Mahalo from Maui!
July 25, 2024
Welcome back to our Maui Adventure!!! During a trip full of fun activities and great times, we are so thankful for the opportunity to learn about and give back to this amazing place. Today is the day for that exact purpose!
Today’s LODs were the energetic Thomas B. and Gracie who let the group wake up to the steady crashing of waves and the sunlight through the trees. For breakfast we had pancakes and eggs while the LODs gave us a rundown of the day. They informed us that we’d be spending the day at Kipuka Olowalu, a local organization seeking to accelerate the connection between people, Maui culture, and the native environment. At Kipuka Olowalu, the project leader, U’a, greeted us accompanied by his super cute dog, Joi. U’a told us that he and Joi would be our guides for our day of stewardship and sharing of aloha. We began our day by asking the land for permission to work on it and enter it. U’a used his conch shell to summon the four directions of the wind and spread his aloha or “face of breath” to ensure we were welcome. After receiving the blessing, U’a led us to his endemic forest where he taught us about the importance of growing endemic plants to create forests that serve the land rather than take from it. Much of Maui today is overrun by invasive species that not only drive away the native species, but also disrupt the cycle of the local ecosystem. Rather than selling what they grow, everything at Kipuka Olowalu improves the Maui ecosystem. The trees provide homes for birds that nest near the mountain, the grasses improve soil content that keeps sediment from running off into the coral reefs, and using natural methods compared to pesticides improves natural water quality. Susu and Jack asked amazing questions and showed genuine interest in learning about their new home. After learning about Kipuka Olowualu’s mission, it was time to get our hands dirty. U’a took us to his willy willy tree farm to pull weeds. While we pulled weeds, U’a informed us that all the trees we aided would be planted in the yards of new homes built in Lahaina. Lahaina was one of the areas most affected by the fires, and Taylor and Graham were proud to hear that their hard work would be helping people in need. We left Kipuku Olowalu feeling a little more fulfilled in our hearts and our brains, and of course we didn’t leave without saying goodbye to sweet Joi.
Back at camp we were exhausted from our hard work, so we napped in our eno hammocks all afternoon. Of course the leaders weren’t going to let the kids slack off all afternoon though. We cooked up a plan while the kids rested and decided to go to Maui’s 10,000 foot peak Haleakla for the sunset. The kids piled into the van and tried to guess where we were going the entire way to the top. As we rose higher and higher the air got cooler and thinner, and we all had to put on our sweatshirts. The van inched its way up the mountain, and we finally broke through the line of clouds where we couldn’t even see out the window. We finally made it above the clouds and had a miraculous view of the sunset. The sky turned from red over the water all the way across the island into deep dark indigo behind us further up the mountain. In between we saw the spectrum of every color in the sky and pointed out everywhere across the island that we’d been to throughout our entire trip. The mile high perspective of the island made us all appreciate Maui more, and we loved spending a relaxing sunset together. We finished the night with Moonup on Haleakala before driving back to camp in the dark with all the kids asleep in the back. It was an amazing and fulfilling day that expanded our knowledge of Maui and created a deeper appreciation for everything it has to offer.
Good morning! After a good night’s rest, the group woke up in “Eno village” a couple feet from the beach and to the swaying palm trees above. With tired yet satisfied smiles, the group circled up at morning huddle to hear what we had on tap for the day. Following orders to grab a swimsuit and head to the van, everyone piled in to head back to Makena Landing for a relaxing morning on stand up paddle boarding. Our LOD’s Julia and Graham helped the group get the boards in the water and soon enough, the entire group was paddling through the crystal clear water with sea turtles to the right and left of Susu! Our guide Brandon gave the group a celebrity house tour while we made our way down the beach, pointing out houses owned by Tom Brady, Owen Wilson, and even Tiger Woods! Taylor showed the group the lay of the land, impressively pointing out a house that we sea-kayaked by a couple of days prior. While the girls traveled slow and steady, the boys showed a need for speed with Thomas and Walter racing through the water. Jack showed curiosity in the guide’s knowledge of the island and more specifically, his Hawaiian treasure hunt. Brandon shared his escapades of trying to uncover the contents described in an ancient Maui legend. He shared his stories of hiking through Iao Valley, one of the group’s favorite places they explored, and inspired student’s to dive deeper into the history of the places they visit. After a long morning that Jordan described as an arm workout, we got ready to re-energize the group for the much anticipated MAUI OLYMPICS!
Forget Paris, the 2024 Summer Olympics begin today! The Maui Olympics consist of all three groups going head to head in a series of fun field games, relay races, and in true Moondance fashion, the groups receive points for picking up trash as well. Well, Maui A certainly has a competitive spirit within them that the leaders hadn’t seen to its full extent until this point in the trip. Covering all of our bases, as John was sent to raid every white paint shelf in Walmart, Johnsie hit the white t-shirt aisle and swiped “uniforms” for the group. With our gear ready to go, we picked up some lunch at Costco and headed to a nearby oceanfront park to discuss strategies and paint up. After some gourmet Uncrustable sandwiches and wings, we began the “pre-game” warmup which consisted of cutting up shirts, hair braiding (thanks to Julia), painting our faces and bodies white, and a photoshoot. Walter went with an all-white look, with white hand prints covering him head to toe while Gracie opted for a six pack painted on to her stomach, both as intimidating as they sound. After our transformations were complete, we headed over to the town of Makawao to quickly explore the shops before kick off time.
In Makawao, we got plenty of funny looks and the group took them in stride and proudly explained to passerbyers what they were on a mission to do later in the day. Makawao is a small town famous for its cowboy culture and eccentric downtown vibe. Susu loved window shopping and even encouraged the group to pop into a couple of galleries to appreciate the local art scene. Our time in Makawao flew by and before we knew it, we were pulling into Maui Montessori School, prepared to dominate.
The Olympics began with an opening ceremony by our very own, Will, who led us through the National Anthem and outlining the rules and regulations. As every kid twitched in the bleachers eager to begin, we kicked things off with the fan favorite, “birdie on a perch”. This game gets the blood flowing and the laughs echoing. With three groups of our very own being in the top five, Thomas B and Graham made the white team proud after taking the cake in the final round’s “veggie off”. The success continued in the relay race where our crab crawl team of Graham and Gracie smoked everyone and the W was brought home by a landslide thanks to Walter’s track star speed. While we did not walk away victorious from the watermelon competition, we redeemed ourselves with a victory in the two hand touch football game, thanks to our outstanding QB Jack and his trusty wide receiver, Taylor. After hours of fun and games with a lot of chanting and celebrating, we enjoyed a cookout dinner of burgers and hot dogs with new friends from the other two groups, bonding over their shared love of Maui and Moondance. Dinner and a clean up session marked the end of the competition and the much anticipated winner announcement took place in the van. After a drum roll and formal speech from Will, Maui A was proudly declared the winners! Screams erupted from every row in the van and our ride home was full of high favs and shoutouts! When we got back to camp and finished moonup, we laid our heads on our pillows easily, fully soaking in the big win.
Rise and shine, it’s snorkel time! Starting off our last full day on Maui strong, we loaded up the van before the sun was out and got on our way! We drove along the coast while the sunrise illuminated the van windows. This kept the group in high spirits and ready to get in the water despite the early morning. As we arrived at the boat ramp, we were greeted by the Redline Rafting staff who gave us a quick safety briefing before we got comfy on the boat. Graham led the charge and secured a seat right at the front of the boat. Gracie and Julia picked the seats that “you may get wet” in while Jordan opted for the smoothest ride possible next to Sus and Johnsie toward the back. After a delicious breakfast of warm cinnamon rolls and fruit aboard the boat, we started at our first snorkel location, the world renowned Molokini Crater. Famous for its diverse sea life and amazing visibility, Thomas B was the first to jump in and put his flippers to work. Jack and John followed shortly after pointing out a sea of parrot fish along the way. Taylor and Walter impressed the boat staff with their free diving skills and touched the sand thirty feet below a couple of times! After leaving no stretch of coral left unexplored at the front of the crater, we rode around to check out the back of it as well. As luck would have it, the waves were big enough today for “the elevator” to be in full effect. Our guides introduced us to a spot in the crater where the wave energy crashing against the wall lifts and lowers you when you’re in the water near it. This phenomena had to immediately be tested by Thomas B and Jack, the first two to get a ride. Sure enough, the elevator sent everyone up and down screaming with excitement after every ride. Julia and Maddie were the elevator’s most frequent customers as they took close to ten rides. Moving on from the crater, we took a quick tour along the island and learned about the surrounding islands. While en route to our next destination, the group pointed out a large “pirate ship” to our captain. He was stunned and had never seen this ship on the water before, so naturally we had to go check it out. Upon closer inspection and a little research, we discovered this is an Italian naval ship that is on a voyage around the world! How cool! Cruising down a little further and jamming to Jordan’s favorite, Taylor Swift, we arrived at Turtle Town! Susu and Johnsie couldn’t get in the water quick enough after hearing there was guaranteed turtle sightings there. Living up to the name, the group spotted turtles from every direction! After spotting a baby turtle, Gracie pointed out that “you’d think they’d get old by now, but they never will”. To end our snorkeling experience, we had lunch on the water, provided by Redline.
Back on land, we headed toward camp for a chill early afternoon. Eno Village and The Island were in full effect. Taylor, Gracie, and Julia began their tan-swim-tan rotations while Graham and John tossed the football and Jack took a much needed nap. Some “R&R” did the group well and well rested for our busy evening and banquet night!
With some valuable insight from our LOD’s Jack and Susu, Maui A’s banquet plans were set in motion. We rallied the troops into the van for an evening full of surprises. The first of those being a stop at the local Goodwill to get a wardrobe upgrade before our dinner. Upon entering, the kids took off in every direction, Thomas B being drawn to the hat section and Jordan heading straight to the shoes. Once the group had a little makeover, some students like Julia and Jack chose to take things to the next level with new accents and alter egos. Jack made it clear to everyone that skinny jeans were not a typical fashion choice for him, but since this was a special occasion, he rocked them. This made the excursion all the more fun and we paraded back to the van ready for our “close ups”. After a parking lot photoshoot and being taught how to dougie by Thomas L and Thomas B, we rode in style to the next stop. Pulling into South Maui Gardens, we turned heads from all four corners of the food truck courtyard. Surprise! Our LOD’s thought it would be fun to go somewhere where everyone can get what sounds good to them! I see nothing but dust as a third of the group darts over toward the taco truck and the rest toward a Vietnamese truck. We reconvened at a picnic table to show off our orders and enjoy our food with a side of the unusual stares and a good laugh. No Moondance banquet dinner is complete without a sweet ending, so with that, our LOD’s led us in the direction of The Maui Sweet Shop to get our sugar fix. Walter encouraged everyone to get as many samples as possible while John started the milkshake trend. Giving our treats no chance to melt, we all quickly polished off our deserts and headed back to camp for our final moonup. During moonup, we shared different lessons this trip taught us as well as what we are going to miss the most. The leader’s hearts were warmed by the responses to these, especially due to the fact that the large majority of kids said that they would miss the other kids in the group the most. It really is the people that make the place and we can’t thank you enough for sharing your children with us this summer to help make Maui what it is.
On our last day in Maui, the kids assisted the leaders in many important end of session tasks such as camp clean-up, van washing, and arcade games before going to the airport. At the airport we said our sad goodbyes and laughed at all the amazing memories we made along the way. We are so proud of the growth that this group showed and their compassion for one another. Each and every one of the kids is so special and brought their own unique character to the group dynamic. The memories from this trip will live in the pictures we’ve taken and the stories we’ll tell, but what we’ll remember most are the relationships that we built along the way.
Here’s to Maui 3A, Mahalo!
Maddie, Thomas, and Will
More fun times in Maui!
July 21, 2024
Welcome back Maui 3A friends and family! It’s tough to believe that our trip is already halfway over, but we’re excited to report that the group has hit its stride and is having an amazing time. Day 6 began well after the sun rose and we enjoyed an enormous breakfast before today’s activity, rappelling at The Garden of Eden. LOD’s John and Julia cheffed up bacon, eggs, and pancake, which they executed breakfast excellently.
With the group fueled up, we drove the winding roads through beautiful forest canopies and spotted waterfalls and glimpses of the ocean from the van the entire way. At the Garden of Eden, we were welcomed by female peacocks and their chicks as well as our guides. Taylor and Gracie were fascinated by the peacock’s colors and tried to get them to show off their feathers. Once we’d soaked in the beautiful scenery, we geared up and mentally prepared for rappelling. On the docket today, we had three impressive waterfall rappels with the tallest one being over 60ft. However, to start the guides tested our form and guts on the practice rappel. Jack and John shook off their cold feet on this one while Walter flew down the rock face in under 5 seconds. Regardless of prior experience, everyone was ready to dominate the tougher waterfall rapells that followed. Jack and John were eager to prove themselves, so they volunteered to lead the boys down the second rappel. Without slipping or sliding, the two fought through a heavy onslaught of water and safely jumped into the fresh water pool below. At the surface there was a cool cave overlooking the pool that you could climb into. Graham, Jordan, and Thomas B. couldn’t get enough of the water and continued to climb up the cave and jump into the water while everyone else finished the rappel. With one more rappel to go everyone was in good spirits and confidence was at an all time high. Susu and Johnsie pointed out that now that we’d done the 60 ft waterfall rappel, the final rappel would be a piece of cake. Her wisdom proved to be correct. Everyone crushed the final rappel, and we were so fast that we got some extra time to enjoy the water all together. The boys, led by Graham and Thomas, climbed back up the waterfall and got some awesome GoPro footage of the water slamming down upon them while they braced themselves below. Rappelling was one of the best activities of the trip thanks to the kids’ bravery and the amazing help from our guides.
After our rappelling success, the LODs agreed that the group deserved a special treat, so we went and got ice cream! We stopped in the nearby town of Paia which is full of artisan shops and funky restaurants. With the budget for not just one for two flavors of ice cream, everyone debated their choices and sampled a minimum of three flavors before deciding. Taylor’s acai choice caught some envious eyes, and John’s strawberry and chocolate combo was a cover of an all time classic. Everyone enjoyed a relaxing afternoon of ice cream, shopping, and wandering around the small town, and Graham and Walter were even lucky enough to run into Moondance Maui legend Griff who was passing through.
Back at camp, we enjoyed a dinner of pasta with alfredo sauce brought to us by our awesome cook crew of Thomas, Walter, Jordan, Susu, and Gracie. We capped off the night with some chill hammock time before moonup led by our LODs. It was a busy but fulfilling day, and we can’t wait for the next!
Today is the day! Windsurfing day 1 has arrived! Windsurfing is always one of the most anticipated and feared activities for kids because of its unfamiliar nature. However, with the energetic attitudes that this group brings to every activity, their success was inevitable. We kicked off the day with an early wake up and quick bite to eat before heading to the beach. The LODs today were none other than the twin team of Walter and Jordan, who got everyone up and at’em bright and early. At the Beach park, we met with our esteemed outfitters who hold some impressive windsurfing resumes. One of our guides even told us that he’s trying to go to the Olympics for windsurfing which no one knew was even possible! With the assurance that we were in good hands we listened attentively to our guides as they gave the on-land lesson. Jack and Gracie crushed the quiz on each part of the windsurf board and had a passing understanding of which way was upwind and downwind. Our newly learned knowledge prepared us nicely when we finally got in the water because windsurfing is as tough as it sounds. Wipe out after wipe out, the entire group shook up the sand at the ocean floor and splashed around enough to scare away all the fish. However, no one gave up. Finally Jack and Thomas completed a successful run out to sea and executed some impressive jibe maneuvers to steer themselves back to shore. Johnsie and Susu were the next group to show off their skills where they not only caught some speed but also executed a tack to turn around. The guides were impressed with this groups’ grit to fight through some early struggles and really enjoy a challenging activity.
Today’s trials and tribulations were far from over though. Our next stop on today’s schedule was a State Park in the West Maui Mountains. While our campsite also sits at the base of this 2 million year old dormant volcanic structure, the landscapes could not be more different. Our campsite is on the leeward side so it receives much less wind and weather which makes it hot and dry. TheState Park meanwhile, is one the windward side and over the last couple million years, it has developed into a lush and flowing valley. Not only is the valley beautiful, but it’s also one of the major cultural hubs of native Maui peoples due to its agricultural value. Therefore, it’s also the home of one the most brutal battles in Maui history. Legends say that you can still hear the battle yells echo off the walls of the valley today.
While we didn’t hear any terrifying echoes on our visit, we certainly enjoyed the amazing views and our winding hike along the valley stream. At the end point of the hike when the trail went no further, John and Thomas plunged into the fresh water and continued up the stream, leading the group further down the water. The boys spent the entire afternoon jumping from rock to rock exploring the stream and following our little adventurers, John and Thomas. The girls enjoyed some exploring of their own and found that the cool fresh water was much more inviting than the saltwater had become accustomed to. All in all, the Valley was an amazing opportunity to learn more about Maui history and unlock the group’s adventurous spirit.
Back at camp, thanks to Taylor’s expert recommendation, the group upheld American tradition and had burgers and dogs for dinner. To round out the meal we added mac n cheese brought to you by Julia and Gracie with a side of watermelon brought to you by Jordan. For the burgers, we favored speed over size so we elected to do smash burgers on our mini blackstone. John and Susu loved smashing the burgers with a frying pan while Thomas B. cooked each burger to crispy perfection. Thanks to the kids’ urgency to get dinner started early and cleaned quickly, we had plenty of time tonight for games which included Capture the Mascot and Family. We concluded another great day with Moonup before bed and another night of sleeping in our hammocks!
Day 8! Even with the earliest wake up call the group has had thus far, they rolled up to the morning huddle elated and eager to see what the day had in store. With a bit of a van ride over to Makena, everyone passed around some fig bars and apples for breakfast, fueling us up to begin our jam packed day! Once we arrived at Makena Landing for sea kayaking, our LODs Johnsie and Jack got the group stretched and equipped with all of the proper sun protection gear. Susu was so excited about being able to see the sea floor from the surface and quickly alerted the group to check it out as well. Our outfitter, Griff, gave a super fun and interesting crash course on the history of Maui, the surrounding mountains, and how the ecosystems we were seeing below all intersect. After a mix of some splash battles led by Jordan and Will’s boat and some quiet time at sea, the “Moondance fleet” arrived at our snorkeling spot. Anchored down next to a beautiful cove in the water, we put our flippers and masks on as quickly as possible to be greeted by all sorts of exotic fish like Parrot Fish and Moorish Idol. Everyone took on their own goals when we hit the water; Taylor and Jordan practiced their free diving skills while Julia and Johnsie got some amazing GoPro footage. Thomas B even found a school of fish that even the guides couldn’t name. It’s safe to say that this group is “one with the water” and certainly takes advantage of all the time they’re given during each activity.
Once the group was back on the sand, we wasted no time and headed straight back to camp to get some lunch. Today’s spread was BYO sandwiches with some fresh fruit off the trees around the campsite. Moving along, we filed back into the van and rode over to Pono Grown Farm for an afternoon of volunteer work. As we pulled onto the property, we were greeted by the owner Evan who made us feel so at home immediately. After an introduction to Maui, the farm, and each other, we got straight to work. Today’s project was seeding tomato and cauliflower plants and getting them into the greenhouse. This work felt a whole lot like play since it was in such good company, this downtime in randomized groups allowed for students to get to know each other even better and Evan even made a comment to leaders about how special this group’s bond was. The student’s genuine interest in the tasks they were assigned was evident with hands flying up with burning questions about the farm itself and Maui’s ecological landscape. While Walter and Johnsie tag-teamed the tomato plants, John and Graham were covered head to toe with dirt from their job of shoveling soil for the new plants. Our group makes a great team and knocked this project out of the park. Once the hard work was over, Evan let everyone take a spin (or seven) on his homemade water slide! This was a much anticipated experience for all the kids and they were even more excited to see Beija, Evan’s son, show them how it was done. Graham fearlessly volunteered to go first and the others quickly followed suit with John and Thomas B forming a train while going down. The girls took a different approach and tested the head-first method which had them squealing all the way down with a photo op from Maddie waiting at the bottom of the slide with the camera. After numerous rides down, the boys went out with a bang and successfully made it all the way down connected in a chain. This was an amazing experience for students to become connected with the land they have been enjoying and give back to the community by helping to sustainably grow food for the community.
Next up on the Maui farm tour, a Community Farm! Keeping up the energy, everyone arrived at the farm ready to learn about regenerative agriculture and be led through an amazing cooking class from the owner, Winsome! As Winsome says, “you lose some, you Win-some” and our evening at the farm was full of nothing but wins! We were off to a great start after devouring a giant platter of fresh fruit and quickly moved into the farm tour portion of this activity. Jack and John proved themselves in the farming industry with their impressive machete skills in helping harvest bananas from the tree. Turns out, the group had many naturals like Susu and Taylor, as we moved through the tour and collected our dinner ingredients; papayas, finger limes, and taros. After returning to the kitchen area and assigning stations, the real fun began! With Jordan on watermelon duty, Gracie preparing fresh limeade, and Johnsie on papaya-slaw duty with Jack, we were moving and grooving! Our meal of venison or barbecue pork tacos, a farm fresh salad, dragon fruit, and banana ice cream was adventurous for many but well received all around. It is so much fun to watch the students be introduced to new foods and cultures throughout the trip and we hope we share all the cooking skills they’ve acquired with you all at home. After dinner, the group was still having a ball and buzzing from an energy-giving meal that we decided to take the fun to the next level, literally and figuratively with a photoshoot on the kitchen’s roof underneath an almost full moon!
You know what they say, it ain’t over til it’s over! To wrap up our perfect Maui day, our LODs decided to close out with a fire and some smores back at camp. We played a couple rounds of the game “Family” while enjoying our dessert (our second one, yes, but who’s counting). After a win for Gracie in the books, we had moonup around the fire and caught some Z’s under the stars.
Aloha! The group woke up ready to get back out on the windsurfing boards this morning after a delicious eggs and bacon breakfast led by our LODs Taylor and Jack. Thanks to Julia’s song requests everyone hopped out of the van with energy and motivation to master this skill. Jumping straight into it, Jack showed the group his talent by zipping way out past the rocks while Julia and Gracie hopped on the same board and shredded tandem style. John and Maddie didn’t have the same luck riding tandem, but certainly had a lot of laughs. Once again, the guides were so impressed with our group’s attitudes and willingness to keep trying even when the wind had other plans for us. Will perfected the 360° sail turn trick and spent the end of the session teaching Thomas B and Susu the ropes. The leaders are so proud of this group’s determination and we said goodbye to our amazing guides as we headed toward Kapalua for lunch.
We spent our afternoon in the beautiful area of Kapalua, famous for its beautiful coastline and golf course for any golf fans out there. Our hang out spot today was none other than our new favorite beach, Slaughterhouse. We spent the day relaxing in the secluded cove soaking up the sun and exploring the beachside caves. Time ran away from us and before we knew it, the sun was setting. The girls got some fun pictures during golden hour while the boys finished game 7 of their seven game spikeball series. We all indulged in our sweet tooths with some sherbert and cookies and cream ice cream. The entire evening felt as if it was out of a movie. We finished our day with moonup on the beach before using our local food stop. Everyone chowed down on fall off the bone ribs soaked in bbq sauce accompanied by sides of rice and mac n cheese. It was nice to let the professionals handle the cooking tonight and give all the kids a night to relax. We headed back to camp in the dark and went straight to bed in preparation for the home stretch of our trip. We have so many exciting activities to look forward to and moments to share the rest of the trip, and we can’t wait to see how these great kids make it special.
Update from Maui!
July 16, 2024
ALOHA FRIENDS AND FAMILIES!
We are stoked to have MAU3A with us for the next two weeks to explore this beautiful island, and many of the kids already pointed out that the island resembles scenes from Jurassic Park! Airport day was a breeze. It began with our first arrivals, Walter and Jordan, who immediately jumped into conversation with the leaders, and ended with our latest arrival, Susu, who took her flight troubles like a champ! During the in-between, 3A began getting to know each other through sports talk, past moondance adventures, and gourmet Costco cookies which were Walter’s favorite. This group was intentional about giving a warm welcome to each new kid as they arrived. They greeted each arrival at the beginning of baggage claim with a big smile and an eagerness to help with bags. With 10/11 ready to rumble, Thomas L and Will rallied the group to the van and loaded up the U-Haul with bags.
Upon arrival at our beachside campsite, Will gave the group an interactive and hilarious tent set-up lesson. Which paid dividends when the two girl groups looked like absolute pros; Julia, Gracie, Jordan, Taylor, and Johnsie all had their tents up before we could blink. The boys had a couple bumps in the road which made for good teasing fun, but all in all, their new homes for the next two weeks were ready just in time for our pizza to still be hot. The group headed to the big grassy area at camp called “The Island” that sits right in front of the ocean for dinner. With comfort food, new friends, and a beautiful Hawaiian sunset, the group couldn’t have been happier. Simultaneously, Maddie was at the airport grabbing Susu from a delayed flight. The two enjoyed getting to know each other one on one right off the bat and were laughing the entire way to camp. The warm welcome from the group wasn’t just an airport thing, when we rounded the corner to our campsite, the students all eagerly introduced themselves to Susu, and Gracie so kindly offered to lend her whatever she may need for the first couple of days since her bag got lost. With friendships forming fast and the day closing, we gathered together for our first moonup where we handed out Moondance merch and heard from each student on what they were looking to gain from this experience over the next two weeks.
The activities begin!! The moon group was up before we could even blink. Every kid brought the energy to our early wake up, and the van was popping on the way to surfing thanks to Julia’s song requests. As we pulled in, the surfing guides were eager for our arrival and let us know that the “king tide” was in full effect. The fantastic fourteen were PUMPED UP with this new knowledge and ready to take on the day. We hopped out of the car and headed over to the park where we had a brief out of water surfing lesson before getting on the open water. On land Walter and Thomas B crushed the lesson and indicated signs of former surf experience. As we grabbed our boards and headed toward the beach, everyone was smiling from ear to ear. Paddling out to sea the leaders were shocked to see John, Jack and Susu had already rode their first wave which they of course CRUSHED!! Wave after wave came in and the “king tide” was no joke. Jordan and Taylor were next to try a wave, and they quickly popped up on their boards. The entire group got comfortable quickly, so it didn’t take long to try and bust out some tricks. The first was a 180 which seemed challenging, but that didn’t stop Thomas B, Graham, and Jordan who got it on their first try. This is an impressive group of athletes, so we weren’t surprised to see Gracie use her gymnastics skills and Taylor her soccer skills to hit their own 180s soon after. The boys, refusing to be outdone, attempted daring 360s. However, this trick proved to be too difficult for everyone except for Johnsie. She rightfully received a standing surf ovation from the entire group on the way back to the beach.
After surfing the fantastic fourteen piled back into the van and headed to the local farmers market for a new daily tradition. The LODs took on the responsibility and expertly picked out a few fresh pineapples and mangos to snack on during lunch. The fresh fruit rounded out our lunch of sammies and chips and guac. After lunch, Taylor and Susu led the girls toward the beach for some tanning and ocean time. Meanwhile, Thomas B and John got the spikeball net set up for an afternoon of competitive spike. After some beach activities the crew got ready for dinner and were ready for some BFD!!! Graham crushed the bacon, Gracie and Jack looked like waffle house employees with the chocolate chip pancakes, and Susu and Jordan made about the best scrambled eggs we’d had in a while. We enjoyed our first camp cooked group meal accompanied by a beautiful sunset and some good tunes. Day 2 was a complete success, and after some showers, we had a very peaceful and meaningful moonup. The fourteen were tired from their long day and ready for their next.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNSIE! We are so excited to celebrate another trip around the sun for her and make today special! Despite an early wakeup call, the group’s energy was unmatched. The leader’s are so impressed with this group’s efficiency during our quick mornings and are very thankful for LOD’s like Johnsie and Walter who keep the group on schedule during breakfast. Van time has proved to be a favorite for this group as they often call out questions from the backseat about things they see out the window. Gracie especially has stumped the leaders a couple of times with her intellectual thoughts. In the front row, Maddie and Jordan bonded over their shared love for Taylor Swift and debated her best album for the entirety of the ride. Pulling into Kihei, we slipped into rash guards and protective shoes, ready to shred. Susu and Taylor took a polar plunge into the water with their boards while the rest of the group worked on paddling out as fast as possible. The tricks from the day before didn’t subside on surfing day 2. Gracie and Julia kicked off the stunts with a tandem ride which was expertly caught on their GoPros. Across the wave break everyone kept perfecting their 180s, and if you squinted Taylor could be mistaken for Bethany Hamilton and Thomas B for Kelly Slater. The group had a ball all morning, going tandem, hanging ten, and cheering each other on.
Leaving the beach with an adrenaline rush, we cruised back toward camp for a delicious lunch. Of course we had to make a quick stop at the Olowalu Farmer’s Market to grab some fresh fruit. Our LOD’s picked out a japanese grapefruit, mangoes, and star fruits for the group to try. Half of the fun is learning how to go about cutting them up and while there were many rounds of trial and error, Johnsie developed a winning strategy that will become standard for the rest of the trip. Our delicious lunch of ciabatta roll sandwiches and carrots and hummus prepared by our phenomenal cook crew was a hit. Eager to explore more, once the group was fed, the van was back on the road heading toward Black Rock beach. This spot is home to incredible views and a fun yet safe cliff jump into crystal clear waters. The climb up posed some challenges so the group moved slowly and steadily, lending a helping hand when needed and offering words of encouragement to students who were nervous. Maddie brought up the rear with Susu and Jordan grabbing some GoPro footage of the daredevils, Thomas B and John who jumped first. Squeals of excitement and cheering filled the air as each student put their unique spin on their jump, Gracie doing toe touches, and Will’s can opener were crowd favorites. As soon as we hit the water, the group was greeted by a family of sea turtles casually swimming up to the surface to say hi. This was definitely a “WOW” moment as Moondance lingo would describe it, and each student’s face lit up in awe during this moment. After a couple more jumps and swimming around, the group headed back to the sand and took in the views before heading back to the van.
After a day full of new activities and facing fears, we decided to reward the group by letting them stop for some famous Hawaiian shaved ice. Susu rated her mango treat a 9.5/10 and it is safe to say it hit the spot. After exploring the Wailer’s Village area, we returned to camp, telling riddles all the way home. Hint: Ask your kids how many pineapples their water bottle is when they return home. Back at camp, our cook crew; Johnsie, Walter, Julia, Taylor, and Jack worked diligently on preparing some chicken pasta for the group. Meanwhile, Thomas L and Maddie ran an optional “workout class” on the island. We tossed around the football and for every incomplete pass or catch, the group dropped and did ten push ups. This was as hilarious as it sounds and made for some funny memories. The group circled back up around the picnic table for dinner where we shared highs and lows of the day. Graham unintentionally started the trend of not being able to pick a low. After a top tier meal, we showered up while Thomas B taught the group some card games before heading to the island for a group game. “Capture the Mascot” brought out everyone’s competitive spirit and highlighted some natural leadership abilities in the students. While one group came out victorious, a good time was had by all and let’s just say the losing group is out for revenge after the hour long game. To wind down, we circled up under the stars for a sweet moonup where students are beginning to share more and more, taking our group’s special bond deeper. We are so grateful for the kindness and respect this group has shown each other every single day thus far!
Nugs to a free day! The group got to sleep in a little this morning which was much appreciated. LOD Thomas B. had the inspirational idea to switch up our typical breakfast menu and have french toast! It was of course an absolute hit. With the normal additions of eggs and bacon, the group had some full stomachs before heading out toward the beach. The fantastic fourteen decided to try out a brand new beach that the leaders had never been to. The risk paid off, and it was the best beach we’d been to all summer. The soft sand beach was surrounded by a cove of rocky cliffs and tall trees. It felt as if we’d found a hidden gem tucked away on the island. We passed the time with games, swimming, and exploring. There was something for everyone. While Thomas B, Jack, John and Graham played spikeball, Jordan, Susu, Johnsie and Maddie built sand castles. At the edge of the cove, Walter even noticed a cool cave behind some rocks. He was able to convince Thomas L, Will, and some of the girls to venture alongside him to check it out. In the cave we could hide in the shade and watch tiny sea turtles swim through our legs. Everyone agreed it was an amazing find. While we played for hours the group became more and more tired.
After leaving the beach, we headed back to camp for a quick lunch thanks to an amazing spread laid out by our LODs, Thomas B and Gracie. After some needed refueling we headed back in the van and went to Waihee Ridge for a little hike. Little might have been the wrong way to describe this hike, instead it was an absolute haul up one of the West Maui Mountains. However, our hard work was rewarded with beautiful views and lots of waterfalls. The boys were intent on being the first to the top and made it there in record time. The entire group finally reached the top where we found out we had just done 1500 ft of elevation gain. We were proud of the kid’s attitudes and determination to make it to the top. After the hike we headed back to camp for some steak fajitas cooked by John, Walter, Susu and Jordan. After a great dinner the moon group cleaned up and had a little veggie off competition thanks to Graham and Jack. After some showers and downtime we had a very nice moonup where the group shared their most embarrassing moments. Post moonup we had our nightly midnight snack run. After some late night snacking the crew hit the hay for their next adventure that awaited them in the morning.
Welcome ziplining, All the girls’ most anticipated activity!!! We had some extra time to kill before ziplining, so LOD Taylor and LOD Graham agreed to kick our day off with a hearty breakfast picnic on the beach. The LODs took care of the sausage and eggs by expertly cooking the eggs in the sausage grease while the rest of the cook crew repped out pancakes with extra chocolate chips. Everyone appreciated the LOD’s creativity to mix up locations for breakfast and it got the day off to a hot start.
On our way to ziplining, we gazed out the window where the dark blues of the ocean melded with the light blues of the sky. Of course we blasted all of Julia’s and Gracie’s favorite Zach Byran songs as well. At Kapalua ziplines neighboring the famous PGA Tour golf course in Kapalua, we split into two groups of seven. The girls won the coin toss and elected to go first. Having eagerly awaited this activity, all the girls fought to be the first to go, and everyone got the opportunity since there were 6 different amazing zips. The longest of which was almost half a mile long and reached top speeds of over 50 mph.
After ziplining the LODs insisted on some afternoon shenanigans. The fun began with a stop at a local pizza place suggested and owned by one of our ziplining guides. Hot honey and carbonara were the top 2 picks among the group, and the boys were fascinated with the stone fire ovens our pizzas were cooked in. We balanced out our pallets with some ice cream across the street where milkshakes were the go to order. After stuffing ourselves, what better idea than to get into a body or water and ram boats into each other? Yes, you guessed it, we did bumper boats. The leaders were beyond proud of the boys who waited only 5 minutes instead of 10 to abandon ship and walk the plank. Everyone had an amazing time working off the big lunch and having some fresh water fun.
Back at our beachside campsite we competed in a few new games of capture the mascot but with some twists this time before cooking dinner. Everyone was still in the mood for quesadillas after fajitas the night before, so we did pizzadillas. Instead of cook crew, we had everyone build their own with tortillas, mozzarella, marinara, and pepperoni. These were a huge hit and the kids loved the freedom to craft their own creation. The night winded down with some chill hammock time before moonup where we debated B-tier super powers and shared stories of people we look up to. Shout out to our LODs today and the new LODs tomorrow, John and Julia!
Walter: Hey Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun, surfing was awesome and I can’t wait to zipline today! Miss y’all
Jordan: Hey mom and dad! I am having fun! Can’t wait to see you guys! I will tell you guys everything when I get back! Love you guys!
Julia: Hey Mom and Dad! Maui has been awesome and I love my group! Hey Gibby maui has been the best trip and I can’t wait to tell you everything! Love and miss y’all!
Gracie: Hey mom and dad! Maui has been amazing! I loved surfing and we are going ziplining today!! We have seen so many turtles and I’ve gotten so many good GoPro videos too! Dad I’m only getting a little burnt so don’t worry about that too much. Miss y’all and love yall so much!
Susu: Hey Mom and Dad and Edie!! Maui has been so awesome and I’m having such a good time. My group & leaders are awesome. We’ve already seen so many sea turtles and we went cliff jumping and it was so fun. We are going ziplining today and I’m soooo excited. Love and Miss yall!
Taylor: Hi mom and dad! It’s been so much fun and I don’t even want to think about what it’s gonna be like to leave. All the people have been so fun and nice and I can’t wait for the rest of the time I have here! The leaders are awesome and they make everything about this so much better and everyone loves being around them. I miss yall!
Johnsie: Hey mom and dad and cora! I’m having so much fun in Maui! We went surfing and cliff jumping on my birthday and it was SO FUN and then I got a key lime pie! We are going ziplining today so yay. Hope yall are having fun in nash! Miss yall!
Thomas: Hey mom and dad, I am having so much fun, Maui is awesome. My leaders are so much fun and I can’t wait to tell you guys all the stories. See y’all soon
Jack: What up mom and dad, I cant wait to see yall im having so much fun and cant wait to see yall. We are going ziplining today and im pumpmed tell liv and lucy I said hi. See yall soon.
John: What’s up Mom and dad. I’m having a great time here! Can’t wait to see you again.
Graham: Whats up mom and dad. Having fun in Maui. Hope yall are doing good back in memphis. Say hi to char. Excited to see yall in a week. We are ziplining today. See yall
Safe Arrival in Maui!
July 12, 2024
Hi Maui Families!
All students have arrived safely and the trip is off to a great start! We can’t wait to share more updates 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 week! 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!
-Moondance HQ
