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…

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…

It’s hauntingly beautiful, immensely geographically and culturally significant, and home to more adrenaline-boosting activity options than you could cram into a week. The massive Haleakala volcano is Maui’s highest peak and makes up 75% of the island’s landmass — Haleakala is Maui, in so many ways. Hiking through the Haleakala National Park was one of the…

Those of you who have been around for a while know that Hawaii is a place of almost spiritual significance to me. It brought me back to life at a time when I was feeling lost, and I’ve been scheming how to get back ever since the moment my six week stint there in late 2012…