Aloha!!
June 22, 2025
The last few days out trip have come and gone and we are sad to have to say goodbye to everyone! We have made such genuine and lasting friendships here and have really made the most of our last days together. Here is a recap of our last 4 days in Maui!!!
On our 9th day of the trip we got to go surfing again and get some more lessons on how to do tricks and surf on bigger waves than before. The weather was perfect and we all got to try out surfing with a little more freedom than before. Izzy and Jackson were our two that lead the group on how to surf the best! They were taking on the bigger waves and staying up the entire time! We definitely have some future surfers in our group because some of us were ready for the big leagues like barrel waves and double overhead! After a beautiful morning of surfing we drove back to our side of the island for an afternoon at Pono grown farms. Pono is a farm that grows all their own vegetables, fruit, honey, eggs, and teaches a lot about farming and land to young children over the summer. We got a tour of the farm and then we got straight to work! Maysey Sims was spearheading our carrot picking journey while Alexandra was on top of it making sure that everyone cleaned the carrot properly. We all got to try the carrots and after a quick water break we got a Surprise activity! Pono has a huge water slide that goes into a little pool and the kids were obsessed. We went down time and time again and we got to go down at the same time! Ford and Izzy for sure went down the slide the fastest and once everyone had tired themselves out on the slide we played in the pool at the bottom! The cool water was nice after we had a great afternoon of manual labor. We splashed, dunked, and did all sorts of tricks in the pool before we said our farewells to the wonderful owners of Pono. We went back to camp and told the kids that we were going to just make dinner but surprised them with a trip to the beach! We drove to the beach with all of our cooking supplies and cooked right there on the beach. We split up and some of us swam in the ocean, others cooked our mac and cheese dinner, and the rest went on a walk down the beach and saw a bunch of turtles! We ran back to our car, went home, and needed our great night with moonup.
Day 10 started out with an early morning drive to the other side of the island!! We listened to some jams to get us ready for our morning of hard work at our conservation activity in Kipuka Olowalu. We were given a tour of the area and a run down of what plants were near us. After that we got to work. The field we worked in was filled with invasive plants that are easily flammable and Kipukas goal is to get rid of them and replace them with plants native to Hawaii. Our job was to get rid of as much grass and trees in the area as possible! Alexandra and Maysey Sims got to work on cutting the trees down and celebrated after each one! We worked hard and made a big dent but there is definitely still a lot more work to be done! As we said our goodbyes the Kipuka Olowalu team said that we were the most positive kids that they had ever had! We spent the rest of our day at a new beach, floating around, playing in the waves, and taking naps on the sand. By the end of our day we were all so tired from our hard work that we decided to treat ourselves with some Costco pizza and Caesar salad. The kids were stoked to get an earlier night and not have to clean! We had an amazing Moonup under the stars! The kids all cowboy camped and slept outside of their tents so they got to enjoy them all night!
Trip Update Day 12 & 13
On Day 12 we had our windsurfing morning! In what would be our only water activity on the Northern coast of Maui, on a beach world-renowned for windsurfing. The group showed great determination in getting the hang of it, with very supportive guides and a beautiful day on the Water. Foley was ready to show off his sailing skills from back home and had a blast bringing Some of them to the Pacific ocean. The most memorable moments from the day and even from the trip as a whole would come from that afternoon’s Maui Olympics. Just before ending lunch and heading to the games we treated our group to a pregame snack of Uncrustables to energize our group before the upcoming games. The Maui Olympics are a joint activity between all three Moondance Maui Groups, where our group, Maui C, competes in a variety of games and activities. Some group Highlights include Eve and Alexandra making it to and winning the finals of Birdie in the Perch, Stewart and Emily getting to the end of Don’t touch my rock, and Foley, Eve, Graeme, and Alexandra leading Maui C to victory in the watermelon eating competition. To conclude one of our most memorable days yet in Maui we surprised the group treating them to a dinner at Chick-fil-A. Vibes were sky high, as everyone savored a taste of home and great laughs from the fun day. Graeme and Jackson were making the workers laugh by ordering apple sauces just before heading back to Montessori after a fun memorable day.
Our final full day in Maui would go on to be our most fun and memorable one of the entire trip! We woke up very early to go on our most hyped up activity of the two weeks, snorkeling at Molokini crater with Red Line Rafting! The Red Line rafting group welcomed us on Their boat for what would be some of the most special 4 hours of the entire two weeks. The half Day trip consisted of 5 stops for snorkeling and taking in the beautiful Hawaiian ocean. Molokini Crater, being the most special one of all, with its 200 feet + snorkeling visibility, plentiful ocean Life viewing, and crystal clear water despite being about 3 miles offshore from Maui. Coleman, Ford, and Jackson loved getting up close to the rock shelf and getting to swim close to schools
Of fish. Other notable stops with red line include the elevator current on the far side of Molokini
Crater, and sea caves in a nearby coral reef for whitetip reef shark sightings! After a special day
On the water our group agreed that the best activity was saved for last. Before heading back to Camp to rest up, we surprised our group with a stop for shaved ice/ice cream, Hawaiian style!
We went back and started our camp-wide cleanup! The other groups were coming to our camp for our last night celebration of a Luau! We packed up as much as we could and then we were back in the car for our last activity before the rest of the groups arrived. We went to goodwill for fun thrifted outfits! We all drew names out of a hat to decide who picked who’s outfit and even ran into another group there doing the same thing. Quaid and Coleman for sure had the best outfits in our whole group! Once we got back to camp we had a quick dance party to hype us up and then the other groups arrived! We had hula dancers and singers come and perform for us and a few kids from other groups even got up and got to learn how to hula dance. An amazing Hawaiian barbecue meal was served and once we finished we got to watch a fire dancer show off his impressive skills. Once the other groups left we went to the gas station for tons of candy and snacks that we could eat for our last moonup. We all laid on our backs to watch the stars for our last moonup and we saw at least 4 shooting stars!! We went around saying our favorite things about each other and tried to stay up as long as we could before we got too tired and had to go to bed.
For our last morning we got to sleep in a little before we continued our camp cleanup. Moving and cleaning are never fun but these kids somehow made it enjoyable. Our last hours were spent in the airport playing card games, telling final stories, and saying our tearful goodbyes. These kids were truly amazing and made this trip what it was. Their kindness, gratitude, selflessness, and silly personalities shined everywhere we went and we were told it by every single outfitter. We couldn’t be more grateful for these kids and we will miss them! We hope that their summers are just as fun as these two weeks and that they will keep us updated on their lives! Goodbye to Maui 1C! We love you all!
Greetings from Maui!!
June 16, 2025
We are at the halfway point of our trip and it is so hard to believe! This trip has flown by so fast. These kids have made such an amazing bond, they have us constantly laughing, and we are soaking up every minute we have left with them.
Our past few days have been so busy but so fun! On Thursday we had zip lining and it was so pretty! Foley was a little apprehensive about how fun it would be but once we finished he couldn’t stop raving about how awesome it was. The beautiful views and clear sky made for the perfect adventurous morning! After our beautiful morning we found a beach park with a perfect shallow end to swim in and chat. The kids sat in a circle while playing games and talking. We ate lunch there and Jackson and Ford spent the majority of the time in the water with their goggles on! It was worth it though because they got to see two turtles right at the shore. Once we got back to camp Alexandra cooked us an amazing meal and we rearranged the picnic tables so we could all eat together!!
The next day started bright and early with a drive across the island to go surfing! We got a quick lesson and then we got out on the water. The waves were small but the feeling once you stood up on your board was unbeatable! Eve was immediately a pro and started surfing off to the side without the help of the pro’s pushing her board. Coleman quickly followed with his surfing skills and soon enough everyone was trying to stay up on their board as long as them. After our amazing morning surfing we got a good recommendation for a new beach and we went immediately! The sand was so soft and the water was crystal clear. There was a perfect view of the Molokini crater and Izzy loved it so much that its days later and she is still talking about it. She spent the whole time with Maysey Sims playing in the water, riding the waves, and laughing. We spent the rest of our afternoon on a relaxing tour of a tropical plantation where we got to learn about what plants are grown and what their uses are. We all got some amazing ice cream sandwiches to end our tour and went back to camp for some free time before we had an amazing moonup and bed!
On day 7 of the trip, we had our stand up paddle board day in Makena Landing Park on the South shore of Maui. Our group got up early to take advantage of some of the better weather that morning and enjoyed a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs sausage and pancakes. After an active morning on the water we headed back to Big Beach for a restful lunch afternoon. Quaid once again played spike ball, continuing on his impressive winning streak! After finishing up lunch and enjoying the beautiful weather we headed back home to Montessori to change and shower from our day in the ocean. The group would be treated with a full afternoon and early evening of surprises. Starting by taking the group into Paia for an enjoyable town day. Stewart and Emily had a great shopping in Paia while our whole group got closer hanging out in the town and in the following surprises. We then walked everyone over to Artisan ice cream for our trip’s Ice cream stop. The smell of freshly made waffle cones made it an easy choice. Popular flavors included chocolate fudge brownie, and vanilla sea salt caramel. We followed up with our local food stop at the food trucks in Kula/Makawo Hawaii! Popular options included and Thai food, pizza, seafood/sushi. Graeme and Foley had the best order of the night taking down a massive pork plate with all the fixings together from the barbecue truck. Just when the students thought the night was over, we had one final surprise in store. Just before sunset we made our way up further towards the peak of Haleakala mountain (tallest point in Maui) towards the best public viewing area of sunsets called Lavender Farms. After frolicking in the lush grassy hills, all 15 of us found the perfect viewpoint to watch the pink and orange sunset slip under the West Maui mountains and into the Pacific coast. Ford told me at the very end of the sunset that it was his favorite part of the trip so far. Before driving back to camp for the night Alexandra and Quaid lead a great and thoughtful Moonup that saw everyone grow closer. There was no better way to spend the midpoint of the trip.
On Day 8, we were treated to our most packed morning yet with Griff Dempsey and Aloha kayaks. Griff is a dear friend to the Moondance community, having been a trip leader in the 90s before running his own kayak company here in Maui for the last 20 years. Griff always takes a special interest in care when hosting a Moondance group and we experienced that firsthand. Everyone was fully engaged in Griffs narration of what we were seeing from coastal reef impact to the importance of nearby islands to native Hawaii culture. The two part morning, saw us glide in kayaks through aqua blue water, and reach white rock on the south side of Maui. Before setting down our anchors and snorkeling through a vibrant, coral reef. Due to the impending rising tide, Griff prompted us to be ready for turtle sightings., which Emily took a special interest in. After returning back to shore, Griff gave us an awesome beach recommendation to nearby Maluaka beach. After catching some rays and playing in the waves, we headed back to Montessori for a mid trip clean up of camp. The late afternoon and early evening consisted of heading to Makawo for a laundromat to get all of our clothes freshened up and a chance for students to get a tasty treat. To close out the night the group worked great on a tasty dinner of chicken, and mac and cheese before Graeme and Izzy lead a great moonup under a full sky of stars back at Montessori.
– Cater + Gianna + Aubrey
Checking in from Maui!!
June 12, 2025
Maui 1C has been an amazing trip filled with beautiful views, amazing people, fun music, and constant laughter. We have all been exploring Hawaii and learning about its history from the locals together. Day 1 started off strong, with rappelling down waterfalls. Stewart immediately volunteered to go down first and nailed each one. We all got the chance to jump off the waterfall and into the beautiful clear water. We spent the afternoon at a beach that we had all to ourselves. Alexandra took the lead and made us laugh with all of her creative movie ideas for STAR in the ocean. We played, laughed, and watched the sunset before we went home to cook a late dinner. Coleman was an amazing LOD and cooked us burrito bowls with salsa and guacamole on the side! Ford and Izzy have always been nearby and the first to volunteer for dish duty or any task that is needed. They have been making the boring chore into a fun game by doing “wax on wax off” from Karate Kid and making each other laugh by seeing who can wash dishes best. Our 2nd day we got the chance to volunteer at Maui Cultural Lands where we helped clear weeds and invasive plants alongside a group of Hawaiian kids. Quaid quickly introduced himself and became fast friends with all of them. We worked, learned about why it’s so important to take care of our earth, got to learn some Hawaiian words and plants, and got to hear a traditional Hawaiian song. All the kids worked so hard and we parted with our new friends to go to our Lei making class. We were all exhausted at this point so when we got to Lei making and realized we would be sitting down in a park with a beautiful ocean view we all perked up! We got an array of flowers and free range for whatever pattern we wanted! Foley had the best Lei by far with his meticulous attention to detail and interest to learn more about how to make them. We took a quick picture of us in our leis and then went back to camp. While dinner was being made some of the girls learned how to Hacky sack and the boys played with the football. Maysey-Sims cooked practically our whole meal and it was our best one yet! Jackson and Quaid had a game of 1 v 1 on the basketball court and their friendly feud over the game has been so fun to watch. We had an early night and got some much needed rest before our big day in the morning!
On day three, everyone helped make a big breakfast before we headed out for our first hike! We had the choice to opt for an easier trail, but everyone got together and immediately decided that the harder, steeper hike would have the best reward: the view. Graeme was the first to reach the top, tackling the rigorous trail with constant positivity and ease. All of the kids did an amazing job of motivating and cheering each other on throughout the hike, and we all got to sit together and eat our lunch at the top. After we made our way back down, we rewarded ourselves with a quick beach trip to cool off and relax before heading to our cooking class. We learned about regenerative farming, harvested fresh fruit, and helped prepare a meal of delicious tacos and pineapple salsa. Emily stepped in to help man the stove and inserted herself to offer help with anything she could. We assembled our tacos and ate together and everyone was blown away by the tastiness that their hard work produced. Eve even said that this was her favorite activity so far, and was so enthusiastic about expressing her gratitude to the women who facilitated it for us.
Then we finally headed home and had the most fun car ride yet. We sang and laughed and danced so hard that the van started to shake.
Our group has become so close so quickly, and we are so impressed by their maturity and willingness to embrace this opportunity to truly live in the moment and invest in the people and place around them. We can’t wait to watch as they grow closer as a group and continue to make amazing memories together in this beautiful place.
Until the next update!
– Cater + Gianna + Aubrey
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
