It is incredible how quickly a month can go by. I left Oahu for Kauai on February 1. Where did the time go?

I have seen big waves and surfers. Beach walking was a favorite activity for me. I frequently walked to the beach and then the half mile to Banzai Pipeline. It is interesting to think that it is smooth and glassy where the swells are now during the summer months. What? How can that be?

I really enjoyed my month on Oahu. I had a lovely apartment to stay in. I liked sitting on the porch and feeling the warm Hawaiian trade winds blow through. The rains went from soft, gentle female rains to raging, windy, male downpours. I saw the results of the flooding of the falls of the Waimea River that tore through the sandy beach, creating small, perfect swells that the surfers enjoyed.

And then there were the perfect sunny, blue-sky days with the soft Hawaiian trade winds keeping the temperatures cool. It was as close to perfect as was possible.

I have snorkeled, hiked, and even taken a boat tour to swim with dolphins. And oh, has that camera been busy.

The waves were twenty to twenty-five feet high the first weekend I was on Oahu. Only the bravest of surfers will tackle these waves. By the time the surfer reaches the foot of the wave face, they may be going upwards of 35 mph. Whoa! It is hard to imagine going that fast on a small board. How do you keep your balance? How do you breathe? How does it feel to have that body of water racing behind you? What happens when the wave wins? I will never know. Yet I will seek those waves out because they fascinate me.

I arrived as the Backdoor Shootout Surf competition was going on. I left the North Shore as the Lexus Pipe-Pro championships were beginning. I enjoyed the spectator part of this sport. I had no idea many people like me enjoyed watching the surfers and cheering them on.

Spending a month in one place has allowed me to relax my pace and not feel like I have to do everything all at once. If it was a rainy day, I could stay home. If I got tired, I could nap. Well, heck, I can do that any time, but I don’t when I am out traveling in Emmylou. I am a girl on the go.

My friend Tina joined me at the end of my time on Oahu. After a month on my own, it was good to have company. Since I had spent a month there, I got to show her some of my favorite spots and explore other places she knew of. I still believe that adventuring on my own is fun. Adventuring with someone else is even better.

Tina continued on to Kauai with me. After five days she left yesterday, and my friend Mary arrives late today. I still have a friend to adventure with and explore. In the meantime, I am snorkeling, enjoying sunsets, and relaxing on the beaches of Kauai. This is a magical isle.

Sometimes the choices I make are OK. Sometimes the choices I make are listed under “The Best Things I Ever Did”. Traveling for a winter to Hawaii is in the later catagory. And I am not even done yet. I still have the Big Island to explore.

Adventure On.