TRIP DATES:

thursday, may 8th through saturday, may 18th, 2008

Join the Austin Sierra Club for one of our most exciting and exotic outings ever. Visit the fabulous "garden island" of Kauai, the island many people consider the most beautiful and most unspoiled of the Hawaiian Islands. Participants will camp close to the heart of nature on scenic Anini Beach, near the Kilauea Lighthouse and fantastic snorkeling beaches and hiking trails. The last four nights of the trip will be at a group cabin high up in the Kokee State Park close to the hiking trails of the Waimea Canyon. Group activities will include swimming and beachcombing at several of the world-famous Kauai beaches, hiking the jungle trails and visiting some of the most beautiful and exotic locations in the world. Optional, (extra cost) activities will include bike rentals, river kayak rentals and zodiac boat tours of the Pali cliffs. All meals and transportation will be provided. Participants will arrange their own air fare.

Don't miss this trip! It has been several years since we offered the Hawaii trip and there may not be another one for some time. Look around - this is the very best travel bargain to this part of the world that you will find. The trip will be limited to 12 people and will fill up quickly.

TRIP LOGISTICS:

Dates: Thursday, May 8th through Saturday, May 18th, 2008

Cost: $550 per person ($570 for non-members). Note that this cost does not include air fare to the Lihu'e airport on Kauai. You should budget roughly $850 -$950 for round-trip air fare, although cheaper fares are available if you reserve soon enough in advance (see the getting there section below)

Trip leaders:

• Carolyn Peterson ( )
• John Yarber ( )
• Dave Senecal ( )

Meet the trip leaders: Qualifications and Experience

This will be a basecamp trip. There MAY be a one-night backpack option offered if there is enough participant interest and if permits can be be reserved (contact your trip leaders for information on this option). Deposit: To reserve a space on this trip you must send a deposit of $100 to the address listed below. See "Calculating Cost"

CALCULATING COSTS:

Trip cost: $550 (members) $570 (non-members)

You must submit a $100 deposit per person to reserve a space on this trip. Deposits can be mailed immediately and will be accepted until the trip is filled. Deposits received after the trip has filled will be held uncashed and the sender will be placed on a waiting list against the likelihood of a cancellation.

The remainder of the trip fee will be due in full no later than April 25th.

Participants who must cancel prior to April 10th will receive a full refund of any monies received as long as their place on the trip can be filled from the waiting list. Cancellations after April 10th will be subject to charges based on any trip costs incurred on behalf of the individual up to that point with any remaining money returned to the participant who must cancel.

Trip cost covers:

• All park camping fees (both state parks and county beach parks)
• Park Entrance/use fees (Anini Beach park and Kokee State Park)
• All meals in camp (this will be most meals)
• Transportation by minivan

Cost DOES NOT cover:

• Personal expenses (souvenirs, snacks, etc.)
• Showers and/or laundry at campgrounds (if a fee is charged)
• Entrance to the Kilauea Refuge ($5 per adult)
• Restaurant expenses (any meals on the road - probably no more than 3 meals)
• Optional recreational choices such as bike rentals, rafting trips, kayak trips, zodiac excursions to the NaPali shoreline, boat-based snorkel trips, helicopter trips, etc.

RESERVATIONS:

• Payment of the trip deposit establishes your reservation.
• Reservations will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis, based on receipt of deposit.
• The trip is limited to 12 participants.

Mail your DEPOSIT ($100) and/or trip fee, made out to THE AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB, to:

• Carolyn Peterson
• 11300 Vallecito Cove
• Austin, TX 78759

Information about Kauai:

In order to make the most of the scenic wonders of Kauai, we will camp first on one end of the island (at Anini Beach county park, close to the Kilauea Lighthouse and park pictured above) and explore the north shore of the island using the park as a basecamp. After 5 nights at Anini (May 8th to May 13th, leaving Anini on the 13th), we will break camp and move to the group cabin in Kokee State Park overlooking the south end of the island in order to explore the rest of Kauai. (May 13th to May 17th, departing for Lihu'e after breakfast on the 17th). Check the MAP below to orient yourself - Anini beach is close to Kilauea on the small map and Kokee State Park is at the end of the long dead-end road that starts at Waimea and runs into the interior. Click on the small map for a much more detailed map of the island.

The campground at Anini beach is very pretty, with a sandy, gently sloping beach perfect for swimming and beachcombing. Because there is no real reef to speak of, snorkeling is not good at Anini, but we will be going to several beaches where the snorkeling is fabulous (several are only a short drive away). At night the stars are brilliant and on a clear night you can see the Kilauea lighthouse on a distant point. The campsite is grassy and has picnic tables and grills and flush toilets. There are showers, but they are open-air cold water showers (basically enclosed shower heads, one for men, one for women) reflecting the fact that in Hawaii's temperate climate you don't really need a roof and hot water. Here's a link to a commercial site that describes the beach (don't put much stock in the description of the reef, it is not impressive and the claims of 'great' snorkeling and scuba diving are much over-rated): http://www.hawaiiweb.com/Kauai/html/beaches/anini_beach.html

When we move to Kokee State Park, we will be staying at in a single large cabin just inside the park itself and from this base we will hike and explore the fantastic Waimea Canyon, the one Mark Twain described as "the Grand Canyon of the Pacific." (See the photo below, next to the daily schedule for May 16th.) Here is a link to the cabin where we will stay for the last part of the trip: http://www.gbgm-umc.org/kekaha/ and here is a site that provides some basic information about what you can see and do in Kokee State Park: http://www.thisweek.com/kauai/tour/tour-waimeacanyon.html

DAILY SCHEDULE:

Here is a quick overview of each days activities. For a detailed list of all the hikes for this trip, see hike details.

Vans will collect the participants from the Lihu'e airport and head to the north shore and Anini Beach to get settled in. After a brief stop for groceries and other essentials for the trip, we will set up tents on the beach campsite and explore the nearby areas. Those who can't wait to swim in the Pacific will have the chance to walk a few feet from their tents and get as wet as they like. Cold-water showers at the campground will allow you to clean the salt off before bed time.

Meals are on your own today.

Friday, May 9th

Options for today include an extra-cost Helicopter tour of Kauai island (you will need to make reservations beforehand. Flights are normally in the morning and afternoon. Contact your trip leaders for more information on these flights).

The group will visit Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and/or Botanical Gardens (See the photo above). This Refuge is managed by the US Fish and wildlife service. In August of 2007, USFW proposed an entrance fee increase to $5 per adult and proposed re-initiation of ranger-led tours of the Refuge ($20 per adult). For information about the Refuge, follow this link: KILAUEA

Dinner in camp

Options for today include a Zodiac Boat tour of the Na Pali coast (or sea kayak the coast tour if there is interest and tours are available). Several hikes on the North coast will also be offered if there is interest. (See the HIKES listing for North Coast Hikes).

Dinner in camp.

Options for today include a hike down the Kalalau Trail. This is arguably the best and is certainly the most popular of all the hikes on Kauai, famous for narrow trails, deep jungles and fantastic coastline views of the Na Pali coast. Back packing options are possible if permits are available and if interest is there, but these permits are difficult to obtain and must be reserved in advance. The link above will take you to a website devoted just to this trail and includes extensive information and a photo gallery. Please contact your trip leaders immediately if you are considering the backpack option. Part of the group may opt to simply hang out at Anini beach campground and swim or snorkel.

Dinner in camp.

Monday, May 12th

Multiple Options today, including: Kayaking the Hanalei River (kayak rentals and/or tour are extra cost), snorkeling Tunnels beach, hiking on the North Coast, doing laundry (for those who need it), souvenir shopping and an optional, extra-cost Lu'au in the evening.

Dinner in camp (optional Lu'au will be arranged if there is interest)

Today we will pack up and leave Anini Beach campground by 10am as it closes. We will drive to Kokee and the cabin where we will stay for the rest of the outing, stopping for one or more optional hikes at Wailua Falls and possible snorkel options at Po'ipu or other beaches along the way to Kokee. Grocery shop in Lihu'e and possibly eat at a restaurant (at own expense).

Dinner on your own (Restaurant)

Hikes in the Kokee state park area. (This and the following days hikes will be split in groups with hikes suiting each of the individual group desires).

Dinner in camp

Thursday, May 15th

Hikes in the Waimea Canyon area and view scenic overlooks (such as a hike to the Mt. Waialeale overlook, a spot which averages 451 inches - more than 37 1/2 feet! - of rainfall per year.)

Dinner in camp.

Hikes in the Kokee state park area.

Dinner in camp.

EQUIPMENT:

[Plates, cooking gear and eating utensils as well as food will be provided by the Club for all meals in camp. You do not need to bring your own cooking/eating gear.]

A note on CAMERA EQUIPMENT:

Outdoor camping trips are notoriously hard on cameras. It is normally extremely wet and humid in Kauai; in addition, changes in elevation from beach level to high plateau elevations combined with the rare possibility of cold, windy, rainy weather are a challenge for any delicate electronic equipment, including regular and digital cameras. To protect your camera, bring along a large ziploc bag or a kayak dry bag for storage. Collect the packets or cylinders of silica gel (the ones that come in vitamin bottles or packed with new cameras for shipping and which say "do not eat") and pack them in the bag to absorb humidity. Keep your camera equipment in the closed bag when you are not using it and check the inside of the bag frequently for water vapor. Remember to bring extra camera batteries.

RETURN TO TOP

MEALS:

All in camp meals except for those on the 8th (arrival day) and 17th (departure day) will be included: 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, and 6 dinners. We will eat out two nights at additional cost in order to enjoy Kauaian cuisine.The Austin Sierra Club has a well-deserved reputation for good meals in the field. Trip leaders plan the menu, purchase the food and supervise the preparation of all meals in camp from written menus that include preparation instructions. Participants help with the preparation and cooking and with the equipment clean-up afterward. In this way, we can keep trip costs down, provide nutritious meals and provide a group experience that makes sure no one is a stranger by the end of the trip. Since in-camp meals are prepared by the group, please be prepared to sign up for kitchen crew assignments. Bag lunches are individually prepared from the group food supply at breakfast time.

The Club provides all the eating utensils, plates and drinking implements you will need. Participants need only bring their own water containers for hikes. Hikers need to plan on bringing adequate water supplies (at least two liters for a half-day hike, more if you drink more. Drinking water is available at all of our campsites, but with few exceptions, none is available on the trails or at the trailheads.) We also provide propane cooking stoves, tubs for clean up, recycle facilities and hotel sanitation chemicals for utensil sterilization. Participants will be asked to sign up for at least four KP assignments (Breakfast, Lunch prep or Dinner) and can normally choose between preparation, cooking or cleanup. We do not use disposable utensils, so all equipment is washed and sterilized after each meal.

Please make sure your trip leaders know of important food allergies or dietary restrictions. We frequently accommodate vegetarians or even vegan diets and our menus are designed to allow for these restrictions. Just let us know.

Breakfast is served about 7:30 am and dinner at about 7 pm. In true Sierran style we tend to get out of camp and stay out all day.

WEATHER:

Anini Beach on the north coast and Kokee State Park typically receives 2.9 to 3 inches respectively of rainfall during May. We can expect balmy nights at Anini Beach for the 5 nights of camping here. Average low of 70 F and average high is 81 F. (The record high and low are 88 and 54 F). Kokee State Park (where we will be in a cabin with warm blankets provided for these nights) has average low of 51 F and the average high is 68 F. The record high and low are 80 and 35 F. The ocean temp is 79 degrees.

Here are links to current weather conditions close to our camping sites:

(use the BACK button on your browser to return to this page after viewing the weather)

Current weather at Lihu'e

Check the weather and the forecast regularly beginning about a week before the trip and keep checking for unusual weather trends in the predictions. BE PREPARED.

MAP: