Intern Retreat '08: Keanae Peninsula

It started and ended with a very windy (as in hairpin turns, not gusts of wind) drive in a 15-passenger van (plus a van for cargo) with the Hope Chapel interns, Pastor Craig, Janna, Jason and Marla. We set out for an adventure to the east side of Maui where everywhere you go it looks like your living in a postcard. We stayed in what they call the Kepler Cabin on the Keanae Peninsula, just off the Road to Hana, and spent the weekend full of hiking, swimming, cave exploring, picture taking, game playing and eating lots of food, lots!

Just to give you a little taste of what went on as we skipped work on Friday and church on Sunday to pack in a few fun-filled things that are a must when you live in Maui:

- We stayed on Keanae Peninsula - In a little cabin all twelve of us stayed and the best part was all sharing one bathroom. haha. Okay, maybe not the best part! We just got to chill together, get to know each other, play cards, and rest. Then you could just step outside and have a great view of the ocean just a few steps away.

Kepler Cabin where we stayed.

Just outside the cabin.

The group in front of our 15-passenger van.

- Hiking through the Bamboo Forest - starting out easy, squeezing through the thick of the bamboo stalks, climbing over slippery rocks in a river bed and finally finding ourselves looking at a beautiful waterfall and swimming in the pool there. On the way back we even swung on vines just like Tarzan!

Before we got to the bamboo part of the Bamboo Forest hike.

Walking along the rocks. Actually, more like crawling when you actually get going, because it's so slippery!

Girls in front of the waterfall.

Swinging on a vine!

- Exploring Wainapanapa - Swimming in a pool where there are caves to explore, swimming and feeling our way through the cave in the pitch black, and emerging into the sunlight at the top. Then just taking in the beautiful view at Wainapanapa.

In the water by the Wainapanapa caves.

- Ohea Gulch - This is also known as the Seven Sacred Pools, but apparently that's only what tourists say so in order for me to be less touristy and more local-y I will go with Ohea Gulch or the Ohea Pools. It was gorgeous. We swam around and jumped off the rocks into the water.

Seven Pools

I'm jumping off into the water (upper left).

Me and Whit

- Bird Island Hike - At first we were a little complainy at the tall itchy grass we had to walk through , not knowing where we were really headed. I looked up to see if there were birds, there were not. A little while later you realize why you will walk through itchy grass to get to the destination. Pictures cannot capture the amazing view! We hung out, had a little worship time, and the boys jumped off the cliff.

You can't really tell but this is looking out over a cliff. It was so pretty!

From here you can see Kaenae Peninsula where we were staying. It's the peninsula right behind the rock in the pic.

Looking out over the cliff... this is where the boys jumped in!