It doesn’t take long to realize there is something special about Hawaii. I was trying to explain it to a friend recently, to put in to words why my love for these islands runs so deep. Yes, Hawaii has beautiful beaches and lush mountains and fabulous opportunities for adventure, but it has something more. The people…

I heard a light hum and squinted at what appeared to be a large white whale surfacing in the distance. My eyes widened. This was no sea mammal — it was a submarine, and I was about to board. I’m always surprised when non-divers tell me, “I could never do it, I’m too claustrophobic!” To be…

Packing is probably my least favorite part of travel, and even pulling together a suitcase for something as blissful as ten days in Hawaii usually leaves me writing in agony on the floor of my closet. Still, I admit that this being my second time to the Aloha State, I had a much better idea of…

By the time I arrived in Hawaii I was so desperate to be back in the water it was a feeling akin to homesickness. I hadn’t been diving in four months, which suddenly felt like four years. I couldn’t wait to strap on a tank and descend below the surface. On my previous trips to the…

I have a goal. Someday, at some point in my life, I am going to head somewhere with great waves, rent a shack for a month or two, and surf every single day. At the end of the month I hope to emerge a decent enough surfer that along my travels, I can confidently rent a…

Did you know Hawaii imports 85-90% of its food? As the local food movement has taught us, eating food grown in our own communities is important for the economy, the environment, our health, and our ability to brag about our localganic diets. Snarking aside, one of the highlights of my trip to The Big Island in…