Started out sunny but breezy. We wanted to try snorkeling at Macena Landing, but when we got there the wind was such that the waves that were breaking onto the rocks where we wanted to snorkel so we decided to try Ulua Beach again. Same thing when we got there so decided snorkeling wasn't to be today. We had planned to go to Wailea Shopping centre afterward so it was off to the shopping centre. Very upscale and always interesting, but the art stores are way above our budget. After spending time talking to the art dealers and admiring the products in the store, the call of coffee was too great to stay so we headed back to the condo. After coffee Linda packed us a lunch and we headed off to see the Iao (I think its pronounced "ee-oh) to see the needle rock. As always a nice leisurely drive on the highways. It only took about 1/2 hour to get to the valley. In this valley king of Hawaii slaughtered the Maui men using cannons taking from European ships, in his second attempt to conquer Maui and unify the islands. The valley is a narrow opening in the hills where there is a rock which looks like a needle standing upright separate from the surrounding hills.
After climbing up to the observation platform, 133 steps which is child's play to some to the stairs we had to go up in Europe this fall, we started taking the paths which follow the river. There was a young family on the path, and the dad was shaking a tree bringing yellow fruit down along the path. He told us it was guava fruit and broke one open to show us and gave us one to try, not bad, but later we were told the red ones that looklike strawberries are much better. On the way back home we stopped at a craft market. Some crafts but more things made in China for sale which looked Hawaiian. That was disappointing. As soon as we got back to the condo we got ready for the beach. We covered all the b-b-b-b-bases being beach, beer, books and boogie boards. While the snorkeling wasn't on, the boogie board riding was a blast, and having a beer afterward was just perfect. The high breaking waves were perfect for a long fast rides to the shore. We both thought it was fantastic. We had booked a restaurant for dinner as kind of an anniversary outing. We wanted to watch the sunset first before going for dinner. After getting dressed we were ready to head out. I looked at the sky and the storm which we watched most of the afternoon up Lahanai way looked to be moving down towards us, so I asked if Linda thought we need to bring our coats. She didn't think we needed them. As we walked along we both agreed that because of the clouds moving in there wouldn't be a sunset so we decided to go to the restaurant and see if we could get in. Not a problem, but as soon as we sat down the heavens opened up. We think that maybe twice before we have seen rain like that, once during the tornado in Edmonton, and once in Mexico, but nothing like it ever in the lower mainland. The restaurant is covered but open. Shortly after we sat down the rain and wind were so bad they came around and told us the restaurant was closing. As we left the puddles were so deep the water was over my shoes. We tried another restaurant and was told it would be at least 20-30 minutes so we decided to hoof it back to the condo. Within seconds we were soaked through and the coats wouldn't have helped. Water on the streets was up to the curbs, and this was maybe 10-15 minutes after it started.. As we turned up our street water was shooting up in the air over a foot out of the street storm drains. Crossing streets leading onto the main road was like crossing previously dry stream beds during flash flooding. The amazing thing was that we each had small part of our clothing still dry when we got back to the condo. So instead of a nice dinner at a restaurant it was a microwave dinner.
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