If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, you likely think of things like drinks with umbrellas, ocean walks and catching a sunset over dinner more than you think of nature walks. The place is so diverse, you can actually do both, all in the same day. After an afternoon hike on the Big Island of Hawaii and a gorgeous drive along the coast, I swept into coastal town Kawaihae, where Ocean Sports offers a number of boat trips, including a Champagne Sunset Sail.
They take you out on a Catamaran where you sail along the coast for a few hours in the late afternoon until the sun sets. You can hang out on the front of the boat sipping a Mai Tai or hang out in the back with the Captain, and take the helm under his guidance. In my case, Chris was Le Captain of the Day, who is originally from the midwest, but has been living in Hawaii for a couple of decades, preferring the Big Island over Maui which is where he first landed a job.
The cool thing is that you don’t have to think about a thing and unlike the mainland, they don’t fret over every step on the boat, but allow you to walk freely, relaxing on the deck if that’s your thing. Booze and food is on the house and unlimited so if the sunset isn’t your thing, but cruising up and down the coast over cocktails is, it’s open bar.
The refer to it as a feast on a Paniolo (that’s Hawaiian for “cowboy”) Barbeque Buffet, which includes including BBQ ribs, fried chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, two salads, rolls and dessert prepared by an award winning local chef.
Toast the elusive Green Flash with Champagne at sunset if you so desire, or stick with your Mai Tai, beer, dark rum, wine, pineapple juice or soda. I was lucky that I happened to be on a cruise that was light, meaning it was only a quarter full, so there was plenty of room to roam about freely and not interfere with someone else’s magic moment. That said, like most things you do in Hawaii, it’s pretty laid back and you make friends quickly, which adds to the fun.
The Food…
The inside of the boat if you want to avoid the sun…
Although I would highly recommend that you spend time on the deck…
Of course, if you’d like to drive for awhile, Chris or whatever captain you end up with, will give you the wheel…
We were lucky, our Captain was kinda cute.
And, the sunset was stunning. Imagine having a job where you get to meet amazing people from around the world and take in a sunset with them every night? Not a bad gig.
Another WBTW Thumbs Up! Why wouldn’t you want to do this I guess is the question?
For more posts on Hawaii, go here.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
