Farewell, 2B!
July 9, 2025
Day 9 07/01 Freestyle to Football to Frisbee
Woke up before sunrise as per usual and headed into town for our second day of pool diving at Jack’s! Everyone remained in their same dive groups as before, and they took to the water like pros, fully embracing the underwater lifestyle. Anna passed her PADi e-learning test! After everyone completed their 200 yd swim test and the last of the confined water skills, spirits were high, and the gang was excited to breathe under the salt water tomorrow. Before our first dive briefing to round out the afternoon, Brayden and Augie enjoyed some Hawaiian-style shaved ice from the local stop, and Hunter and Anna opted for straight ice. Apparently, ice tastes even better when in shave form. We left town and headed back north, making a quick stop at Costco to grab the last few ingredients needed for dinner. While patiently waiting for Rachel to finish up the shopping, Nate and Janie entertained the van with Disney and Hamilton jams and karaoke in the parking lot. Anna even pulled out her new big red ball from Walmart so the gang could play in the parking lot. Once finished, we continued up the road to Hāpuna Beach State Park to soak up the last rays of sun the afternoon had to offer. A game of football quickly formed on the beach involving Joe, Brayden, Augie, Ben, Jack, Audrey, and Anna. Hunter and Nate subbed in not long after the game got going, and the competitive teams gave it their all. At halftime, the football game morphed into ultimate frisbee in the ocean, as Ann Lane, Eleanor, and Sofia floated about in the waves with Rachel as well. After a while, we headed back to camp and cheffed up some Asian stir-fry noodles for dinner. A new Cook Crew consisting of tents 2 & 3, aka Ben, Brayden, Augie, Hunter, Audrey, and Eleanor, took on the task. The noodles were an absolute hit, and everyone enjoyed customizing their own bowl. Brayden may have had a hard time with the spice of the noodles at first, but then he learned to love the burn. While Clean Crew worked away, Hunter treated us all to her lovely artwork on the van windows, so now everyone will know that Moondance is living in the moment! When it was finally time for the crew to start circling up and getting ready for Moonup, Joe got some good practice in with his centipede-killing skills when we found one crawling near the kitchen. Quite the foreshadowing for what was to come … Nonetheless, LODs Sofia and Jack led us through a Moonup with questions about what guiding principles we live by. The leaders enjoyed hearing everyone’s personal stories and connecting the dots between students’ shared values. Everyone fell asleep weary after our centipede spotting, but crashed quickly in anticipation of our big day tomorrow!
Day 10 07/02 Learning our lessons!
Woke up the kiddos with the unfortunate traumatic news of Rachel’s centipede bite to the chin. In the midst of the trip leaders were constantly nagging everyone to zip up their tents and rain flys. Somewhere along the line, we forgot to zip ours and paid the price for it. Despite the pain, Rachel never stopped smiling and cracking jokes about the whole situation, leading by example the whole time, just as Moondance preaches. Regardless of the previous events, LODs Ben and Hunter led us through a detailed Morning Huddle since we had an exciting day ahead! The energy in the van ride on the way to the pier was hype, with Anna and Hunter leading the singing. We unloaded from the van on the pier just as the cruise ship passengers were doing the same, but instead of heading into town with them, we shrugged on our gear and headed into the ocean for our first open-ocean dive! Rachel and Eleanor spotted a rare snowflake eel, and everyone else got their first glimpse of the Hawaii state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapua’a (still all working on the pronunciation, but singing Sharpay’s song from High School Musical 2 helped). Despite the less-than-superb visibility, the gang was excited to use the skills they had been practicing in the pool in the open ocean! After the dive wrapped up and we slurped down some Hawaiian sodas, we loaded up the truck and van and headed back to Jack’s town shop to rinse our gear and practice using our new log books! We listened closely to Carlos’s briefing for tomorrow and got extra hyped for boat day. Rachel, Janie, and Nate were so proud of the crew’s performance in the water that we treated everyone to gelato in town! The spirits remained high as an intense beach volleyball game developed. Brayden, Augie, Joe, and Janie faced off against Jack, Ben, Nate, and Rachel as a late addition. Matches go to best of 3, so the first set went to BAJJ 25-23, then 26-24 to JBN, but BAJJ had a last-minute comeback in the third set led by Joe’s serving to clinch the match with a score of 18-16. Even the town spectators agreed it was one of the most nail-biting games of beach volleyball they had ever seen! We wish Brayden and Jack had been mic’d up so we could rewatch the intense banter as both teams battled it out and left it all on the line. With a light drizzle on the way, we headed into Target so everyone could load up on Fourth of July swag, with some people grabbing matching shirts! While Rachel and Janie finished up the last bit of grocery shopping, Nate quizzed the squad on scuba trivia, with Audrey, Anna, and Joe battling it out for first place. Joe squeezed out his second dub of the day in a tiebreaker and was awarded with a shopping cart ride around the parking lot by Nate. To keep the trivia games coming, we moved on to music trivia, which Augie and Ann Lane crushed, sounding like Grammy awards judges. The fun and games were rounded out with rap trivia, with Augie going head-to-head with Hunter and Anna for the final victory. Once back at camp, Cook Crew prepared a dip night spread (per Sofia’s request), featuring taco dip, spinach and artichoke dip, pimento cheese spread, and so much more. Anna and Joe whipped up the crispy quesadillas for dipping, thanks to Ann Lane’s prep work, Jack showed off his knife skills, and Sofia prepared her signature buffalo chicken dip. Everyone enjoyed the fully customizable meal and ate to our heart’s content! Clean Crew got to work quickly with Brayden leading the way, and we rounded out the night with a Moonup led by Ben and Hunter in the van, due to our centipede fears. Fell fast asleep not long after, excited for boat day tomorrow!
Day 11 07/03 Moondancers to Moondivers
Rise and shine! The sun is up, and so are we, ready to conquer the day ahead with scuba and snorkeling! Joe and Audrey led us in Morning Huddle, and everyone gathered their belongings. Those who were on top of their packing enjoyed a quick game of Shake and Pop to wake us up. Didn’t work too well since there were many zzzz’s caught on our way to Kailua-Kona! Change of scenery this morning since we were meeting our boat and captain at Honokohau Harbor instead of the town dive shop. We enjoyed breakfast at the picnic tables, where Audrey looked like a Food Network star with her banana-sunflower butter-Aussie bite breakfast bread. We loaded up onto Jack’s shark boat, which was personally set aside for us today – felt like we chartered a superyacht! The plan for today was to knock out 3 dives in Garden Eel Cove, a gorgeous inlet with crystal clear water and plenty of reef to explore off the coast of the airport. Everyone who dove completed their first dive, earning their Scuba Diver certification! Eleanor, Janie, and Elle enjoyed a snorkel before lunch, where they spotted many vibrant fish on the reef around the shallow end of the cove. After a yummy sandwich lunch in the sun, those who wanted to strive for their Open Water Certification geared back up for the rest of their skill dives! Rachel tagged along with Sofia and Ann Lane, watching them crush all the skills and earn their certs. Nate hopped in with Augie, Jack, Brayden, Joe, and instructor Carlos. Ben, Audrey, Hunter, and Anna, aka BAHA Blast, blew it out of the water with dive instructor Shannon. Janie was able to join Rachel, Sofia, Ann Lane, and Elle for their second dive, where they coined the name G.O.A.T. Fish, since we spotted a school of goatfish on the final dive. Sofia enjoyed swimming through the school and parting them like the Red Sea. Once all divers climbed out of the water, we all jumped for joy that the group had completed their certifications!!! The boat ride back to the harbor was full of smiles and giggles, soaking in the island sun and breeze. After logging our dives in our book and thanking our wonderful instructors, the crew zoomed over to Costco for a yummy pizza dinner. The day isn’t over yet! Joe also fueled up with 2 Costco hot dogs, attempting to shove the majority of them into his mouth in one bite. His success rate is debatable. Once we were fueled up, we headed back to Honokohau Harbor to get suited up for our Manta Ray Snorkel! We headed back to Garden Eel Cove again, the site where manta rays have gathered for decades to feast on phytoplankton at night. We soaked in golden hour from the bow of the boat and enjoyed the incredible view of the island from the water. After learning more about the anatomy and importance of manta rays to Hawaii from our snorkel guides Maddy and Sam, the group gathered for photos in front of the picture-perfect sunset. Everyone shimmied back into our full-length wetsuits and grabbed our snorkels and masks, and the giggles ensued. We lined up to enter the water, ready to witness the magic! Everyone performed their best humpback whale impressions to attract the manta rays, and it certainly worked because not long after, two of the gentle giants came up from opposite directions and then did several flips in sync right underneath the group! The whale sounds were replaced by underwater screams of delight as the gang took in the majestic marine megafauna only inches from our faces. Audrey went belly to belly with one of the manta rays, so up close and personal that she still had part of their protective mucus slime layer on her when she exited the water! Everyone took advantage of the opportunity to shower with hot water off the back of the boat before bundling up for the boat ride back. Still in awe, the gang unloaded from the boat, but before heading back to the van, Joe and Audrey led us through a Moonup in the marina parking lot under the stars! We opened with an intense game of duck, duck, goose, with Nate not being able to catch Joe. Everyone shared their comfort food meal and what our turning point in life has been thus far. The van ride back to camp was eerily quiet with everyone knocked out, but we fell fast asleep once we got back to our tents, ready to soak up every last minute we have left of our trip!
Day 12 07/04 Fourth and Fireworks
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! The gang woke up with some patriotic music after sleeping in and enjoyed breakfast at camp with an oatmeal and cereal bar, plus some festive donuts! Once everyone was fueled up and dressed for the occasion, we headed to Kona Salt Farm for our tour of the facility and cooking class! Everyone enjoyed learning more about how Hawaiian deep-sea salt reaches our dining room tables, plus sampling all of the different salts the company produces. The cooking class was a hit with the gang, as Audrey and Joe perfected the knife skills they’ve been using on Cook Crews all trip long. For lunch, we prepared a three-course meal, starting with a fresh greens salad with a mint and lemon vinaigrette, followed by an entrée of local island beef stew with sautéed onions and a mashed coconut and garlic ‘uala, a local purple Hawaiian sweet potato! Then, for dessert, we were served fresh local fruit with a cacao macadamia nut paste that tasted exactly like sweet chocolate! Everyone scarfed down the meal, with some of the boys even asking for seconds. We all enjoyed learning about the importance of using locally grown ingredients and how to incorporate sustainable practices into our cooking back on the mainland. We even got to hear our chef Christina’s, crazy connection to Moondance! After visiting the Salt Farm gift shop for some salts to bring home, with full stomachs and a free afternoon, the gang headed to Old Kona Airport State Beach Park, locally referred to as Old A, for some fun in the sun. A rematch of the volleyball game ensued, with Rachel, Ben, Jack, Joe, Anna, and a local facing off against Janie, Nate, Brayden, Augie, Hunter, and another local. Sofia, Ann Lane, Audrey, and Eleanor enjoyed a tanning session on the beach while everyone gave it their all on the sand court. Anna’s competitive side came out to play, and the close game went to three sets yet again, with Janie and Nate’s team barely squeezing out another dub. With the parade in town fast approaching, wrapped up at the beach and headed that way! The crew jammed out to some music in the parking lot while everyone got painted up with festive colors. Joe and Nate committed to the spirit with Nate donning the stars and Joe with the stripes across their faces. Ann Lane also took some time to redecorate our van so it fit the festivities – looked so good it should’ve been in the parade! Once everyone was ready, we walked into town and headed towards Ona Loa Grill – allegedly the 8th best burger in the world! While Rachel and Janie waited for the food, Nate escorted the crew to Ali’i Drive and snagged a front row viewing spot for the parade. It was so easy to get hype for the sweet floats, but we wanted more. As the parade was wrapping up, the gang, led by Joe, decided we had to be a part of the show. The gang hopped in, dancing down the street with the sun setting in the background and the crowd cheering us on! It felt like a movie scene! Energy levels were so high that everyone ran back to the restaurant screaming about loving life. Once the burgers were secured, we headed over to a nice grassy spot along the water to chow down, vibing to patriotic music along the way. There was really no better way to soak in our last dinner together! We circled up and started Moonup, led by our lovely LODs, Anna and Augie, and the laughter abounded as we shared our funniest moments from the trip. Moonup took a timeout when the fireworks started! Seeing them light up the sky framed by the silhouette of the palm trees over the water made for a perfect Hawaiian Fourth. It was an incredible show, and we all felt so lucky to have witnessed it in such a stunning setting. After our brief intermission for the fireworks, the lawn cleared out and we continued our deep and meaningful Moonup. Some tears even flowed when we realized how little time we have left together! We walked back to the van, loaded up, and headed back towards camp. With the gang exhausted from the long day, we knocked out in the van. What a way to wrap up the Fourth, but we wouldn’t have wanted to with anyone else!
Day 13 07/05 So long, farewell, we hope to see you soon!
Last morning, we got to sleep in! We started off with a hot cooked breakfast from Audrey, Hunter, Ben, and Eleanor. The sausages, potatoes, and eggs were a delicious feast. The rest of the crew spent time packing up, breaking down the tents, and cleaning up camp! Brayden led a super helpful trash sweep of the van and campsite, as always, pitching in whenever he was needed and lending a helping hand. Once everything was ready to go, we loaded up and headed out! We drove to the beach to complete some reflective paperwork. Nate, Rachel, and Janie surprised the gang with bottle service (of sparkling apple cider) to celebrate a trip well done and earning our scuba certifications! Once everyone wrapped up, we all donned our matching shark fins and headed to an outdoor marketplace with Paco’s Tacos food truck to celebrate Banquet. Joe, always feeling adventurous, tried out the local venison tacos. After some final shopping, we cracked open a piñata to celebrate Nate’s birthday! We circled up and started our final Moonup before realizing the area was closing down and we had to leave! Quick pivot to Wawaloli Beach, right next to the airport, and we even caught the beginning of the sunset. The crew shared compliments about one another, and Nate, Rachel, and Janie were taken aback by the sincerity and depth of each one. This group is truly something special, and we have no doubt they will continue to keep in touch and remain friends long after our time together! After getting everyone checked in at the airport and saying tearful goodbyes to the first flight of Brayden, Sofia, and Hunter, the rest of the crew got their phones back (it’s like Christmas morning) and headed through security as well. Every student made their flight in plenty of time, and Nate, Rachel, and Janie were left all alone again! Feels like our hearts have been torn into 11 pieces and spread out all across the mainland.
To HWI 2B – thanks for being rockstars! Y’all absolutely blew us away with your kindness, dedication, and lust for life. We are so lucky to have spent these last two weeks with you in such a gorgeous setting, and we hope the lessons you took away from this trip stay with you forever. We love and care for each and every one of you so much, and we’re so grateful we got to know you! Mahalo, and remember, it’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you later!!
With love and aloha,
Nate, Rachel, and Janie
Fun in the Sun!
July 4, 2025
And we’re back! The crew has been having a bunch of fun, filling up every waking moment of our days. Here’s another breakdown of what we’ve been up to!
DAY 5 06/27 Surf and Turf
Surf and turf today!!! Woke up early to ride some waves and embrace the Hawai’i surfing culture, putting all of our newly learned skills to good use! The LOD’s Brayden and Anna led a smooth Morning Huddle before hitting the road, jamming to some Black Eyed Peas to get the juices flowing along the way. As the first group hit the waves, Anna, Joe, Audrey, Brayden, Nate, and Augie decided to try to dig into China (stopping slightly short). After making a massive crater, Audrey, Joe, Brayden, and Augie jumped in, getting buried by Nate and Anna as Ann Lane captured it all as a stellar photographer and videographer. We surprised the group of surfers when they returned and all enjoyed watching the group get out from their nest in the ground. The first group of surfers in the water consisted of Eleanor, Sofia, Hunter, Ben — and Jack, Rachel, and Janie as videographers. The guides were so impressed that no one even needed their help catching waves! The surf was not as crazy big as our previous days, so everyone was able to fine-tune their skills. With Group 2 in the water rinsing off all their sand, they took to the waves like pros as well. Everyone can’t wait to take our newfound surfing skills home with us to show off! After the surf, we headed for the turf (aka ziplining in the mountains). After some slight rain in the rainforest (go figure) interrupted our lunch, we moved under a ginormous tree basically the size of Hawai’i to finish up our jungle picnic. After an equipment pickup and safety lesson, we departed for the ziplines. Anna, Audrey, Nate, and Hunter worked on a little freestyle rap in line as we all zipped to the other side smoothly, looking like professionals. Our second zip line offered an option to be upside down which Augie, Nate, Jack, Brayden, Anna, Audrey, Sofia, Hunter, Joe, and Ben tried as we looked like Tarzan flying through the forest. After the second zip line, we headed to a waterfall that led into a water hole where we swung rope into the water. Our tour guide may have recorded the biggest can opener splash west of the Mississippi, which we all watched in awe. After the swimming stop, we headed to our final 4000-foot drop zip line. Sofia and Hunter soaked up the beautiful view as we waited, while Eleanor and Ann Lane were originally a little nervous at the start, but by the end of the 4000-foot zip line, they seemed capable of taking our zip line instructor job because they crushed it! After some celebratory cookies, we headed back for the drive home. We whipped up an Asian meal with Ann Lane on the orange chicken, Ben on the fried rice seasoned with steak seasoning (which created a dinner debate on seasoning), Brayden on the pot stickers, and Sofia and Hunter on the veggies. Fabulous dinner! The clean crew cleaned up quickly as we headed into a great moon up with Anna and Brayden leading the way. Got to bed early to gear up for our sweet Napali coast kayak tour!!!
DAY 6 06/28 Earning Na Pali
This is by far our earliest morning of the trip, but it’s Moondance time so we were stoked regardless! Pulling out of camp before the sun rose is quite the experience, but we headed south to make a half-moon around the island. The bumpy 4-mile dirt road leading to Polihale State Park, our launch point, woke everyone up from their slumber. Rachel expertly navigated all the potholes to the Coconut Mall Mario Kart soundtrack, and we kept the theme going with driving-related songs for the rest of the road. Once arrived, the kayak groups were announced and the sunscreen was applied. Joe, Augie, Hunter, Janie, and Rachel all applied our warrior paint, aka colored zinc, and the whole gang looked sporty in our sun hoodies. Our guides Brian and Iggy led us through a quick land lesson on paddling in the open ocean, and before you knew it, we launched the boats and took off! No lie, within 5 min of paddling out, we were greeted by the welcoming committee of a local pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins! Our guides estimated there were about 300 in the pod, swimming gently in the waves around us and coming up for air right next to our kayaks. It was quite a surreal experience to see them that close, especially with the stunning sacred cliffs of the Na Pali coast in the background. The group was in awe, and all the boat partners got to know each other a little better and worked on improving our teamwork! Ben and Anna started off together, but after a little mid-ocean switch-up, Brayden and Ben worked together flawlessly and looked like a crew team out there. Hunter and Jack did a phenomenal job keeping spirits high. Joe had Ann Lane pause their convo so he could really soak up the helicopter scene of Jurassic Park (his favorite movie) in real life, and also politely informed Rachel and Janie of the correct species of dinosaur they see first in the film. Augie and Audrey, the AH boat, absolutely crushed it, always at the front of the pack with the guides. Sofia enjoyed her time with Kauai local Brian, who is a wealth of knowledge about the island and its rich historical significance. Coming around the corner of the northwest coast, we ran straight into some heavy head winds and waves. It was really when the group needed to put their nose to the grindstones and push through the challenge. As our kayak guide Brian said, this was everyone’s chance to earn Na Pali. After everyone got psyched up for the challenge, we followed the guides into the back channel through the reefs to shore at Miloli’i Beach Park, successfully landing on the fully secluded beach! We feasted on an incredible lunch provided by the outfitter, with everyone getting some much-needed refueling. After some more time spent resting and soaking in the secluded beach and reapplying sunscreen, we climbed back in our kayaks, and launched from shore with Nate and Eleanor leading the way! The waves were quite large, but at our backs this time so there was plenty of kayak surfing. Having the cliffs to the left and the crystal clear blue water beneath us, the crew soaked up every moment of the awe-inspiring views. Everyone worked through the last grueling couple of miles, and by the time we were back at Polihale, everyone was smiling ear to ear and proud of our accomplishments! Kayaking 12 miles on the open ocean is most definitely a challenge, but every single person not only overcame it but did so successfully and with gratitude for the opportunity. We pulled the kayaks back ashore, and everyone took a celebratory dip in the water. Hunter and Sofia learned the hard way how hot the sand was, so we took their advice and wore our shoes to help the guides load their kayaks back up on the trailer while enjoying some Hawaiian sodas, well deserved after all our hard work. After rinsing off, Nate, Rachel, and Janie decided there was still more to celebrate, so we headed into Old Koloa Town to grab some ice cream for the gang! Sofia indulged in some ube ice cream, which received mixed reviews from the gang, but Joe and Janie tried the authentic Dole Pineapple Whipped soft serve and gave rave reviews. After a little more shopping and exploring the historic town, we loaded up in the van and headed back to camp. For dinner, Cook Crew whipped up some Mediterranean bowls, while listening to the Mamma Mia soundtrack for inspiration naturally! Everyone scarfed down dinner at the picnic tables after our physically exhausting day, and Clean Crew got right to it. Hunter and Augie led us through a very intentional Moonup on the beach, where the group shared about the biggest challenges we’ve overcome. The leaders are all so blown away by everyone’s ability to open up and share, and we’re sure it will continue for the rest of the trip! We can’t wait to see everyone’s growth!
DAY 7 06/29 Aloha Big Island!
For the first time in the whole trip, we got to sleep in! Since our flight was later in the afternoon, we took our time getting up and cooking a great breakfast. The Cook crew did it together one last time! Ann Lane chopped up all the peaches and mangos (she’s from Georgia, she’s a pro), and Hunter beautifully squared off the pineapple. Sofia flipped up some flapjacks, and Ben did an excellent job perfecting the crunchy bacon. Joe created a pancake taco with bacon and peaches as he moved through the line – it was delicious and he’s waiting on the patent approval. After everyone had some time to pack up their belongings and clean up the campsite, we loaded up the van! We waved goodbye to the beautiful shores of Kauai, and Audrey may or may not have shed a few tears saying goodbye to Pua, the campsite dog. Headed to the airport and despite a quick timetable, made our flight (did feel like home alone in the airport as a few people did a slight jog.) Joe rocked his LOD shades throughout the airport, looking swaggy. Augie and Jack scooped up some Burger King crowns in the Honolulu airport on the layover, so by the time we landed in Kona, we strutted onto the runway feeling like royalty. After grabbing all the bags and heading out of the airport, we loaded up into our new set of wheels and beelined to Kaloka-Honokōhau National Historic Park, which is also locally known as Turtle Beach! The gang saw 3 as soon as we walked onto the sand, and everyone was thrilled. The honu, or green sea turtle in Hawaiian, has a special meaning that symbolizes longevity, endurance, and spiritual energy. After the gang had sufficient time exploring the beach, we loaded back up and hit the road heading north along the west coast of the Big Island to our campsite. The landscape of the Big Island is drastically different from Kauai, mainly because it’s millions of years younger. The volcanic scenery made it feel like we were driving through an entirely different planet. After arriving at camp and assigning new tent groups, the crew split up to set up their tents, and Enos. The Cook crew got started on cheffing up some chicken apple sausage and tortellini for dinner, per Anna’s request. She masterfully handled the cooking of the sausage and made sure no one else interfered! LODs Joe and Eleanor led us through the first Moonup in our new campsite, and everyone crashed early, eager to get started with scuba tomorrow!
DAY 8 06/30 Under the Water and Above the Clouds
Rise and shine Big Island! We woke up early and headed south into town to Jack’s Diving Locker, our world-renowned dive shop outfitter. Jack and Brayden were both excited to be getting certified in the same shop as Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead! While fueling up for the day, our other adventure camp friends showed up, and an intense veggie-off ensued. Moondance took home the gold, obviously. After meeting Carlos, our lead instructor for the week, we took care of some paperwork and then geared up for the first time, practicing setting it up and breaking it down a bunch before hitting the pool deck! The group of Ben, Anna, Hunter, and Audrey, aka BAHA blast, cranked through their learning with dive guide Shannon. Ann Lane, Eleanor, and Sofia worked through all their skills with Elle, and the boys gang of Augie, Joe, Brayden, and Jack soaked up their time with Carlos. Having everyone in the pool together was definitely a treat, even though it was a little crowded! After a lunch break of turkey and sourdough provided by Jack’s and lots of snacks, everyone hopped back in the pool for the afternoon. Janie even hopped in and joined Joe, Brayden, and Jack for their 10-minute tread and taught them how to play STAR. Brayden has never seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, so he has a movie at the top of his list for when he’s back home! Everyone had a fulfilling day full of engaged learning, so after changing into some warmer clothes, we made a pit stop at Walmart before grabbing dinner at the local favorite – Sack and Save for poké bowls! Those feeling adventurous picked out their preferred flavor, and we grabbed sticky rice and seaweed to make little sushi-esque bites. For our friends who weren’t feeling up for poké, they enjoyed their chicken wings and rice. Augie even had a 10-piece fried chicken basket. With full stomachs, we loaded the van back up and headed towards Mauna Kea to watch the sunset! Although the drive up the volcano was cloudy and rainy, coming up to the Visitor’s Center above the clouds was a surreal view of the pink and orange sky. Sofia had her main character moment sitting pensively on a rock at the top, soaking up the horizon. Hunter and Janie rounded out the crew getting to the lookout spot, and once the gang was complete the photos abounded. As the sun set in a 360 view around us, the stars started to shine through the clouds and we admired their natural beauty. Star gazing on top of a volcano with some of your new best friends has got to be a top 10 greatest feeling. When we finally loaded back up in the van for the drive back to camp, everyone almost immediately passed out asleep. It was a jam-packed day, but we still rallied for a phenomenal Moonup led by Brayden and Audrey, where we shared something we’re proud of ourselves for and something we can work on. With full hearts, minds, stomachs, and souls, we hit the hay, ready to knock out even more scuba tomorrow!
As you can tell, we’re having the absolute greatest time ever. We feel so lucky to have your kids exploring this island paradise with us – words can hardly express our gratitude! Although our time is winding down, we’re planning on taking advantage of every single minute. Thanks so much for sharing them with us – now let’s hear from them!
THANK YOUS
Augie: Hey familia I’m doing amazing! CAN’T wait to see y’all! 🙏😁
Eleanor: Hi Mom and Dad I miss y’all SO MUCH!! I am having so much fun and loving life
Ann Lane: Hiiiii Mom and Dad CAN’T wait to see y’all soooo soon! I’m having so much fun and I love Hawaii! Love yalllll 😍💕🌺
Anna: HI Mom, Dad, Lillie, and Greer!! Moondance has been SO MUCH FUN!! We have been practicing diving for scuba diving in the ocean! (Finished PADI mom) finally getting tan 🧴 👙 I feel like everyone in the group is turning into one big HAPPY family! I’m so happy here and everyone is so nice‼️ I’m so so so sad to leave Hawaii and everyone. SOOOO HYPE FOR THE 4TH THOUGH❤️🤍💙 LOVE AMD MISS YALL❣️❣️
Sofia: Hi Mom, Dad, and Jude!! I love you guys so so so much. I’m having the most fun here. This trip and the people are amazing. It definitely feels like a big family. I’m so excited to see you guys soon but am also sad to leave Hawaii. See you guys soon so excited to tell you all about it!
Hunter: Hey Madre and Padre! I love love love it here it’s so pretty here and such great people! Definitely met some life long friends! Miss y’all so much but having so much fun here, so much love!
Joe: Hey Mom, Dad and Ruby, missing you guys so so so much. I’m having such a blast scuba diving, and getting to explore every inch of Hawaii. There are so many people that have become brothers and sisters to me, the group dynamic is amazing, and can’t wait for y’all to meet them. I’m wishing you guys the best, and am so thankful for the opportunity you guys gave me by coming here. Love y’all!
Audrey: Hey what’s up I just wanted to say thank you for sending me on this trip and I’m having so much fun but also can’t wait to go home. I never saw Caroline but still having lots of fun and right now we’re learning how to scuba. See you soon.
Ben: Hi Mom and Dad I want to again say thank you for sending me on this trip. It’s really been so amazing. I hope that your guys’ trip went so great, I can’t wait to hear about it. Liddy gets back on Thursday, so do you mind telling her that I say hi and that I can’t wait to see her when she gets back. I’m excited to see you guys soon though!
Brayden: I have had a ball with the scuba it has been fun with Joe and Augie and the snow cones after even better aka 90% of where my money has gone in case you where wondering. The van rides though very long have been good it has been great time over all beause everyone joins in and has fun. We do shore side scuba tomorrow and off the boat the next day and I am excited to see how we all do. It has been fun but I will be happy to see all of you soon and have Chipotle with you all with Chick-fil-A next. Love you both and don’t worry because I am doing great so enjoy your break while you can because I will be coming in hot when I am home love you and see you soon bye.
Jack: Hey Mom and Dad, Thank you for sending me on this trip. We started scuba diving training the other day and I’m excited to see y’all soon.
From the leaders: Mahalo (thank you) HWI 2B parents for sharing your prized possessions with us in Hawaii! We are having an incredible time getting to know each and every one of them, and seeing the whole group grow so close to one another has been our highlight of the trip. We are so grateful to have experienced Hawaii with the greatest kids around! Many thanks – Nate, Rachel, and Janie
Aloha HWI 2B parents!
June 30, 2025
Aloha HWI 2B parents! Thank you so much for sharing your kids with us on this Hawaiian Islands adventure – we’re having an absolute blast! We’ve got jam packed days, so follow along to get a sneak peak into what we’ve been up to!
DAY 1 06/23 Arrival Day – Aloha from the Garden Isle of Kauai!
IT’S TIME! 2B begins today! Nate, Rachel and Janie woke up anxiously awaiting the students’ arrival and did a morning plunge to start off the session strong. We headed over to our campsite to do the hard part for everyone – setting up the tents! Got downpoured on in the process, but as is life in a tropical rainforest paradise. Once our campsite was ready to be filled with laughter and smiles, we headed to the airport to scoop our first arrival, Audrey! After being greeted with a lei and a Pitbull dance party, we headed over to Target to grab some more snacks and a little picnic. Only natural when you’re the first arrival and you get to hang with the leaders for a few hours – we beach! We set up our lunch picnic for Audrey’s first taste of the salty air, before Jack touched down and joined the gang! Nate and Janie were outnumbered by Myers Park students for a hot second there. After the charcuterie board was empty, the squad rolled back to the airport to collect the next flight of 5 students – Augie, Joe, Ben, Eleanor, and Ann Lane! Our crew was starting to look complete, but we had just a smidge longer to wait, so we filled the time with new card games and get to know you questions. Time flew by and before we knew it, Brayden, Hunter, and Sofia touched down in Kauai, and moments later Anna completed our squad! We gathered all the bags and headed towards camp, where everyone was surprised with some Domino’s pizza. A taste of home – yum! We kept our first Moonup brief since everyone was exhausted from a long travel day and the time difference, but we handed out some Moondance swag that got everyone excited. Shortly thereafter, everyone was off to set up their tents and crash for the night, ready to take on the waves tomorrow and have the best time of our lives over these next 2 weeks!
DAY 2 06/24 From the Mountains to the Sea
Today was our first full day (and everyone’s first chance to see Kauai’s beauty in the daylight), so we definitely took advantage of every minute! Nate, Janie, and Rachel woke up the crew with the sunrise and after a quick breakfast, we hit the road heading north to surf at the world famous Hanalei Bay. We split into 2 groups for our surf sessions so our local guides Mitchell, Lemon, and Hendrix could give the people in the water their undivided attention. Group 1, consisting of Audrey, Anna, Ann Lane, Joe, Brayden, Augie, and Nate, received a land lesson and pointers from the guides before strapping on their leashes and grabbing their boards. Group 2, aka Ben, Jack, Hunter, Eleanor, and Sofia, oh so patiently awaiting their turn to surf, ran immediately into the waves to frolick around in their first taste of the Pacific Ocean. The waves this morning were ripping, 2-3 feet, and EVERYONE in both groups stood up on a wave on their first try! The leaders and guides were so impressed! After switching groups and everyone had a solid taste of shredding the gnar, we explored some nearby shops in the town of Hanalei. Joe bought some delicious mangoes and pineapple from a nearby fruit stand; they were perfectly ripe and he was so kind to share with the group! We then made our way to the food truck lot in Kapa’a for our local food stop, and everyone enjoyed all different types of food. From burgers, to poke bowls, to sushi, or fried chicken sandwiches, you couldn’t go wrong! Sofia loved her shrimp tempura roll, the boys enjoyed local fish and chips, and Hunter was blown away by her first taste of Hawaiian poke. Once we were all fueled up, we headed to Ho’opo’i Falls for an “adventure walk” (coined by Janie). This jungle hike has been used as the backdrop in many different films, and it truly does look like a movie set. Before we hit the trail, Rachel taught the group the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, and then we were off! We made it to the sacred waterfall in no time and everyone enjoyed a fresh water swim. Eleanor and Hunter, and Anna and Sofia played a few rounds of Colors in the water. Later up on the rocks, Ann Lane checked out some tiny tadpoles and even found some that had already grown legs! Augie, Nate, Joe, and Janie climbed over to the right side of the falls to admire where the water was coming down with force. Despite a few wrong turns on the way back, spirits were high thanks to learning new trail games! Once we got back to camp, Brayden, Augie, and Jack went boogie boarding in the waves at the beach right by our tents. For our first dinner, we lit up the charcoal grills and cheffed up some burgers and hot dogs. Audrey, Joe and Augie killed it as grill masters, while Anna, Jack and Eleanor whipped up the veggies and sweet potato fries. After a dinner full of laughs and great convos, we pulled it together for a chance to connect at Moonup led by Nate, Rachel, and Janie before heading to bed for some much needed rest!
DAY 3 06/25 Hiking the Na Pali Coast
2nd full day in the books! Our lovely new LOD’s Ben and Ann Lane started our morning with a motivational quote. We departed from camp as the sun rose to drive up the canyon to our hike. We met our sweet trail guide Sarah before departing on our 7.5 mile hike of the Na Pali coast. Sarah shared the edible blackberries, strawberry guava, and ginger plants that felt endless. Joe, Audrey, Ben, Jack, Augie, Brayden led the pack with Sarah as Rachel, Ann Lane, Hunter, Eleanor, Sofia, Janie, Anna, and Nate soaked up the views. Despite a light drizzle and muddy conditions, the whole group pushed through literal clouds before coming to the iconic viewpoint, just as the clouds cleared, revealing the breathtaking view of the stunning NaPali coast, where mountains and cliffs meet the Pacific Ocean. It was so neat to get a different perspective of the iconic landscape. We’ll be sea kayaking in a couple of days! Augie, Joe, and Brayden enjoyed throwing some rocks over the edge, watching them disappear in the distance. Anna and Ann Lane orchestrated a photoshoot – seriously hard to tell if we were covered in mud on top of a mountain or in high fashion on the runway. After some lunch and fuel, energy was high despite the uphill climb. Sofia, Hunter, and Janie were jammin and singing along to camp songs on the hike home. Everyone absolutely demolished the uphill hike as Janie handed out high fives to everyone like a baseball dugout after a home run. Quick stop at Target on the way back brought an Oreo debate between Brayden and Jack, before the Cook Crew started to chef up some pasta and meatballs. Brayden and Hunter were killing it on the different types of pasta as Ben was fixing the meatballs that were cooked perfectly. Sofia added a special touch to the delicious sauce, as Ann Lane prepped the salad and did a phenomenal job for her role: EOCF (executive of cooking fun). After a great meal and some late night tea led by Audrey, we had a great Moonup led by Ben and Ann Lane in the pavilion. Anna and Eleanor felt like they were on a talk show after hilarious reactions to people sharing their pet peeves, and the giggles were going. Everyone crashed after a big day full of activities and ready to serve the next morning!
DAY 4 06/26 Service and Centipedes at the NTBG
Another morning on Kauai! Everyone was treated to a little later wake up call, grabbed some breakfast, and headed towards the South Shore Gardens of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens! The gang was excited to dedicate a portion of our trip to helping out others, and the NTBG is incredibly thankful as well! We spent our morning clearing out a large garden bed by their research center, led by Michelle, the Director of Horticulture for the garden. Clearing out the bed of leaf litter and debris is important since it prevents the coconut rhinoceros beetle, which is eating away at NTBG’s stock of native Hawaiian palms, from laying its larvae. Along the way we ran into many interesting creepy crawlers, with Augie and Joe on Animal Patrol, removing big spiders when needed. We all listened intently as Michelle demonstrated to us the proper way to kill the poisonous Hawaiian centipedes when we come across one (cut it into as many bits as possible) before Audrey got the chance to practice her skills when we found another! Brayden took charge of the task at hand and was an absolute beast at making piles of leaves, sweeping them into the trash cans, and dumping the trash cans in the back of the truck when needed. After making a giant dent in the leaf litter situation, we loaded up into a van and drove further into the garden for a lunch of Caesar salad wraps before a private tour of the Canoe Garden! When Polynesians first settled on the island, they came from other islands on canoes and brought approximately 23 plants with them, for everything from building material to lighter fluid to food. These 23 plants and trees are displayed proudly throughout what’s known as NTBG’s Canoe Garden, and our group was very engaged, asking questions and soaking up the interesting information and beautiful setting. After the tour, we changed into swimsuits and headed straight for Salt Ponds Beach, a beautifully secluded cove, where every single team member ran straight into the ocean to play in the waves while Janie, Rachel, and Nate relaxed on the beach. We stopped at Walmart on the way back to stock up on some last minute items for dinner, and everyone enjoyed a little shopping spree. Joe and Augie even splurged on some fashionable jorts. Back at camp, the cook crew cheffed up some delicious tacos for Taco Thursday, and everyone agreed that it was the best meal so far. While the cooks were in the kitchen Eleanor, Ann Lane, and Anna spent some time decorating our van windows, so everyone knows that Moondance rocks! With full stomachs, LODs (Leader of the Day) Jack and Sofia led us through a lovely Moonup before everyone crashed in our tents and enos, ready to take on the next day! Moonup is a cherished tradition and time to reflect, unwind, and soak in a chance to talk deeply with one another before bed. The perfect way to end the day!
Now a quick word from the gang!
SHOUTOUTS
Audrey: Heyy I’ve had so much fun and met some great people on my trip. We’ve just been on Kauai for the last week and tomorrow we’re flying to Kona and we will start scuba diving there. In Kauai, we’ve surfed, hiked, ziplined, and today we kayaked 12 miles down the NaPali coast and saw some cool dolphins. It’s really beautiful and chill here and the waves are huge. I’m excited to scuba and I think I may see CC tomorrow in the airport. See you soon.
Ben: Hey Mom and Dad, I’m having a great time in Hawaii, we just finished a 12 mile kayaking trip and leave for the other island tomorrow. I miss you guys, can’t wait to see you soon!
Jack: Hey Mom and Dad, I have met some great people on this trip and just finished up sea kayaking. We are leaving tomorrow for the big island where we will start our scuba training. See y’all soon 🔜
Hunter: Heyyyyyyyy I miss you guys so much and love you all! I’ve met some of my best friends here, I love everyone on this trip and am having so much fun! I’ve had the best poké bowl of my life here and have so much fun doing the activities. Miss you guys so much but am having so much fun here with my new best friends!
Joe: Hey guys, I’m having the time of my life and am thinking about everyone back home. Hawaii is such a beautiful place, though it does rain occasionally. But who really cares when you are with some of the greatest people. Love and miss y’all.
Sofia: Hiii!!!! Hawaii is so crazy cool I’ve loved every minute of it. We’ve done so many fun things like hiking the Na Pali coast, eating great poké, and then today kayaking 12 miles down the coast. Everyone here is so so amazing and I love every one of them. Such a great group and great trip!!! YAY MOONDANCE!!
Ann Lane: HIII Mom and Dad! Hawaii is so pretty!! We just finished kayaking 12 miles it was so fun! I love my group so much and have met some really cool people‼️❣️ I have made really good food too. I miss and LOVE yall soooo much can’t wait to see y’all soon! 😍😍😍😍‼️❣️❌⭕️❌⭕️ (tell Dave to tell everyone I miss them🤣)
Eleanor: Hi Jack, Mom, and Dad!!!! Hawaii is AMAZING and I’m so thankful to be here. We’ve gone hiking, kayaking, and so much swimming. I’m having so much fun and have met some amazing people! I miss you and love you all so SO much and can’t wait to tell you more when I get home. Love, Eleanor 🐭🐭❤️❤️
Augie: much love! Awesome time!
Anna: Hi!!!! Miss you guys so much‼️ Hawaii has been so much fun,and I’ve met some of the best people ever! I’ve pushed myself to do things I usually don’t do and it was AWESOME 🤩 CANT WAIT to see you guys in a few days! We’ve made SUCH good food, surfed, ziplined, hiked 8 miles (UPHILL), and just kayaked 12 miles down the NaPali coast. See you guys soon LOVE U❣️❣️❣️❣️
Brayden: It has been a fun time with everyone. I am excited to see all of you when we meet. We need to go straight to Chipotle before even going home because I could not think of anything better right now or ever. I love you all and it has been fun!!!!! It will be nice to see you all again and sleep in my own bed with Ellie by my side. Love you both and can’t wait to see you again good night and have a good time without the most fun person of all.
We can’t wait for what’s to come, and everyone is enjoying getting to know each other and bond as a group! Mahalo for following along – talk soon!
Until next time,
Nate, Rachel, and Janie
Safe Arrival in Kauai!
June 24, 2025
Hello Hawaiian Islands Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has arrived safely in Kauai! 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 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
