist .
As we walked towards the coast we saw many cars parked and it looked like some of them were the owners permanent residence. One was missing a tire but they were cooking right behind the vehicle.
As we passed the parking lot we came to the sea wall and beach. The waves weren’t as big as the ones we saw in Hilo or Honolulu. However, we did watch surfers try to catch the little waves. We are guessing since the beach is in the bay, that is the reason for the smaller waves.
The beach is attached to the Marriott Kauai Beach Club. It is a beautiful resort. Duke’s is a chain restaurant throughout Hawaii. In his lifetime, Duke traveled all over the world and introduced people to the Hawaiian lifestyle and the sport of surfing. There are six Duke's Restaurants each on unique, spectacular waterfront sites.
The one located in Kauai is adjacent to the Marriott. The most famous Duke’s is in Waikiki. It is known for the Hula pie. We didn’t try it but heard it is amazing.
We took an elevator up from the Marriott Beach Club and walked along the road to the golf course which is right behind the Marriott.
Along the road, we had spectacular views of the ocean and the mountains of Kauai. There were also some unique geese we admired along our walk.
The nene, also known as the nēnē or the Hawaiian goose, is a species of bird endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, and Hawaiʻi. In 1957, it was designated as the official state bird of state of Hawaii.
They actually have nene crossing signs along the roads.
We spent time walking around the Ocean golf course at Hokulua . The last nine holes are all along the water. One of the passenger’s husband golfed there today. It cost $600 to golf.
We were pretty tired after our walk and decided to go to the pool on the ship. It was also a wise decision to go back because it rained pretty heavily soon after we were back on the ship.
The past three days we walked over 72,000 steps. So no wonder why we were tired. After a swim and lunch, we back our cabin and took a well deserved nap. What a great relaxing afternoon.
The evening entailed drinks at the Crows Nest, dinner in the dining room, listening to some music with the piano duo at the Billboard and the the band at The Rolling Stones Lounge. We finished the evening with a cappuccino and steamed almond milk, while we watched the comedian, our entertainment tonight.
Tomorrow we will be at Kahului, Maui.