To Roxy - Question about Maui Kayaks
 

I read your wonderful trip report and the section on Maui Kayaks really caught my attention. My husband and I have never kayaked before but we're in pretty good shape. So, my question is, do you think we could handle the trip even without prior kayak experience?

Thank you!

Whoa, my name in lights!

Yes, I believe you could handle the trip. Everyone else on our trip had little to no prior experience and did pretty well. I say "pretty well" for the people who managed to flip their kayaks over, and the ones who had trouble steering and keeping up with the group, but really, they seemed inept. Our prior experience was on the ridiculously placid waters of the Keys, but we kept up with the instructor the whole time and even got complements. But we work well together for some reason. The cool thing about Maui Kayaks is he only takes 8 people max (and no little kids), so you get all the help you need. It will get a little choppy out there, but once you get into the groove of paddling (listen to exactly what he says about how to paddle and hold your body, it helps a lot) and steering (one will paddle, one will steer when necessary), and RELAX, you'll be sailing. Our favorite part is when the little waves pick you up and you surf them til they break!

Do make sure you bring a towel and a sweatshirt because going in and out of the water you may get cold as we all did. He gives each person a great big dry bag that attaches to the kayak for your stuff. And keep putting on the sunscreen, A LOT...if you take the La Perouse trip you'll be on the open ocean for six hours. Despite reapplying we got burned. There's a good lunch too, so you don't have to worry about that. Bring water though, if you get as thirsty as I do, he seemed to only have little bottles.

It's a long trip, and we were all exhausted at the end, but it's totally exhilirating and totally worth it--we'd go back in a heartbeat. Have fun!

love
roxy

Hey Roxy, LTNS!
Maybe I'll have to have you show us around Maui?
We've only been to the airport (flew ATA one year) but one day when we're finally bored with Kauai, we'll have to take on Maui. ;)
Mucho Mahalos,
Kal
112 mo' days! ((Y))

OMG, OK, what is LTNS?

We tore it UP on Maui, and the ocean didn't even spit me out. Eventually we will get to Kauai, but right now I wanna go to Tahiti, a trip which may be intercepted by the fact that my sister's in Italy for a year. OMG, what problems.

I want lagoons though, bad.

love
roxy

Practical question: how did you get to and from the kayaking? If you drove and parked, how did you get back to your car since the trip is one-way?
Cheers.
Janet

Multimom,

You park in one place, he drives you over to where you put into the bay, then you end the kayak trip back by your car (you park right along the water). Not a problem, although we made our reservations so early that by the time our day came, he had changed the procedure, so we're standing in the wrong place scratching our heads, until the group finally showed up (we parked where they were driven to)...we almost got in a kayak with another tour group, there's several over there! It's a fantastic trip, have fun!

love
roxy

Thanks for the quick response!! Did everyone on your trip come as a twosome or can lone adults register and get paired up?
Cheers.
Janet

Everyone on our trip was in pairs, but just give them a call, I'm sure they'll arrange something, or maybe just bring a solo kayak for you? They're nice guys, just give them a call!

love
roxy

Hey rox,
LTNS=long time no see.

Would a bad joke about these small boats be called "Kayucks"? #-O

Kalyuck

Hello!
I just returned from Maui and what an awesome time we had! We did kayak at La Perouse with Maui Kayaks! My wife and I are novice paddlers yet we run and work out regularly so this paddling experience was fun!
Lots of dolphins including baby dolphions. Our guide, Richard, truly respects the sea life and with his instructions, the dolphins came right up to us! We were the ONLY kayak group swimming with dolphins. The snorkeling at the Aquarium was the best! Rich served a filling lunch and made us laugh throughout our entire trip.
We did encounter some high winds before we got to the turtles and Rich gave us (and our group) the best instructions to get thru these conditions and his advice really helped!
We thought this was the end of our trip and realized that we had one more stop, a place where there were turtles.
I cannot tell you what an awesome time we had with this company! They say they like to take out small groups and since we got the owner of the company as our guide, he only took out 4 in his group.
When we finished, we were greeted by a local Hawaiian girl that had lots of Aloha Spirit. My wife and I did not want to leave. We almost asked them to join us for lunch. But they had lots to do after the trip.
Maui Kayaks really made our trip enjoyable. Too bad we had to leave the next day, otherwise we would have taken another kayak trip with them!