Youth Kayak Trips

I finished my last two-day, two-night kayak trip last week.  I did four of these this summer, for groups of teens visiting Hawaii with their summer camp programs.  I was a little nervous for the first trip, since I had not yet led a trip where we were going, but it turned out great.  The kids were almost universally helpful and well-behaved, excited and interested in what we were doing.  We had a lot of fun, and I was grateful for the chance to hang out with them and soak up a bit of their youthful energy and playfulness.  Their counselors did a great job of managing group dynamics, getting the kids out of their comfort zones and fired-up for new experiences, new challenges, and new friends.  The main group I worked with was Bold Earth-- their energy and management style reminded me of Widjiwagan trips (except my picture isn't on the front page of the bold earth site).  It was great to look in from the outside and interact with these groups.  The program was impressive from this perspective, and it made me happy to think that this is what our Widji trips must have looked like to an outsider back in the day. 
They were really fun trips, though they required a lot of schedule-juggling from my end, and from Bike Work's end.  Thanks to Janet for the accommodations!

Here are some photos I took on the last trip, with my new cheapy waterproof camera.  It might not last too long, and can't go more than 10' deep, but I'm stoked about the photo quality so far.

Lobe coral, cauliflower coral, red pencil urchins, goldring, wana. 

Deep blue sea and a school of black durgon and sargent fish.

Playing on flipped-over kayaks.  Really fun.  Anything to get in the water is great.

The armada, ready for anything.

The view from my tent platform: over the dining area, past the coffee fields, and down to Kealakekua Bay.

Check my picassa page for more photos from this tip.  Got to go to the bike shop!