Aloha
June 21, 2024
6/18/24 – scuba day 3
Today we hit the ocean for our first real scuba dive! We went down about 40 ft down off the Kailua pier. We practiced various safety procedures and skills today. We saw lots of fish from the cast of Nemo! Harper and Sophia rocked the skill of taking off their mask underwater and putting it back together as partners! Sofia and Winston were cool as cucumbers under the water- it was very impressive! After a long day of diving, we ventured to Safeway where the kids were divided into teams of 4 and gathered groceries to have a cookoff. When we arrived back at camp, Lily discovered a mongoose that had stolen our shrimp, so she, Mia, and Clare went on an adventure to find some more fresh catch. Dylan was head chef tonight with his group making candied bacon pecan as well George cooking up some delicious Cajun shrimp and grits. Little rain fell over the camp but the evening ended with a glorious sunset!
6/19/24 – scuba day 4 / certification day; manta ray snorkel
Our final early morning to Jacks diving locker was fueled by chocolate rice cakes and a few pop tarts, topped off with 2010’s hits to stimulate our lungs for the dives – voices of angels there in the van. Carlos and Shannon were awaiting us eager to get the boat day going, so we prepped the gear and hit the teal seas with salty wind and Hilo sun beaming our skin. The first spot, Garden Eel cove, set the scene for navigation skills, to which George and Winston guided our split groups via compass. Meanwhile on the boat, Lily and Dylan were enjoying some “boat juice” (sweet tea/lemonade) with Alex, permits secured and sinuses getting the best of them – equalizing their ears wasn’t on the agenda. Nonetheless they had a spectacular view and interesting conversations with the other boat-goers. Dive spot #2, Golden Arches, gave our group more free roam and officially certified them! Swimming through the arches and spotting the marine creatures were highlights for a summer for sure. Harper, Sofia, and Sophia ascended with massive assurance and pride. They mentioned how accomplished they felt and Clare did a great job hyping them up too. Back at shore, around mid afternoon, the Moondancers filled out their final dive logs and said farewell to the boat for a few hours. We’d be back in our wetsuits to see some other fish later… but in between then it would happen to be taco o’clock. Back at Coconut Grove, the area by Jacks that we liked, the final souvenirs were picked out and the tacos were demolished. Post-frolic, back at the harbor we found ourselves, but this time to view the magnificent manta rays! Mannn they came so close! Horizontally floating, we held onto a surfboard with blue lights underneath it, attracting zoo plankton for the mantas to munch. And of course the sunset looked amazing just as we got into the water. A few times the glistening plankton underneath the board became so dense that it was hard to see each other! But holllyyy WOAH those sea pancakes were flipping just INCHES from our mesmerized bodies. Riley had captured some great footage that we’re all excited to see soon. Like the spinner dolphins from the sea kayaking, these mantas put on a show. We just keep getting lucky!
6/20/24 – departure day
We started off our final day in Hawaii just as we began our first. Firing up the Coleman grill for M&M pancakes and scrambled eggs. Lily surprised the group with a giant white pineapple she found at the local grocery store with Mia and Clare and Winston sliced it up so everyone could get a taste. After a nice and relaxing breakfast, we packed up our bags and put away our tents. Then we said our final goodbyes to Ho’okena before hopping into our beloved van. On the way into town, we stopped at Lex Brodies car wash where Winston and Harper immediately took the lead in helping to vacuum away all the sand in our van. After all the packing and cleaning, we were starting to get hungry for our final banquet meal, but the leaders had one more surprise stop before sitting down for lunch: the thrift store! Our group searched the racks and picked out the silliest outfits they could find. Dylan styled together a retro surfer fit while George wowed the crowd with an unpredictable black and red ensemble. Sophia rocked a side ponytail and a rainbow tulle dress, Riley continued to channel her inner surfer girl with a Billabong top, and Sofia strutted around the store in fishnet heels. By the time we left Goodwill and arrived at our ocean side lunch spot, we looked like the cast of Teen Beach Movie. Banquet was a blast with the sea side breeze keeping us cool as we devoured an assortment of appetizers, fresh fish entrees, and comfort foods. To close out our final meal, we opened up the nug jug one last time and went around the table sharing our favorite memories from the past two weeks. Before we knew it, it was time to head to the airport, where the best surprise of all was in store. After weeks of the leaders surprising the students, the roles were reversed when the group brought out 3 signed surfboards for Mia, Alex, and Clare. The unbelievably thoughtful gift truly brought tears to our eyes as we all said our goodbyes before we couldn’t wait any longer to go head to our respective gates.
To the parents: Mahalo for sending your child over to the Hawaiian islands this summer. It was nothing short of an honor + privilege to cherish every waking moment with the special people they came in as, and the special people they left as this evening. As first year leaders, we couldn’t have fathomed a better group to break us in. A week on Kauai and a week on the big island of Hawaii would likely inspire anyone who had embarked on that adventure, though through our laughs, adversity, passion, kindness, creativity and respect, all 11 of us made memories of a lifetime, without any iPhones to capture them, just our eyes. Our hearts beat for y’all! Enjoy the rest of the summer and catch ya later!
Keepin' it cool in Kona!
June 18, 2024
Kauai to the Big Island was as smooth as a sip of Hawaiian coffee – two quick flights, changing planes in Honolulu, and we began our afternoon in Kona like we had awoke there. Friendship bracelets weaved themselves with shared stories amid boarding flight #1. 25ish minutes later, there we were in “honaluuuluuu,” walking straight to our next gate to casually board our departure to Kona. Once arrived at the mostly outdoor airport, Alex and Clare picked up the van and trailer while Mia rallied the troops to the baggage claim. Our first destination on the big island was lunch, so without a bundle of groceries in our possession, Shaka 🤙🏼 Taco was our spot. Riley, a LOD of the day, helped us leaders out a ton in the grocery store following our taco/shopping spree. We acquired our shrimp stir fry ingredients for the evening with ease. Then finally at the new campsite, Ho’okena, we settled in and all watched a wonderful sunset together! An orange atmosphere relaxed us all, along with Sophia’s positive attitude. Stir fry ensued, delicious as ever, and Lily and Sofia made our jobs easier with assisting the aftermath – we love our clean crew helpers! Couldn’t have asked for an easier travel day!
Our first chill morning since day 1 was a delight. Our LOD’s, George and Sophia, notably excelled in all of today’s culinary efforts. Knife skills, presentation, and complimentary flavor skills flourished. The journey to HeartBeet Kitchen was split up by a scorching beach visit at Hāpuna, where Sofia, Harper, and Riley plunged in with no hesitation. Onward and over to HeartBeet, we were greeted by the owners dog, Tiger, and an automatic gate gave way to a path to on ocean-viewed orchard of tropical tastes like no other. Winston and Dylan couldn’t get enough Lychee, the candy flavored fruit with a texture like no other. Kristina, Jessica, and Krystal, today’s facilitators at the farm, gave such interesting information about the island, followed by an excellent job leading our class! Full bellies and big smiles distracted us all on the long ride back to camp.
Another early morning had our students up and at it with Carlos and Shannon, our instructors at Jacks Diving Locker in Kona! We all gathered in the back room of the shop, where Eli Manning and Jerry Garcia attained their certifications, assessing our knowledge from the Elearning. Huge huge huge shoutout to Sofia and Winston for getting perfect scores on the quiz! A gear lesson was the second order of business: situating air tanks onto our BCD’s, attaching them with adequate air pressure and running down safety measures. Our un-certified leader, Clare, took to the pool with Sophia, Harper, and Riley, hanging with them three in snorkel mode. Shannon said that Harper was a natural, Riley had impressive confidence, and Sophia had persistence and patience well beyond her years – they all ended pool session #1 with smiles and cheers! Also Carlos was quite generous to gift us a white pineapple during lunch. These take a longer time to grow and are known for their smooth texture, an expensive treat we were fortunate to receive. After wrapping up our underwater skills, picking up a few pizzas, and a little gelato while we were at it, the group ascended to the Mauna Kea sunset spot! The cold winds blew us away back to Ho’okena for an easy snooze.
Day 2 at Jacks was spent entirely in the pool – on the floor to be specific! Our two groups honed their skills and worked on new ones. Hand signals, clearing a mask, retrieving the breathing piece, and buddy system protocol to name a few. Mia and Alex came to lunch with our favorite snacks, fruit gummies, carrots and Hawaiian bbq chips, along with the provided lunch. From the pool, we took to the Green Sands beach on the south side of the big island. Riley sang her heart out to Clare’s impeccable music selection on the way there! Right around the southernmost point in the USA, our students took in the jagged rock formations and took great, cute pics on the beach. On the way back to camp, we picked up green tortillas for a memorable dinner. Our LOD’s, Sophia and Dylan, prepared our chicken, peppers, rice and beans, while Winston properly opened our avocados. George ripped jokes about his Scottish lunch lady back home and Sofia hyped us up with news of the Celtics NBA title. Also Harper ripped reunion concert ideas with the group while cheese queen Lily enjoyed the meal as expected. Our Moonup exceeded expectations with amazing questions and responses from the group. It’s safe to say that we’ll all wholeheartedly miss each other in just a few days.
THANK YOUS
Lily: Thank you so much mom and dad for this trip. I have done so many cool things and adventures that I will never forget. We just started scuba and it is already incredible! I love you guys so much and will see you soon ☀️💕
Harper: Hi mama and dad! Thank you for sending me on this trip it’s been absolutely amazing. Scuba has been insane and I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I get home, see you soon, love you!!!
Riley: Heyyy mom!!! Thank you doesn’t begin to cover the amount of gratitude I have for you and daddy for sending me on this trip!!! It has been the most amazing time and learning how to dive underwater has been unreal!! I can’t wait to tell you all out all of my adventures so soon!! Love you 💗
Winston: Thank u for letting me go on this trip! We are about to go scuba diving so I’ll remember dad’s advice and not let my lungs explode. If I mess it up, it’s been real y’all. Love y’all and see u soon
Dylan: Hi fam, thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip. It has been such a great experience and I am so fortunate. We finished our two days of scuba training in the pool and our whole group is doing great! We are on the way right now to dive in the ocean which I am so excited for. Hope everything is going great at home, I love and miss y’all very much! See you soon
George: hello family, I miss all of you so much and I cannot wait to see you. I am so grateful for this opportunity to come on this trip. We are about to scuba and I am so hype. Love y’all 🫶🏼🫶🏼🦧😊☺️☺️😊😊😊☺️☺️☺️☺️
Sofia: hi mom and dad! I miss you both so much. Thank you guys so much for letting me go on this trip. This trip has been the most amazing experience and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it. Scuba has been a crazy and amazing experience. Love you guys!!!!
Sophia: Hi mom and dad! I miss you guys so much, thank you for letting me go on this amazing trip. I’m excited to tell you all about it, and tell Liam I said happy birthday! So far on the big island we have done a cooking class, went to a green sand beach, and have done scuba!!!! Love you so much and see you soon!!!!
Update from Kauai!
June 15, 2024
Alex and Mia set up a shop of tents at the Oceanside campsite while Clare went to the airport to meet the kiddos. Sophia was the first to start us off and Clare greeted her with a big Aloha dressed in all green. Winston was second to meet us fresh off the plane. Harper and Lily came shortly after, followed by pals George and Dylan. Lastly, Sofia and Riley joined us and our group was complete! We grabbed all the bags, played some tunes in the van, and ventured from the airport to the campsite where we started the trip off with pizza on the beach! A dog appeared out of nowhere and quickly became our friend named Maxine – thanks to Winston! Followed by unpacking and debriefing the trip ahead. We have a fantastic group on our hands and cannot wait for what lies in store.
Today we got to sleep in on island time and catch up on sleep from jet lag. Our leaders of the day (aka LODs) were our lovely Moondance veterans Harper and Dylan! Lily, Riley, and Sophia all woke up before sunrise and got to watch from the beach! We spent the morning bonding in the ocean with some boogie boarding. George tore up the waves. We drove to a lighthouse lookout and then stopped at a not-so-secret beach where we shared stories from home! After the warm weather and sun, we hopped back in our van, which the group named Hector, and went zip lining. We did 3 zip lines at Outfitters Kauai, which has the longest zip line in Kauai which is nearly a mile long. Shoutout to Harper, Riley, Winston, George, and Dylan for going upside down on the pendulum zip line. Sofia was speeding down the last one with no fear in sight. The zip lines overlooked scenes from the movies Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones! The views were absolutely stunning. There was even a zip line into a lagoon which everyone did! Proud of all our campers for being so brave today. When we arrived back at camp the boys were the chefs of the night and cooked up some delicious burritos for us all. Over dinner, we listened to music and played the game rose, bud, thorn. After dinner Dylan, Riley, and Lily decided to sleep in their enos for the night! We love seeing the group dynamic come together!
Today was a long but rewarding day! Our leaders of the day were Winston and Lily. We woke up at sunrise and drove to Na Pali coast for our sea kayaking day. Big kudos to Lily for supplying the group with colored zinc. Sofia and Harper painted a cat on Clare’s face with zinc. We were warmly greeted by the Outfitters and Hawaiian Brian was a standout with his knowledge and fun facts about the island and the coast! Did you know that the Na Pali coast goes through 5 valleys and the rocks are 6 million years old? The journey through the ocean was 10 miles and our kids powered through like champs! We saw a school of dolphins- there were around 200 dolphins. The kids were astounded by how up close they could get to the beautiful creatures. We also went snorkeling where Sophia, Riley, and Sofia got to see a turtle super up close. Riley did a tremendous job sitting in the back of the kayak and powering through the day! Shoutout to Dylan and Sophia for rocking it on the long journey across the Na Pali coastline leading the way back to shore.
Not much can beat a surfing day in Hanalei. Our natural shredders for the morning were Riley and Dylan! While half our group took on the world-renowned bay, the other would catch up on sleep in the shade. Our guides were the most Hawaiian dudes ever – so fun to hang with them. As the sun rose high after the waves were torn up, our squad took to the charming town of Hanalei. Sofia, Riley, Harper, and Sophia quickly found themselves slurping a coffee float (ice cream!) while Winston, Dylan, and George fancied themselves some local poke bowls. That top-tier tuna didn’t stand a chance… neither did that coffee that ended up in conversation for days to come. We took off for a quick hike, full bellies, and high spirits galore. Immersing ourselves into the jungle, onward to the Ho’opi’i Falls, was a mind-boggling natural experience in itself – different from the terrain of the island’s west side. Sprawling trees and greenery coated the landscape all the way down to the falls. The freshwater pond where the falls fell proved to be yet another great swimming spot. All the gals got in first! Endemic flora ~glistened~ around our secluded spot as the sun caught us at just the right time. When the time caught up with us, we trotted back to the van for our cruise to quesadilla night. George and Riley, our LODs, spearheaded the operation. Our Moonup after dinner and cleanup was spectacularly profound – our group bonded to a special measure at such an early point in the trip.
If you like six million-year-old stunning oceanside cliffs, covered in molten rock and a shade of green that almost glows like a traffic light, then the Nu’alolo trail is one to see (Or you can watch Jurassic Park). This day was one for the history books. After viewing these cliffs from the kayak, our moon dancers hiked around 7.5 miles, round trip, to come upon a portrait not many have had the fortunate opportunity to experience. Our day started with an hour-and-a-half drive across to the remote end of the island, when our group faded in and out of sleep, unaware of just what they were going to fathom. George and Alex flung the frisbee around the trailhead, while simultaneously hyping up our group as Mia and Clare retrieved our guides – two kind, supportive, and highly knowledgeable women named Sarah and Hannah. They handed back strawberry guava and ginger they found on the trail for us to enjoy, and of course, Winston was appreciative of the flavors. Sofia and Riley were coming off sports seasons, dominating the trail from start to finish – every steep switchback came with encouragement for the group. This day update wouldn’t have done any justice if we didn’t mention the surprise appearance of Clay Covington! A photographer for Moondance, seen on Instagram as #catchclayClay joined our hike and took epic shots for us (and on the next day). Our way there was mostly downhill, so we zoomed into the first clearing of our dreamy view. Looking ahead, one could see the trail loop around to the big cliff, catching memorable views of their friends ahead on the trail. When we got to THE spot, the most beautiful lunch spot of all time, Dylan loathed up his turkey sandwich with an inspiring amount of siracha, prompting the group the follow suit. For the next 30 minutes, our eyes ate up the scenery too, and Sophia took out her camera to capture the moment.
Today we headed back to Hanalei for another amazing morning of surfing! Sophia and Harper caught the first wave of the day, riding into shore to greet Clay with a Shaka. George and Sofia were right behind, jumping on the next wave and quickly paddling back out to catch more. Mia, Clare, Lily, and Winston enjoyed sunbathing on their surfboards in between party waves, while Dylan and Riley raced to see who could paddle back and catch the next wave first. Our surfing instructors, Kohl and Shawn, said they were naturals!
After our morning on the beach and in the water, we headed back into Hanalei for refreshing açaí bowls and to check out the fish market our outfitters recommended. The freshly caught poke was out of this world! Once everyone was cooled off and recharged, we headed to Tunnel Beach. Riley, our Bethany Hamilton super-fan, retold her story and shared some facts with the crew as we swam in the surf at the famous beach on the North Shore.
Later that afternoon we headed back to Kumu to clean up camp ahead of our departure to the next island! Big shoutout to our leaders of the day Dylan and Lily for helping rally the troops. Riley and Lily did an amazing job redecorating the van to welcome the next group of Moondancers to Kauai. Our chefs, George and Dylan, helped us clear out our leftovers by making patty melts while Harper and Sofia shared half of a giant watermelon. After our appetizers and showers, the group gathered back at our camp kitchen for some delicious Alfredo pasta, which was excellently prepared for us all by Sophia and Winston. Following dinner, we gathered around for some long-awaited s’mores. Needless to say, this group has mastered cooking on the Coleman!
Once dinner and dessert were done, we circled together for our last moon up at Kumu Camp. Kauai will certainly be missed, but we can’t wait for the next adventure on the Big Island!
Dylan: What’s up fam! I miss y’all all very much. The trip has been absolutely incredible. It feels like I am on a vacation in tropical paradise. Our group and leaders are also amazing and we have all gotten so close. So far we have done zip lining, which we got to do a 3/4 mile long zipline and it was insane. Then we sea kayaked down the Napli coastline which was so beautiful and we got to see a group of 300 dolphins which the instructors said they hadn’t seen in years! After that I learned how to surf which is so much fun and I picked it up pretty well. Lastly, we did a 8 mile hike and got to see an amazing view and got loads of pictures that I know y’all will love. I hope everything is going well at home, tell Hayden and chinny I miss them. Also, let Anna know that I have been thinking of her and miss her so much! I really can’t thank y’all any more for this opportunity. I sent out a post card today that is on the way with more detail! Can’t wait to see y’all!
Sofia: Hi mom, dad, alex, layla, and Ava. I miss and love you guys so much. This trip has been so fun so far, and I got so lucky with my leaders and people on my trip. I am having an amazing time. The trip has been going by so fast already. We kayaked the Na Pali coastline which was so beautiful, went surfing two days, and did an amazing hike. All of the views have been so beautiful. We leave to go to the big island tomorrow where we will spend most of our time scuba diving. I hope things are good at home and that Ava made it home safely. I am so excited to see you guys shortly. Love and miss you guys so much and I am so excited to see you guys. Love youuu!
George: Hello family, this trip has been absolutely incredible so far. First we went ziplining. The views were insane. There was a 4000 foot one that you laid on your stomach for. I got good videos on the camera. After that we went sea kayaking. That was crazy, there was over 300 dolphins swimming literally right next to our kayaks. After kayaking we did a 10 mile hike. Also got insane pictures from that. The beaches here are insane the water is crystal clear and so blue. I miss all of you so much and I also miss going to the gym with Connor and Winston. I cannot wait to see y’all again and love and miss y’all so much I am extremely grateful for this trip.
Lily: Hi mom, dad, and Chachi!!! I love and miss y’all so much!! I’m having so much fun, my group is great. I’ve definitely stepped out of my comfort zone, I did an 8 mile hike and 10 mile kayaking. I hope you guys are doing great and I can’t wait to see you guys. This trip has been truly amazing and I’m so grateful you guys sent me. I’ve also seen some super cool kitesurfing in Kauai you guys should come try sometime. Sending all my love, Lily ❣️❣️
Harper: Hi Mama and Dad! I miss you guys a lot! I found my happy place early just like you told me. I’m having the best time, I got very very lucky with my people and especially my leaders, they want to come visit when they are back in Nashville at the end of the summer. We been doing the COOLEST stuff and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. I love you two very much and I hope Lovie is having a good time on her trip too. Thanks for the journaling training mama and again, I love y’all and happy Father’s Day daddy! Bye bye see y’all soon!
Sophia: Hi Mom, Dad, Molly, and Liam! I miss you all, so much and am so excited to see you all again. I am having so much fun and all the people and leaders are so nice. We have done so many cool things and I am so excited to tell you all about it when I get home! Highlights were definitely kayaking (10 miles!!!!) with the dolphins, surfing for the first time, and the amazing views! Tell Liam I said happy 12th birthday! Love you all soooo much and see you soon!!!
Riley: Hey mom and dad, WOW… This place is absolutely beautiful and the group dynamic is so so good! Everyday just keeps getting better and is filled with lots of laughter and excitement, and on top of that I have never seen scenery as breath taking as the views here!!! I have truly never been happier and I can’t wait to share all of my exciting stories with you!! Everyone discovered my obsession with Bethany Hamilton lol and we swam at the beach where she lost her arm today and the water was crystal clear. Another highlight that I know you would’ve loved was being surrounded by hundreds of dolphins while sea kayaking in Gatorade blue water!! Tell everyone that I love and miss them and I can’t wait to hear about molz and Noah… tell her that I know she is going to have the best time and thank Jamie and daddy d for me! OMG and I can’t wait to tell you about my surfing adventures:) A million thank you’s for giving me this opportunity mom!!! Tell dad (Brandon) that I am thinking of him and sending the biggest hug his way. LOVE YOU!
Winston: Mom, Dad, Bennett – I am having lots of fun in Hawaii. I am missing football and yall a lot. I’m very excited to get back to work in Cashiers. Hawaii is pretty cool too. For the finer details of what we’ve done, you can most definitely read other people’s updates. A postcard should be coming for yall. I’m doing great. I’m the only Florida person on the trip but I’m still having loads of fun. I miss all of y’all tons.Winston
Safe Arrival in Hawaii!
June 9, 2024
Hello Hawaiian Island Families!
We heard from our leaders last night that the group has landed safely in Hawaii and is headed to their first campsite! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next two weeks! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
