Na Pali Coast tour
 

Okay, I am really confused. We leave for Kauai in 2 weeks and would like to do a tour. I have read that they are closed down over winter, I have read that they do operate! What is the scoop. Plus, some posts state how rough the trip is and have me scared to take my 7 and 11 year old sons out. Help!! I have e-mailed holoholo with questions, but no replies.

What are you talking about? A helicopter trip?

Sorry guys, I meant a boat tour.

My wife and I took the holoholo trip in September 2002 and loved it. The downside was the check-in procedure in the store/office, clerk was indifferent but boat personnel were great, it was a good trip on the water, very photogenic.
For travel at this time of year seas can be rough, just look at the weather reports. I'd wait until you're there and then decide. I believe your options will all be out of south side harbors like Port Allen.

Why don't you give them a phone call tomorrow and ask about the weather and cancellation policies? I looked at their web site and it looks like they have a couple of boats and only use the bigger, more stable one in the winter. That said, the Pacific can be rough for any boat. It would seem prudent to only go if the seas are smooth. Being seasick is NO fun.

Was in Kauai this time a year ago and they weren't running anything....seas were too rough!

I don't believe it's a hard and fast rule that the boat operators close during winter. I would think as conditions permit, they go out.

As recommended earlier, check with the individual operators themselves as to what they're doing.

We have done the trip from Port Allen in February and conditions were OK around Port Allen but were rough near the Napali coast. We saw one humpback breach within 100 yards of the boat.
We took dramamine on the boat and were OK, though it was hard to walk around the rocking boat and a few people got seasick. :&

Last year we attempted a tour out of Hanalei because it is closer to the scenic Napali coast and since we did not see much in the way of whales from Port Allen on our last attempt. We used Napali catamaran from Hanalei and due to ((R))weather((R)) they rescheduled us a couple days later to a ((#))calm day but still my wife had difficulty making the transfer from the outrigger canoe that they use to ferry you to the Power catamaran so we passed on the Napali coast tour from Hanalei and they kindly refunded our deposit.

Suggest you try to reserve your boat trip as early in your visit as possible because they frequently reschedule it and will not go out in very rough conditions. As others have aptly pointed out, you can also do a helicopter tour if you are OK with the risk. The best whalewatching experience for us on Kauai was watching from our lanai while staying at an ocean-front condo in the Princeville resort area, where we witnessed and recorded via zoom lens camcorder a "breach-fest" involving a few whales and lasting several minutes. :S-

If you can do a Zodiac tour (hard bottom rubber raft type boat) that's the preferred way to see the coast if you're up for an adventure.

I'm with pspercy...once you get over the check in people who are very very indifferent.....the crew with Holoholo are exceptional!
I booked before we went, but had to change once we got there and it was not a problem, so you should be ok booking when you get there and have had a chance to check different ones.
If the seas are cooperartive, by all means do a NaPali Coast boat tour. We also had several people who got sick on our tour, but we were ok.
Lucky you.....Kauai.....I'm so jealous! Have fun.

As stated, boats will not make the trip unless weather conditions permit (right now, we're experiencing intermittent monster surf along Na Pali -- typical winter weather).

Some boat companies issue refunds; some offer a "rain check" ticket (to be used at a later date of your choosing). Be sure to ask _before_ you book your tour. :-)

Years ago I took the Zodiac tour. It was great and I am hardly the outsy-doorsy type. I was there in early April and it was touch and go whether we could go out or not. The water was choppy , but no one got seasick.

Thanks for all the advice, I am not as worried about myself, you have to remember if I go, a 7 year old and 11 year old have to go as well, it is them I am concerned about. However, I don't want to miss the scenery. Would you recommend just doing a helicopter tour instead?

We did a helicopter tour with our 5 and 9 year old and they enjoyed it. I thought they might be very scared but the 9 year old even took a snooze until I tapped her!

The heli tour may be your only choice if ocean conditions are rough, see ultimate Kauai Guidebook for companies:
http://www.wizardpub.com/kauai/kauai.html

If you research this site, you will find that a couple helicopters have gone down (one on Kauai) not so long ago, nonetheless my wife and I survived our heli-tours of Maui and Kauai, and both were highly memorable.