NEUROENDOCRIN/CARCINOID CANCER

Carcinoid A rare form of "slow-growing" neuroendocrine cancer

Susan Anderson - An advocate for Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine Tumor Awareness

“Sunny Susan” & Howard Anderson’s

Kauai, Hawaiian Adventure

15 – 29/30 June, 2013

 

Saturday, 15 June 2013

John and car arrived at 5:30 a.m. to take us to Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, AZ.

Hawaiian Airline flt 35 from Phoenix to Honolulu, HI, airport, Boeing 767, we had two seats together on a side with no others.  We took shuttle to intra-island airport then had lunch at Roy’s.  Hawaiian Airline flt 353 from Oahu to Kauai (35 minutes flight), Boeing 727.  Got luggage and shuttle to National Car Rental where we picked up a full size, four door, Chevy Malibu. 

 

The gateway to the Koloa/Poipu area is called the Tree Tunnel, a stretch of Maluhia Road lined with eucalyptus trees first planted a century ago. The Tree Tunnel still thrives and welcomes visitors today.

 

We arrived at Poipu Shores about 4:58 p.m. just in time to check in.  Have lovely two bedroom, two bathroom, full kitchen, dining room - living room, plus private lanai (balcony) with table and chairs overlooking the strip of grass, swimming pool to the north, and out onto the lava coast line with large/strong breakers.  The sight and sound of Pacific Ocean 24/7.  Master bedroom has wall of windows – lower are jalousies and upper picture window.  Dining room – living room has wall of windows with door and jalacies.

 

Island Grocery had been here and placed our grocery order in the refrigerator, freezer and counters.  Great not to need to stop at a grocery store on way here from airport.

 

We have cable TV with 80 or 90 channels, I have CNN and MSNBC so I am  happy.

 

Kauai is the oldest Hawaiian island; it is the furthest north and west of the chain of islands.  It was 111 miles of coast line with beautiful sandy beaches on its 552 square miles. The tallest peak is 5,148 feet.

 

Sunday, 16 June 2013

Father’s Day, gave Howard his card and told him of his gift.  Susan not up until 6:30 a.m., surf sounded wonderful with bright blue sky and birds singing.  After breakfast we took walk along path beside the lava rock at the oceans edge.  Howard received his eCard for Father’s Day from Sarah, Scott, Luke and Wade in Florida.

 

We stayed in rest of day to relax and Howard worked on his laptop computer.  We watched game 5 of the NBA championship between San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.

 

 

Monday, 17 June 2013

We drove to Harbor Mall in Lihue to check in with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.  Then taken to the airport where all of the helicopter companies keep their aircraft.  Blue Hawaiian flies the state-of-the art, ultra-quiet, ultra-spacious Eco-Star helicopters with large windows and two-way radio headset for each of us six passengers.  Susan was seated by large window/door just behind the pilot (retired USAF).  We enjoyed the 55 minute flight over the Garden Isle of Kauai.  We viewed the Hanapepe Valley, Mana Waiapuna, commonly referred to as “Jurassic Park Falls”.  Then to the Olokele Canyon then Waimea Canyon, the famed “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”.  Then on the sculptural masterpiece of Na Pali Coast (no roads to get there), then on to the Bali Hai Cliffs, and the blue waters of Hanalei Bay and Princeville resort area.  Then we visited the Wailua Falls and Mt. Waialeale, the heart of the ancient volcano.  This is the wettest spot on earth, with an average rainfall of 450-500 inches annually.  We purchased the video made of our flight.

 

After our flight we went to a K-Mart in a shopping center to obtain some items we wanted.

 

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

We arose early and left about 7 a.m. for the 30 minute drive to the Port Allen Marina Center in Eleele, HI.  We checked in with Holo Holo Charters for our Na Pali Snorkel Sail.

 

The Na Pali Cliffs could qualify as an “Eighth Wonder of the World”.  Na Pali means “the cliffs” and the right u p to 4,000 feet.  The coast line is inaccessible by automobile; there is an 11.5 mile long hiking trail.

 

The Na Pali Coast is a very special place. The pali, or cliffs, provides a rugged grandeur of deep, narrow valleys ending abruptly at the sea. Waterfalls and swift flowing streams continue to cut these narrow valleys while the sea carves cliffs at their mouths. Extensive stone walled terraces can still be found on the valley bottoms where Hawaiians once lived and cultivated taro.

“The Nā Pali Coast is along the northwest side of Kauaʻi, the oldest inhabited Hawaiian island. The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest starting at Keʻe Beach extending all the way to Polihale State Park. The na pali (high cliffs) along the shoreline rise as much as 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above the Pacific Ocean. The state park was formed to protect the Kalalau Valley.”

“Although inaccessible to vehicles, this coast can be enjoyed over land by hiking or in a helicopter, and from the ocean by kayak and paddleboard. Charter tours are available on rigid-hulled inflatable boat or catamaran, originating from Port Allen and Hanalei Bay. The Kalalau Trail from the end of Hawaii Route 56 (called the Kuhio Highway) provides the only land access along the coast, traversing 11 miles (18 km) and crossing five major valleys (and many smaller ones) before reaching Kalalau Beach at the base of Kalalau Valley. Side trails along the way lead from the beach to waterfalls in the valley above.”

“To the east of the state park is the Hono O Nā Pali state Natural Reserve. It was established in 1983, and then extended to over 3,578 acres (14.5 km2) in 2009. Hiking trails and hunter’s roads have access to the sharp ridges from Koke Road (route 550) in Waimea Canyon.”

Our catamaran left the harbor for the cruise to the Na Pali Cliffs, white caps all day so not very smooth and too rough to put up the sails.  We saw dozens of Spinner dolphins and some green sea turtles.  The boat was not crowded. 

 

They stopped at Nu’alolo Kai where most of the passengers went snorkeling, and a few of us non or weak swimmers stayed on board.  Howard enjoyed the snorkeling very much, after which we all enjoyed a nice buffet lunch.  I was allowed to wear my special shoes with orthotic inserts; otherwise it was a bare foot cruise.  We returned to Port Allen Marina at 3 p.m.  We returned to condo tired but happy.

 

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

This morning we left at 7 a.m. and drove 1 ¼ hour north on the coast highway to The Gardens at Na Aina Kai at Kilauea, Kauai, HI.  These spectacular Botanical Gardens and Sculpture Park are available via guided tours only.  We had made early reservations for the 2 ½ hour Wednesday “Ride (a covered tram) Formal and Wild Forest Gardens”.  We had a knowledgeable guide for the seven of us on the tour.  The grounds have a very large variety of trees, shrubs and flowers, a very large Poinciana Maze and hardwood forest. 

 

The area is also an Albatross nursery.  We saw three baby Albatross, two ready to learn to fly and one with baby down feathers so younger. Plus we saw the Great Frigatebird flying in the sky.

 

“Na ‘Āina Kai, "Lands by the Sea" in Hawaiian, is ever-evolving and unique among the world's botanical gardens. Only here, at the crossroads of the Pacific, will you find the particular rare palette of flora, fauna, land, water, and climate that inspired the founders of these gardens to embark upon their one-of-a-kind creative endeavor. Spanning 240 acres, Na ‘Āina Kai is a living mosaic of diverse and bounteous gardens, a hardwood plantation, a moss- and fern-draped canyon, and a pristine sandy beach stretching between a meadow and the aquamarine waters of the Pacific”

 

The sculptures were remarkable and of real people such as girl with kite, boy fishing, couple seated on bench and such.

 

“Gracing the gardens and wild areas throughout this once-private estate are more than 90 bronze sculptures, one of the nation's largest collections.”

“Considerable depth of thought and sentiment has gone into Joyce Doty’s choice of sculptures for Na ‘Āina Kai. She personally has selected the more than 150 bronze sculptures complementing the garden and wild areas of the property, and she also has chosen the precise locations upon which they are placed.  The sculptures gracing Na ‘Āina Kai encompass five themes: Family, Children, Multicultural, Wildlife, and Fantasy.”

After our tour (above) we drove in into the town of Hanalei and had lunch then walked among the shops.  Then back to the condo on the oceans edge.

 

Thursday, 20 June 2013


We relaxed this morning in the condo with sight and sound of the ocean surf that we love.  Then we were off again for Port Allen Marina in Eleele, HI, and Capt. Andy's Na Pali Dinner Sunset Sail.   Due to my neuropathy and special shoes I was allowed for early pre-boarding.  Howard and I walked down to the dock early and sat on a bench.  One of the crew members brought us glasses of ice water in real glasses and ice.  We boarded early for the 3 p.m. Southern Star Na Pali Dinner cruise. 

 

The Southern Star is a 55 foot luxury catamaran.  Once on board and seated – us in the outside back for best photography -- we left on fairly rough sea with white caps.  Once seated everyone was served a glass of ginger ale with a splash of cranberry juice.  There were multiple refills and other juices and soft drinks.  At 5 p.m. the bar opened.  Later we formed two lines and had two salads and filled our square plates.  When finished the crew removed the plates and then served dinner. We enjoyed three huge shrimp, an 8 oz. steak, white and purple potato slices, asparagus spears and baby carrots.  The crew then served desert of pecan pie topped with tiny chopped apples and whipped cream.  All very filling and good.  The big sails were put up some but not left up long due to wind, but we did move some with us sail power.  Again we saw Spinner dolphins and green sea turtles.  We returned to Port Allen Marina at 8 p.m., and we drove back to our Poipu Shores condo in Poipu.

 

Friday, 21 June 2013

Howard walked to Poipu Beach to snorkel while I (Susan) stayed to type the trip log, so far.  A nice relaxing day hearing the surf on the lava coast line just beneath and beyond our lanai.

 

Saturday, 22 June 2013

We left about 8:30 a.m. and drove to the 170-foot Wailua waterfall north of Lihue.  This waterfall was used in the opening scenes of the TV show “Fantasy Island”.

 

“Wailua Falls is a 170-foot waterfall located in Kauai, Hawaii that feeds into the Wailua River.”

 

Next we drove to view Opaeka’a Falls located on the east side of Kauai in Wailua.

“Ōpaekaʻa Falls is a waterfall located on the Wailua River in Wailua River State Park on the eastern side of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It is a 150–foot waterfall that flows over basalt from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. Below the ridge down into the ravine through which the water falls can be seen the vertical dikes of basalt that cut through the horizontal Koloa lava flows. The name "ʻŌpaekaʻa" means rolling shrimp, "ʻopae" being Hawaiian for "shrimp," and "kaʻa" for "rolling". The name dates back to days when the native freshwater shrimp Atyoida bisulcata were plentiful in the stream and were seen rolling and tumbling down the falls and into the churning waters at the fall's base.”

“Visually, this is a spectacular waterfall and is one of the island's few waterfalls that can be seen from the road. It flows year round and therefore is not seasonal. Most of the time it falls in a double cascade but the two sides may become one after a heavy rain. There is a highway overlook which provides a panoramic view of the 40-foot (12 m) wide falls and the valley below. The best time of day to see the falls is in full sunlight when the water sparkles the most. If the day is cloudy the view is less spectacular.

After viewing and two waterfalls we drove to Coconut Marketplace shopping center and browsed and then had lunch.

 

On the way back to the condo we stopped in Old Koloa Town through the Tree Tunnel on the way to Poipu.  Koloa is site of the state’s oldest plantation settlement, and where sugar was king in 1835.  We browsed a short while and I located, and purchased, sun chasers (to hang in windows) that I had been looking for.  We then shopped for milk and a few items in the Sueoka Market, family owned since 1913.  After that we returned to Poipu Shores unit 202A about 2:30 p.m.  It was a beautiful sunny day, the ocean a beautiful turquoise color with white caps and a breeze.

 

 

Sunday, 23 June 2013

A nice drive today.  We left at 9 a.m. with the sky overcast inland.  It started to rain immediately as we drove west.  The rain would stop for a few minutes and then resume.  We turned around for the drive back to Poipu, but did stop at the site of the old Russian Fort Elizabeth (a State Park) … we couldn’t tell that any of it is still visible.

 

At 11 a.m. we arrived at the Poipu Village Shopping Center.  We shopped awhile and bought some gifts to return home with and then had lunch.  Keoki’s Paradise was delightful to the eye and the palate.  Our table was by an open to the air side by flowers, birds, a small pond and a tiny stream of water flowing over the rocks.  After a wonderful lunch we shopped a bit more, enjoying some excellent original paintings that we liked, and taking a few pictures of the wild chickens of Kauai.  Officially they are “Red Junglefowl”.  We returned to our condo around 2 p.m. under a clear blue sky and sunshine.

 

Monday, 24 June 2013

We spent the day reading and relaxing in the condo and on the lanai (balcony).

 

We observed two men walking on the lava coast at low tide hunting for limpets.  They use a”butter knife” tool to scrape the limpet off the rock.  More people die in HI while doing this than in other ways … they are caught by a wave.

 

'Opihi – type of limpet that occurs on ocean rocks around Kauai.

 

http://www.mauioceancenter.com/index.php?id=11&ss=0&page=marine&content=marine_detail&cat=2&CRid=32&limitstart=0

 

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/hawaii/explore/opihi-partnership.xml

 

While not “bird watchers” we always enjoy seeing birds.  Some we have seen in numbers and have identified are: Albatross, Great Frigatebird, Red Crested Cardinal, Dove, White Cattle Egret, various Finches, various Pigeons, Hawaiian Crow, Sparrow, and Red Junglefowl (chickens) to name some.  We always enjoy seeing flowers in bloom as well as trees, such as: Flame Tree, Yellow, Pink and Rainbow Showering trees.

 

One brave little sparrow likes our lanai and when we leave the screen door open he has hopped into the living room on the carpet … very curious.

 

The morning and until mid-day was overcast with some bits of blue sky showing through with light showers of rain or mist from time to time.  The sight and sound of the Pacific Ocean surf 24 hours a day is wonderful, we love it!

 

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

An overcast sky with light rain off and on.  By mid-afternoon there were a few clouds in the bright blue sky with sunshine.

 

We left at 10 a.m. and drove Highways 50 and 550 to Waimea Canyon Overlook at the 3,400 ft. level.  Waimea Canyon is a spectacular gorge, especially if you have not already been to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.  Waimea is called “the Grand Canyon or the Pacific”.  There are multiple layers of different colored rocks.  Waimea Canyon is one mile wide and 10 miles long, and up to 3,000 feet deep; it is a good thing we had already visited Waimea Canyon in 1997 and again in 2004.  We returned by Highway 552 back to sea level.

“Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is a large canyon, approximately ten miles (16 km) long and up to 3,000 feet (900 m) deep, located on the western side of Kauaʻi in the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. Waimea is Hawaiian for "reddish water", a reference to the erosion of the canyon's red soil.  The canyon was formed by a deep incision of the Waimea River arising from the extreme rainfall on the island's central peak, Mount Waiʻaleʻale, among the wettest places on earth.

Geologically the canyon is carved into the tholeiitic and post-shield calc-alkaline lavas of the canyon basalt. The lavas of the canyon provide evidence for massive faulting and collapse in the early history of the island. The west side of the canyon is all thin, west-dipping lavas of the Napali Member, while the east side is very thick, flat-lying lavas of the Olokele and Makaweli Members. The two sides are separated by an enormous fault along which a large part of the island moved downwards in a big collapse.

The canyon has a unique geologic history—it was formed not only by the steady process of erosion, but also by a catastrophic collapse of the volcano that created Kauaʻi.

Like the other Hawaiian Islands, Kauaʻi is the top of an enormous volcano rising from the ocean floor. With lava flows dated to about 5 million years ago, Kauaʻi is the oldest of the large Hawaiian Islands. Roughly 4 million years ago, while Kauaʻi was still erupting almost continuously, a portion of the island collapsed. This collapse formed a depression, which then filled with lava flows.

In the time since, rainwater from the slopes of Mount Waiʻaleʻale have eroded Waimea Canyon along one edge of the collapse. The cliffs on the west side of the canyon are composed of thin lava flows that ran down the surface of the Kauaʻi volcano. On the other side of the canyon, the cliff walls are built from thick lava flows that pooled in the depression. Over time, the exposed basalt has weathered from its original black to bright red.

Waimea Canyon State Park encompasses 1,866 acres (7.5 km²) and is a popular tourist attraction on the island. It provides a wilderness area with numerous hiking trails. It can be accessed from Waimea on Hawaii state road 550, which is 18 miles long and leads up to Koke'e State Park. The island of Niihau, only a short distance west of Kauai at that point, can be clearly seen from the highway.”

We stopped in Hanapepe the only non-plantation town on the island.  This now an artist colony.  We only stopped at the Amy Lauren Gallery.  I purchased two un-numbered prints: “Poipu Sunset” and “Sunset Over Poipu” by Martin Wessler.

 

Next we stopped at the Poipu Shopping Village where I had a salad and we both (Howard and Susan) huge hamburgers at Poipu Tropical Burgers.  After purchasing a few items at the Whaler’s General Store we returned to the condo at Poipu Shores around 3:15 p.m.

 

The rest of the day was spent reading, listening to and watching the Pacific Ocean waves break on the beach just below and beyond our lanai.

 

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Early morning overcast sky, nice breeze, by noon sky mostly clear, sunny and bright

 

During the morning we watched some of the George Zimmermann trial for killing Trayvon Martin taking place in Sanford, Florida on CNN and MSNBC.

 

During the afternoon the water sparkled like diamonds and the waves/surf was higher.  We enjoy looking and listening to the crashing surf. We both are sorry we must leave here Saturday morning to fly home, back to Arizona, we wish we could stay longer (than our two weeks here).

 

At noon Howard again walked the short distance (maybe ¼ to 1/3 mile) down hill to Poipu Beach Park and enjoyed snorkeling with the fish.  When he returned he stayed by the Poipu Shores swimming pools and photographed green sea turtles that are plentiful here – as they were when we visited in 1979.

 

http://seaturtles.org/downloads/Hawaii%20factsheet.pdf?gclid=CIX0l43-hLgCFWQ6QgodbGMATA

 

Now that the green sea turtles have returned from the brink of extinction and are beginning to thrive in Hawaii’s waters, they face the loss of protections under the Endangered Species Act. Most people revere the ancient turtle known as the “honu.” So it’s hard to believe that others want to remove safeguards that keep the honu from harm and openly seek to hunt Hawaii’s green sea turtle for their flesh and eggs—a practice that nearly wiped them out 30 years ago. We must keep the honu safe so they will forever survive on the beaches, reefs and in the blue ocean of the Hawaiian Islands.

 

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle Nesting and Numbers.  Since 1978, when the green sea turtle hunt was ended in Hawaii and the honu given ESA protections, their numbers have steadily climbed from a low of 67 females nesting in 1973 to a high of 843 nesters in 2011. However, the Hawaiian green sea turtles are far from reaching published recovery goals of at least 5,000 nesters per year. Almost all honus nest in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and then return to the waters of the main islands where we can watch them swim, feed on grass and algae, or bask in the sun on beaches and rocky shores.

 

There are between 6-8 nesting females that lay their eggs on both the north and south shores of Kauai. The females are on a two year nesting cycle and usually lay over a hundred eggs every two weeks from the end of May to September (a total of 1200-1400 eggs in a season!).  Most of the green turtles swim over 800 miles to nest on the French Frigate shoals which are apart of the North West Hawaiian Islands.

As juveniles they feed on the small animals and plants that live among these clumps of vegetation. Eventually, the green sea turtles begin to forage near the coast and feed primarily  on algae or limu which grows on coral reefs and on rocks close to shore at high tide. Like cows, green turtles depend upon bacteria in their guts for digestion of their food. As adults, the turtles are herbivores or vegetarians weighing as much as 500 lbs. (average is around 350 lbs. for Hawaiian green sea turtle).

           The Green Sea Turtles can swim 25 mph (dive the length of an 80 story              building or 800 feet).

 No one knows for sure how long they live but possibly 100 years.

How long can they remain under water?  If they are resting, turtles can stay under water for day’s even weeks. However, for active greens 3 hours is maximum documented time. Greens in the Atlantic Ocean can actually hibernate during winter; they will partially bury themselves in the mud to help keep warm. The critical temperature is 6.5° Centigrade, any colder and the turtles cannot survive for more than a few hours.

Sea turtles can be easily spotted from shore near Brennecke’s Beach. You can either cross the grass at Poipu Beach Park where you can overlook Brennecke’s beach to the left, or walk along the road past Brennecke’s and look back toward the beach.  Poipu Shores is located on the coast between the two beaches mentioned above.

In the evening we went to dinner at Keoki’s Paradise where we enjoyed good seafood and some live “Hawaiian” music. 

 

When we returned outside birds were flocking to roost in the tops of Palm trees.  I could see green and yellow and thought they were Parakeets, but we were told they were Ring-Necked Parrots.  Turns out they are the same bird.  Common Names: Indian Ringneck Parakeet, Indian Ringneck Parrot, Rose-Ringed Parrot.  Scientific Name: Psittacula krameri manillensis.

 

Poipu Shores is perfect for us at this point in our lives (ages 70 and 75).  We see and hear the Pacific Ocean 24/7.   We would love to return again, maybe for my 80th birthday.

 

Thursday, 27 June 2013

Another bright sunny day under blue sky with few clouds.  Howard left at 9:20 a.m. for another walk down hill to Poipu Beach Park to snorkel / swim with the fish.  The rest of the day was spent listening to and watching the Pacific Ocean waves pound the shore, reading, and watching a bit of the trial on TV.

 

Friday, 28 June 2013

A restful day, packing, watching and listening to the Pacific Ocean pound the lava shore just under and beyond our lanai, reading and watching some TV.  Nice not to go anywhere just relax.

 

Saturday, 29 June 2013

Had to check out of Poipu Shores, then returned our rental car and went to the Lihue Airport.  After a wait got on airplane for the 22 minute flight to Honolulu, another wait and then got on airplane for direct flight to Phoenix, AZ.  Our plane landed in PHX at midnight.  We got our luggage and a cab home.  Howard went to bed, but I stayed up the rest of the night (Sunday morning).

 

While in Hawaii I took 650 (or was it 850) pictures, will get a few on my web page and a few on FaceBook.  I have no idea how many pictures Howard took or how much video.  I had about 2,000 emails waiting, maybe were new alerts though so I could just delete them.

 

 


Send mail to SunnySusan@cox.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1997-2014 Susan L. Anderson. All Rights Reserved.
Last modified: 07/19/15