We are being spoiled this whole trip - thanks Dad and Mom!!! Yesterday (Wed, Nov 17) we were treated to a day on the water aboard a Pacific Whaler boat... we went across to Molokini and then to Lanai. Both specatacular!! We first came across about 20 Bottle-nosed Dolphins that greeted us at our boat and swam around us for a bit for us to take them all in - it was as if they were trained to do that!! We snorkelled in Molokini Crater - the kids got to put on life jackets; Sam used goggles and a snorkel and Elijah used a boogy-board with a window to see down into the clear deep water. Gabi swam along (not literally) with us. Even Grandma got out into the water also on a window-boogy board!! Yea! It was fantastic -- until little Miss Hyper Gabi took a spill on the deck and whacked her head into the iron side which immediately drew blood from the good sized gash! Thankfully since we weren't due back for over 3 hours, a "sister boat" was right near us where she took her fall and so they quickly arranged for her and Jason to board onto that boat and head back into Town to visit a Clinic. Jason and Gabi had to get onto this little kayak and get pulled into the other boat (shown)...
They then had a 1.5 hour sail back to land (Lahaina) where the boating company had already arranged a Doc Appointment for Gabi and paid for a Taxi for Jason to get her to the clinic AND gave me more money to pay for the taxi from the clinic to our hotel! (hmmm, this is the States, we're thinking they are doing all they can to help us from thinking law-suit, which of course we wouldn't even think...). Gabi was brave as ever. She cried getting onto the Kayak because she didn't want to leave Sam!!! LOL. But other than that she was a trooper - even through the 10 needles they used to freeze her forehead and then the 5 stitches she received. Man. She is my first child to get stitches - unfortunately under these circumstances. We had to pay out of pocket for the medical treatment received - $325usd - but we'll be able to claim (hopefully) something when we return from our Travel Insurance. She was still hyper when the boys and I returned from our day trip... not sure what was in her yesterday!!So - as all of this was happening with Gabi - about 200 Spinner Dolphins were circling and playing around the boat!!! I managed to get some shots of them and enjoy the awe of these wild creatures...
Here are a few shots (since I have time now and since it's actually uploading fast than 1/5-10min!!! :)
Samuel my Snorkeler with Momma's gear on
on the boat the crew was amazing a Marine Life talk and this Keikei (kids' in Hawaiian) talk about the dolphins and whales... and more:
Matt, Sam and Gabi 'surfing' the wind:
Jason and I snorkelling at Molokini:
isn't this a cool pic?! Meine Bruder, Matt:
an afternoon Siesta for Mom and Dad:
GREAT day besides the hiccup of poor Gabi and poor Jason missing out on half of the excursion... Aloha!
