Reminiscing on Maui!
June 19, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
The last few days have been the perfect ending to an unforgettable trip! We were up bright and early to hit the waves one more time, and it was amazing to see how much everyone had improved since our first lesson. The swell was a little bigger this time, giving everyone the chance to put their new surfing skills to work. Simmons absolutely dominated on the surfboard and caught some awesome waves, while Ella loved getting to talk with our surf instructor, Austin, from Argentina all about soccer and the World Cup between rides!
After surfing, we headed back to camp where the LODs went with Duke and Valarie to Walmart to grab everything for our Olympic cookout. Back at camp, the girls spent the afternoon tanning while the boys tried their luck fishing off the shoreline. Wells and Ava loved relaxing in the sun before Olympics and even had Georgia queue up Slater Nalley’s songs so everyone could enjoy some music while they soaked up the sunshine. Hayes even caught a crab on the beach that everyone crowded around to see, adding one more memory to a week already full of adventures.
One of our favorite parts of camp has been watching the boys pile into their ENO by the water, laughing and talking together for hours.
Then it was time for Olympics! We geared up in blue with face paint and bandanas while the other teams rocked red and black. We battled it out in spikeball, relay races, soccer, and “Don’t Touch My Shoe,” and Team Blue fought hard all afternoon to earn second place overall! Jace and Liam absolutely dominated the spikeball tournament to bring home gold in that event, while Wyatt gave everything he had on the soccer field and made sure our team came away with the win. The wind had other plans for our grill-out, so we celebrated with Chick-fil-A instead before wrapping up the night with MoonUp.
The next morning came even earlier-before the sun was up-as we headed out for our snorkeling boat tour. We climbed aboard to warm cinnamon rolls and fresh fruit while everyone slowly woke up, but the cold ocean water definitely finished the job! We snorkeled five different spots and saw endless colorful fish beneath us. Charlie and Jace wasted no time jumping in to swim with the sea turtles, and they and Georgia had so much fun counting how many turtles they could spot. Wynn was the very first person to try the famous “water elevator” and quickly became the leader as everyone else followed behind to give it a try. We wrapped up the adventure with sandwiches, an exciting boat joyride, and some incredible sightings of dolphins and even more sea turtles.
After the boat tour, we packed up camp before heading out for ice cream together. Then everyone had a blast exploring the thrift store to find funny outfits for the luau. Louisa and Greer especially loved thrifting and found matching Hawaiian shirts that made everyone laugh.
That evening at the luau was one we will never forget. The group loved spending time with everyone while listening to local Hawaiian musicians, and everyone was amazed watching the fire breathers and traditional dancers perform.
We finished our final night back at camp by grilling dinner, roasting s’mores, and gathering together for our last long Moonup. The conversations stretched late into the night as the kids played cards with the leaders and soaked up every last minute together. Before we knew it, it was time for our banquet brunch at IHOP and one final trip to the airport.
As we head home, our hearts are so full. From surfing and snorkeling to Olympics, MoonUps, sunsets, card games, laughter, and so many conversations, this trip has been one we will never forget. We are so thankful for every single student and every moment we got to spend together. We already miss this group more than words can say, and we can’t wait to see how these relationships stay in each of their lives long after Hawaii. What an incredible 2 weeks it has been!
Thank you all so much,
Georgia, Valarie, and Duke
Obsessed With The Ocean!
June 16, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
The past few days have been full of sunshine, laughter, and memories that our Maui family will never forget! We have embraced every adventure that has come our way and continued to grow closer with each passing day.
Our surfing day was a highlight of the week! Ella quickly became everyone’s biggest cheerleader in the water! She set a great example, and encouraged everyone to keep trying until they stood up on their boards. Seeing everyone celebrate each other’s successes made the day even more special, and it was such a wonderful moment for us to witness as leaders.
One morning, we headed out excited for paddle boarding, but Mother Nature had other plans as the ocean swell was a little too strong. Instead of letting the change in plans slow us down, we spent time exploring the old lava rock formations left behind by the island’s dormant volcano. It was incredible to walk across the rugged coastline and imagine what the island looked like thousands of years ago. We were very appreciative of everyone’s positive attitudes and adaptability.
One of the crew’s favorite stops was this one beach we went to, where Hayes and Wyatt had an absolute blast playing “Over Under” in the waves with the rest of the group. The smiles and laughter could be heard all across the beach, as everyone enjoyed the beautiful afternoon together.
Next, we went shopping in the afternoon, which brought more fun adventures, as we explored the little town of Paia! The boys had a great time stopping by Rip Curl and left with new shirts and hats to remember the trip. That evening, we surprised everyone with a pizza dinner out, which was the perfect way to end a busy day together.
We also spent time at an ocean conservancy institute, where we learned about protecting Hawaii’s sea turtles and coral reefs. It was very educational, and the group was very intrigued! Louisa and Charlie especially loved this experience and were fascinated by looking through the microscopes to watch coral eat. It was amazing to see everyone become so invested in learning how to care for the ocean around us, which everyone has grown such an appreciation for during this trip!
After that, we surprised the group with breakfast for dinner followed by a talent show that had everyone laughing until their stomachs hurt- truly the best feeling. Wells and Ava were the perfect hosts for the evening, even coordinating matching outfits and fully committing to their roles as MCs. Their energy kept the crowd entertained all night long, as everyone showed off their unique talents.
The next morning, Wynn took over as Leader of the Day and made sure everyone started the day with excitement and enthusiasm. He blasted music through the speaker, while everyone packed up and got ready. This definitely got the whole crew dancing (even before breakfast) and it set the tone for an awesome day.
Back at camp, Greer has stepped into the role of camp guitarist and has worked hard learning new songs for the group. She has already decided she wants to save up for a guitar of her own when she gets home.
Simmons has also been a bright light for our Maui family, rallying the troops with a smile while serving as Leader of the Day, and making everyone’s day a little brighter with her positive attitude.
One of the most memorable nights of the trip came when Wynn, Liam, and Jace decided to cowboy camp under the stars. They spent the evening counting shooting stars and soaking in the beauty of the Hawaiian sky before falling asleep outside!
Each day continues to bring about new adventures, closer friendships, and incredible opportunities to grow together. We are so thankful for this time on Maui and cannot wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store for our amazing group.
Thank you!
Valarie, Duke, & Georgia
Simmons- Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity! Love you and see you soon!
Greer- Thank you for sending me here! Love you
Ella- Thank you so much for the amazing opportunity to go on Moondance!
Louisa- Thank you so much for shipping me off!
Charlie- I appreciate your generosity for sending me on this amazing trip!
Wells- I’ve learned so many new things, thank you!
Ava- Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. Love you!
Wynn- I’m having a great time, thank you so much!
Wyatt- Yo Mom and Pops, thanks for sending me!
Liam- Thanks Mom and Dad for sending me. I’m having a lot of fun, just went surfing!
Jayce- Thanks so much for sending me on this trip. I’m having a great time!
Hayes- Thanks so much for sending me. I’m having a great time. Can’t wait to see y’all!
Soaking up the Sunshine!
June 10, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
The past few days have been filled with laughter and growth! On day “0” our Maui family grew twelve members larger. Hayes was the first to arrive, and we were pumped to meet him! At the airport we ate chips, fruit snacks, apples, and turkey sandwiches and got to know each other. Name games ruled the day. Once we had our crew, we hopped in the van, and made the journey to our campsite.
We were greeted at our campsite with chickens chirping and waves crashing on the beach. We enjoyed a delicious pizza dinner with salad and held our first end-of-the day debrief, “Moonup”. During Moonup, we selected our first leaders of the day (LODs), which would help coordinate activities for the next day. Wynn and Wells were selected as the first LODs. Both of them were thrilled to take on the role and jumped into planning their Moonup for the following day.
The next day we had an early wake-up. We also gained Louisa after she came in late that night, and everyone was so excited to greet her! During breakfast, Wyatt and Simmons helped carry our breakfast muffins and yogurt drinks to the crew. The group laughed about the obnoxious rooster that woke everyone up a little too early… and devoured their breakfast. After breakfast, we got in the van and made our way to the beach to go kayaking and snorkeling. We listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the car. The LODs made sure we were using reef safe sunscreen and that everyone had their supplies for the day.
While kayaking, the group worked out their arm muscles! Ava, Greer, and Louisa laughed hard when leaders Georgia and Val flipped over in their kayak when trying to turn around. Everyone’s favorite moment of the day was seeing a sea turtle while snorkeling! The turtle came right up to our group and stopped to see us. Ella was overjoyed in the water when this occurred. Jace, Liam, and Charlie practiced equalizing and diving deeper when snorkeling. During Moonup that afternoon, Ella and Wyatt were selected as the LODs. They stepped into the role quickly, making sure the camp was cleaned up before everyone went to sleep.
The next day, the group went repelling. Simmons was extremely excited about this and was reassuring the group that they would be alright and that they would have fun! Ava was nervous at first but ended up being a repelling natural! Each member of our Maui family did three repels. Two of them were down waterfalls! The group also had a blast swimming in the waterfalls afterward. Liam, Jace, Wyatt, and Charlie attempted to swim under the waterfall, but they were sprayed and pushed back to the rest of the group. Wells, Louisa, Ella, and Greer enjoyed jumping into the water and looking inside the cave near the falls. We ended the day going to a local Maui farm! On the farm, we learned about the history of crops in Maui and how to keep soil healthy. We harvested ingredients and cooked a watermelon salad, tacos, and banana ice cream with chocolate chips. Everyone licked their plates clean 🙂
While at the farm, Wells tried watermelon for the first time! Wells loved it and said she would definitely be trying it again. One of the farmworkers brought their puppy, and Greer, Ava, and Louisa had fun playing with him.We are getting into the groove of things here, and we are beyond excited about the days to come! Adventure awaits us on this beautiful island surrounded by smiling faces and good energy.
SHOUTOUTS:
Hey! How are y’all doing? I’m having a great time in Maui, this place is awesome! We saw a bunch of turtles while snorkeling. I can’t wait to tell you all about it, love you! – Charlie
Hi Family, I miss y’all! I am having a ton of fun in Hawaii! Excited to tell y’all about it! – Hayes
Hi Family! I’m having a great time. Thanks so much for letting me go on this trip! Happy Birthday Dad. – Jace
Hey Guys! Your pancake making queen here having the time of her life! Everything and everyone is awesome! Maui is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. – Simmons
Hi Fam! Having a great time. I miss y’all. – Wynn
Hey Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun! I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. – Wyatt
Hi fam and friends! I miss and love y’all! We have done so much fun stuff and Maui is so beautiful. P.S. Tell Finleigh I miss her! – Greer
Hey Mom and Dad! I am having a lot of fun and can’t wait to tell y’all all about it! – Liam
Hey fam! I am having so much fun and I love y’all so much! We went sea kayaking, snorkeling, repelling, and we went to a cooking class. – Ella
Hi fam! I’m having so much fun! Yesterday, I repelled down a waterfall and I swam with turtles! – Wellsie
Yolo fam! I’m having the best time ever! I have met so many new people and I love them! We swam with turtles. Love you so much!- Ava
Hi fam! I miss y’all, but I am having an amazing time! Maui is so pretty. Love y’all! – Louisa
Safe Arrival!
June 7, 2026
Hello Maui Families!
We heard from our leaders last night that the group has landed safely in Maui! Please remember that our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will post trip updates throughout the trip! This will allow you to follow along with their adventure. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
