As I flipped through my photos of sunrises and sunsets on Kauai, I realized there really is no doubt which is which.

In the morning the clouds seemed like mischievous spirits (ghosts, if you will) dancing on the horizon.

In the evening, the clouds flowed together … like the curtain closing on another day.

On our last day we drove to the west side of Kaua’i which is drier and less touristy.

Port Allen is where most tours of the famous NaPali coast originate and Waimea is the gateway for Waimea Valley, the Grand Canyon of Kaua’i. It’s also the spot where Captain Cook first landed and “founded” Hawaii. But don’t expect to see any monuments to Cook here. At that time the Hawaiians had a feudal society and Cook challenged one of the great warlords so he had to go. Beaten, stabbed, the whole shebang.

Our objective, however, was to pay respects to my father who died while snorkeling off the beach below almost twenty years ago.

As you can see, they’ve had to post a warning about strong currents. I suspect this sign was posted for tourists who, like my father, discovered a “local beach” (one frequented primarily by local residents) and wandered out beyond the reefs. It’s not a place I would advise tourists to visit – there are no cafes, food trucks, trinket shops, etc. Just the locals picnicking, listening to loud music on boom boxes and watching their children splash about. Just the way my dad would have liked it.

Aloha and Mahalo Kaua’i!