Maui variety

It's gray and rainy here this morning, feels like a different place altogether.  Good time to compile some random photos from the past several weeks.  Maybe the sun will come out again later today.  May it come out for you too!

We recently happened upon a set of outrigger canoes, along with some info about the Maui Canoe Club.  I have been wanting to try this, to get on the water in a long boat with a few other people and compare it to the 2-person canoeing that we know.  It turns out, this is the perfect club for that.  Teaching newbies, getting on the water as the sun comes up, doing a little whale watching along the way.  I tried it once and enjoyed it a lot - might have to make this "a thing" while we're here.  Next time I might get brave enough to bring a camera during the paddle (I think I trust the waterproof Aloksak bags, time to prove it).  For now, here are the boats:

If there's hula dancing in the mall, it must be Hawai'i.  Aren't these girls adorable?

John is getting a kick out of being able to run barefoot on the beach:

Exploring a wildlife sanctuary, Kanaha Pond, with the west Maui mountains in the background:

Hawaiian stilts (ae'o), an endangered species but plentiful at the pond:

A nene!  Hawaiian goose and the state bird.  A couple landed near me and cooperated while I tried to get a zoomed-in shot with my phone camera.  Not a great photo, but it was fun to try:

Yesterday John and I ran up the road to Iao Valley.  Amazing steep (steep!) valley walls, lush greenery, cool cloudy weather as a contrast to hot sun a couple miles back.  The Iao Needle was neat to see:

A peace pole!  It was exciting to see one using Hawaiian as one of the languages (lower left):

While looking for an assortment of photos for this post, I pulled a bunch from John's phone.  So here are "John's Highlights" for the past few weeks.

Interesting lighting while running up Waihe'e Ridge trail:

Frothy surf, from our West Maui loop drive (John got closer to it that I was willing to):

Checking out a big wave crashing up on the rocks:

Here is what John has been up to lately:

Different kind of solar perspective:

He found some kite surfers, a whole bunch of them actually:

And a turtle!  That is so awesome!  It pays to run on the beach.

Sunrise, a glow from behind Haleakala:

And... a view from the top of Haleakala:

Looking across the crater, yep, I am still quite attached to that landscape:

Thanks for the fun photos, John!