The Brookston Family Blog
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We had a little bit of time before sunset so we thought we’d do one more short hike along the Hanalei River. Our book of day hikes described as a “deep jungle experience” through “tall bamboo forests, across streams and into dense tropical vegetation. White shoes are not recommended.” Sounded like our kind of place. The hike was broken up into three sections, two streams and then ending at the Wailua River. The first stream was only a mile into the rainforest so we thought we’d do just that first leg.

Sarah in the dark bamboo forest. (I had to lighten this up so you could see anything using Photoshop.)

Where thickets of white orchids lined the trail.

Before it opened up into a more open path.

Where more beautiful orchids grew wild.

The whole area was green to the extreme and there were no signs of civilization anywhere apart from the trail itself.

We quickly reached the first stream and turned back only to get caught in more rain and mud on the way back.

After our dip in ke’e Beach, we headed for the Queen’s Bath, another little-known spot ion Kauai, or at least one that’s not often mentioned in the majority of guidebooks. We went there the last time we were in Kauai but because it was January, it was too rough to actually go for a swim.

The Queen’s Bath is a natural ocean pool that was named for Queen Emma, who was the mother of Prince Albert. You take a short hike down a steep trail on the side of a bluff until it opens up on a bed of lava rock. The Queen’s Bath is short distance to the left from there.

A small stream parallels the path to the Queen’s Bath most of the way.

Halfway down the bluff is this small but magnificent small waterfall.

Me and Sarah in front of the waterfall.

The trailside stream eventually empties into the ocean by way of this lava rock hole at the bottom of the hill.

As you walk to the bath, a second lava rock hole empties and fills with water as the tide pulsates in and out.

Here it’s almost filled. When we were here the last time, I think we though this was the actual bath because the water was much lower when we were here.

A black crab is all but invisible against the lava rock.

You almost don’t see them at all until highlighted by the blue sea (there’s actually three crabs in this photo).

Sarah waves from the top pf the Queen’s Bath, further off to our left along the coast.

A short, steep hike down the rock and you’re at the bath. This rock, partially submerged in water, reminded me of a mask.

The Queen’s Bath. That’s Sarah swimming in the lower middle of the bath.

Meanwhile ominous clouds by the far-off Na Pali Coast signaled rain was on its way.

So we swam a little more until the rains came. We had hoped to be out before the rains got too bad but we missed our window and got soaked to the bone climbing back out of the Queen’s Bath area.

Today is my Uncle Jim’s birthday. I think he’s about ten years older than me, but that’s really just a guess. Jim is/was my Mom’s half-brother and they were pretty close. They shared a father, my grandfather, who I called Pop Pop. I always got along with Jim pretty as was always the closest to me in age until the younger cousins came along. He’s been an elementary school teacher almost as long as I can remember. Happy birthday Jim.

My Mom when she was a student nurse with my uncle Jim as a young boy. Is that a feather in his hat?

This is still one my favorite pictures from the Seventies. It was taken at my house where for some reason my mother always had matching drapes and sofa in these god-awful patterns. This was defintely one of the worst. This is my Aunt Bernie when she and my uncle were just dating. She’s also a nurse and my Mom introduced the two of them. Don’t you just love the fashions?

My cousins Mike (top) and Matt with Jim and Bernie. I haver no idea when this was taken but my guess is the mid-1980s after I’d moved to California.

Home for Christmas a few years later with most of the clan on my mother’s side. Top row, from left: my grandfather Harry, my Mom’s cousin Stephanie and me. Middle row, from left: Maude, or Mom-Mom, my step-grandmother and Harry’s second wife (and Uncle Jim’s Mom), Jim, my Great-Uncle Paul, Great-Uncle Leon, cousin Susan and her husband George, Bernie and my cousin Peter. Front row, from left: My Great-Aunt Deanie, and cousins Matt and Mike.

After we’d rested a bit, it was time to trek back to Ke’e Beach where we’d promised ourselves a cooling dip in the ocean as a reward for finishing the hike.

Sarah starts the uphill climb from Hanakapi’ai Beach back to the main part of the Kalalau Trail.

We spied this gecko on our walk back.

Almost an hour later, Ke’e Beach comes into view.

Finally, Ke’e Beach is literally at the end of the road on the north side of the Na Pali Coast.

Looking back at where we’d just been hiking above the beach.

Ke’e Beach was a little crowded, especially compared to Hanakapi’ai, but the water felt great and the snorkeling was pretty terrific, too. Greg McDonald had suggested we pick up cheap swim goggles (the ones that just fit over your eyeballs) since they’re small and light to carry with you and they proved to be perfect. We saw tons of troipical fish as we lounged in the shallow water of Ke’e Beach.

I saw this funny item in this week’s Entertainment Weekly. Apparently Al Gore’s daughter Kristin used to be a comedy writer on Fox’s Futurama cartoon. Her old colleagues put together a little animated trailer for her. According to the article, she’s the one writing all Al’s best jokes these days.