Shakas, Shaved Ice, and Jersey Mikes
June 17, 2025
Aloha, families!
Writing you from the island that never ceases to amaze all of us. Time really does fly when you’re having fun!!! The past few days have been nothing short of joyrides (thanks to Jack Johnson), magical sea creature encounters, perfected shakas thrown every which way, laughter-filled witty conversations, and continuously-deepening friendships.
On Day 6, we had the invaluable opportunity to give back to Maui through conservation work at Kipuka Olowalu. Our incredible outfitters embodied the aloha spirit in its truest form, welcoming us with open arms and kindly instilling in us gratitude for one another and the land that does so much for us. Each student introduced themselves with not only their name but also a mantra they live by – the golden rule came up more than once, something we’ve had the privilege as leaders to see them actually live out each day. (Your kids are truly incredible!!!) After introductions, we got our hands muddy under the blazing sun, thankfully protected by much sunscreen and many, many water-breaks. With tools ranging from hedge clippers to hand saws, invasive plants eroding the sacred land were taken down. Shoutout Bowen, Blake, and Henry for going the extra mile to clear the land from harmful vegetation, ensuring it was a bad day to be a stump. All in all, it was hard work, but everyone tackled it wholeheartedly. The Hawaiian term “Laulima” meaning “Many hands make light work” has been our ongoing mantra throughout the session. After giving it our all, we treated ourselves to the finest beach sandwiches of all by Mister Jersey Mike, followed by well-deserved Hawaiian shaved ice. Sanders selflessly made sure none of it went to waste! The beach was our next destination, and we wasted no time re-applying sunscreen and literally sprinting into the rolling waves. Edith, Rheya, Attie, Parish, Jameson, Mary Claire, Sanders, and Davis blasted Chris Stapleton and Gracie Abrams on the toasty sand while Parker, Brumby, Blake, Bunker, Henry, and Bowen played Taps in the water.
Day 7 was nothing but fun. We woke up early to meet with a Moondance legend, Griff Dempsey.
Griff has helped Maui trips run smoothly for over 20 years now while also running a successful kayak tour agency. Griff and his friend Skye took us out on our 2 person kayaks to see some unbelievable reefs which as Brumby says “crackles like pop rocks”. With Blake and Evelyn leading the way, we had no worries about our journey. It was sunny, the water was cool, and there were turtles everywhere, it was perfect. We snorkeled around for awhile seeing huge sea turtles, colorful coral, eels, and tons of beautiful fish. Bowen Davis and Attie made sure to test their diving skills to get some sick GoPro footage. We also got extremely lucky with a rare inland siting of spinner dolphins! Over 40 of them swam around our kayaks jumping out of the water with their trademarked spin! It was truly an out of body experience. When we got back to land, the group knew we were just getting started, so we went to black rock beach, for a relaxing beachside getaway with a taste of cliff jumping. Sanders Rheya and Edith all gathered the confidence together to jump off the rocks (safely). Their smiles on the swim to shore were priceless. Jameson, Parker, Attie, and Parish sat under MCs lovely shibumi, enjoying the shade and some nice ruffles chips to go with it. We went home to enjoy another version of Davis’s Mexican bowls, and watched the stars as we recapped our day in moonup, while also getting pumped for our next day, led by Brumby and Jameson.
Day 8 was a day of spontaneous fun, long drives, and perfect weather. We enjoyed a nice chill morning and went to Waipulani Becah park to learn the ancient Hawaiin art of hula dancing. We learned about the history of Hula, put on Pa’u skirts and flowers in our hair, Bunker and Henry pulled off the look with ease. We slowly learned how to move like a Hawaiian and how to groove like a Hawaiian, which to Rheya, came naturally. Next, we wanted to explore the jungle and decided to hike to the beautiful Twin falls. We took a short trek through beautiful trees and down ancient pathways and saw 4 different swim-able waterfalls! We even went a little deeper into the woods to find our own little private watering hole and enjoyed our privacy, soaking up rays and washing off in the fresh water. On our way home, we thought we’d stop in Kihei to check out some stuff, the boys made friends with some local shop owners and Bunker extended his extensive collection of fist bumps. Everyone found themselves a little nicknack or two to remind them of their time in Maui. Finally, the group was getting a little hungry, both for pasta, and the beach. So we thought, why not do both! We quickly rushed to camp to grab our dinner gear and made it just in time for a beautiful sunset dinner. We ate our scrumptious Pesto pasta and meatballs under the pink sky listening to the sound of the rocks roll from the waves and sharing stories about our lives. After dinner, Parker suprised the group with ice cream sandwiches and we laid on the rocks and watched the stars until we knew we had to go to bed. Everyone got back to camp with a little smile and a full stomach.
Super excited for the rest of the trip, can’t believe we are already halfway through!
Sincerely,
Parker, Mary Claire, and Davis
Thank You’s!!
Evelyn: Thank you so much mom and dad for sending me on the trip.
Sanders: Hi!! Thank you so much for sending my on this trip I’m having a lot of fun. I miss you so much and can’t wait to see you!
Henry: thank you mom for sending me here. I miss you!
Rheya: thank you so so much mom and dad for sending me on this trip! I’m having the best time! Love yall!
Edith: thank you mom for the opportunity to go on this trip.
Bunker: Mom and Dad, thank you for letting me go to Maui. I am having a blast. See you soon
Brumby: thank yall so much for sending me here. I’ve had a great time and Maui is beautiful. See yall soon!
Blake: I can’t express my appreciation enough for all the work you put in to ensure our happiness over yours. I love you so much mom.
Bowen: thanks so much for sending me to you. Miss yall so much.
Jameson: Thank you sooo much for giving me this opportunity for something I’ll never forget. I love + miss yall so much!! I’m having a blast. Much love 🙂
Attie: Thank you so much for letting me come to Maui, Mom + Dad! It has been amazing and an incredible opportunity.
Parish: Thank you so much Mom + Dad for letting me come to Maui. I’m having so much fun and have made so many new friends + mems. I love and miss yall so much! mwah
Aloha!
June 15, 2025
So far, Maui 1A has been nothing short of spectacular. We welcomed the kids to Maui outside of the Kahului Airport and although it was a long and hot day, the kids did not fail to keep the energy up. All three groups mingled and played games like shake N pop and Hackey Sack! Blake and Bowen even beat our masters (Joe and Parker) in an intense round of “death sack”. Blake ended up winning in a famous moondance veggie off (he reenacted a terrified tomato). Everyone bonded over pizza and snacks until all the flights landed safely and we headed to the campsite! We split into our tents and had a lovely moonup by the water, listening to the waves crash, discussing what our trip was gonna look like, and finally picking our two LOD’s: Sanders and Parish!
Day 1 in Maui started off with early morning breakfast burritos from Davis and Chef Henry. We used the energy from the burritos to help us through our beautiful hike through honokowai where we worked with Maui cultural lands to clean up their sacred sites from invasive weeds. The job wouldn’t have been finished if it not for Edith’s skills with a sickle. While we worked, the kids talked to our guides about their lives and movies, and asked questions about the nature surrounding us. We learned how native Hawaiian trees like the Noni have tons of medicinal purposes like treating jellyfish stings and ankle sprains. Later in the day we went to La Kahea farms and learned how regenerative farming can lead to some pretty amazing meals. Our guides let Brumby and Bunker pick our fruit for dinner and then they taught us tons of cooking skills. Jameson cheffed up our chicken tacos, Edith and Sanders cut our fruit, and MC and Evelyn made us some fresh pico to go with it! We shared stories over the freshly squeezed sugar cane juice with lime. To end off a great day we had a moonup in the grass and chose our LODs, Bowen and Attie!
Day 2 was just as packed as day 1! We woke up bright and early, grabbed a quick bite, and headed straight for the beach to shred the morning waves! Our amazing outfitters taught us how to surf and every single person not only got up, but road all the way to the shore! You’d never know it, because she’s too humble, but Evelyn can seriously catch some waves! And of course Sanders casually stood up on every wave I saw him go for. We grabbed some much needed snacks on the way home to grab some clothes for our next farming excursion at Pono grown. Evan taught us about the importance of sustainable farming and its importance to the community of Maui. He then gave us a tour and let all the kids harvest the newest batch of carrots for Saturday’s farmers market! Rheya, Attie, and Parish worked hard to make sure they got every last one, and Davis and Brumby cleaned them so they could be ready to be sold. After a long days work, Evan suprised the kids with a sweet homemade water slide! It was endless fun. I think Bowen and Attie must’ve gone down it at least 30 times! Shoutout Henry for snapping pics of everyone that day! We thanked Evan for his time and headed home for an amazing Mexican dinner from our LODs. They then handed off their duties to our new leaders Bunker and Jameson.
Day 3 was a day of leisure but excitement! Ziplining through the mountains of Maui! We got to sleep in this day, and as a reward Parker cooked up some delicious pancakes and eggs. We ziplined for hours, telling stories and listening to the reggae tunes from our amazing guides. Brumby conquered his fears and learned to love the views! Sadly, I’m still not sure who won the zipline competition, Bunker, Evelyn or Rheya!? We got back to the ground but the kids weren’t ready for the day to end! MC drove us up the scenic Road to Hana to see a hidden gem of Maui, the Nakalele Blowhole! The boys reenacted famous Star Wars fights along the beautiful coastline as the sun set in the background.
Day 4 was one of our best! We woke up to yet another great morning of Parker pancakes and set off up the Road to Hana. The long drive gave us more time to listen to good music, everyone got their song suggestions. Brumby showed off his country music knowledge and sang his heart out to Jon Pardi.
Today we did canyon rappelling through the jungle at one of the most gorgeous places in the world called the Garden of Eden. Attie, Blake, and Edith almost got job offers after the guides saw how well they descended through the waterfall. We swam, looked at crawfish, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. After a long morning, we earned a beach day. We enjoyed the rays and the big waves. Henry and Parker spotted 5 huge sea turtles while all the girls tanned and took some awesome group photos! The kids deserved a sweet treat so we drove through the town P’aia and all got some ice cream! We ended the day with some stir fry noodles and Oreos for dessert. Congrats to our LODs for tomorrow, Edith and Henry.
The trip has been absolutely unreal, we have learned hard, worked hard, and most importantly played hard. We grow closer everyday and our job as leaders gets a little bit easier. Thank you parents for giving us the opportunity to spend time with your kids, and grow alongside them. We are extremely grateful just for the opportunity to wake up in Maui every morning.
Sincerely,
Davis, Parker, and Mary Claire.
Shout outs!
Bowen: happy Father’s Day big pops. Miss you mama
Evelyn: happy Father’s Day dad i miss you so much and mom too I can’t wait to see you guys love yall so much
Parish: Happy Father’s Day dad!! Love yall I’m having the most fun! Love 💗 And miss yall💋
Attie: happy anniversary mom and dad! I love yall and am having the best time!!
Henry: Hello mother, we have 6 or 7 days left! Tell Walter I say hi 👋. Love you.
Jameson: Happy Father’s Day dad!! I love yall so much and miss yall. Having the best time! Love yall lots and lots xoxo
Edith: hi!!! I’m having so much fun it’s beautiful here I love yall tons
Sanders: Hi mom and dad and sterling miss you so much!!! I’m having so much fun and I can’t wait to see you soon! Happy Father’s Day dad 🧑 love you 😘 💕❤️
Blake: Sup mom and dad, everything is going great, having the best time. Love you.
Brumby: Hey mom and Dad. I’m having a lot of fun. Not using my fleece hoodie (you owe me $20 mom) Hola Norma!
Bunker: Hey mom and dad, how have yall been? It’s like the 6th or 7th day here. I have been having a blast in this beautiful weather. Can’t wait to see yall
Rheya- hey!! Miss yall lots and hope all is well! I hope dad is doing better. I’m have so so much fun and miss you lots! Love yall!
Safe Arrival!
June 9, 2025
Hello Maui Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Maui! 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
