Tuesday, July 1, 2025
AJ and I woke up early, ready to conquer Ka‘ena Point. We called for our car, and I pulled up Google Maps only to discover that Ka‘ena Point was twice as far as we thought it was. So, in true “everything happens for a reason” fashion, we pivoted and decided to visit Waimea Falls instead.
We arrived early, parked the car, finished our drinks, and strolled to the visitor center. After paying $25 each, we stepped inside and were told it was just a leisurely 30-minute walk to the falls. AJ and I stretched that into a magical three-hour adventure.
Our journey began inside a thatched hut lined with timelines, plaques, and educational displays. I stopped at a display featuring a photograph of Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Beneath her image were a few paragraphs telling her story about how she ascended the throne in 1891 and devoted herself to preserving Hawaiian sovereignty and culture. In 1893, she was overthrown by a group of American and European businessmen, backed by U.S. Marines, in a coup that ended the Hawaiian monarchy and led to annexation by the United States.
Despite being imprisoned in her own palace and stripped of her power, she never stopped advocating for her people. She composed music, including the iconic Aloha ʻOe, which is both a farewell to her reign and a love song to her homeland. Standing there, reading about her grace, dignity, and quiet resistance in the face of unimaginable loss, I couldn’t help but cry.
While we stood in the hut, a local volunteer approached us and handed us ambassador cards. He taught us the word Kuleana, which means “responsibility,” and explained how it’s everyone’s responsibility to care for the land, just as we would care for our own home.
He then shared more history with us.. how the U.S. lease on Pearl Harbor had expired, and despite Hawaiians asking them to leave, the U.S. stayed in non-compliance. Hawaii, he explained, charged the U.S. billions in back rent. He spoke with clarity, kindness, and respect as he explained that Waimea Valley is sacred land, protected and untouched by development (one of the few places spared from resorts).
We continued walking slowly through the valley, stopping at nearly every botanical garden we passed.
We explored the Palm Meadow, admired the hibiscus gardens, and followed the river through lush, green landscapes that have flourished since the valley’s ancient floods.
We wandered through huts once used as sacred spaces by men, and others where families slept. Inside one hut, we learned the phrase Malama, meaning “to nurture and protect,” and even received a pin to commemorate our educational efforts!
By the time we reached the falls, we realized we couldn’t swim because we hadn’t applied reef safe sunscreen. Instead, AJ stopped for shaved ice at a little stand while I watched a woman teaching visitors how to weave head crowns.
On the walk back to the car, we exchanged greetings with the many little Anolis sagrei lizards we encountered along the path.
Before we left, we stopped to say goodbye to our new local friend, who gifted us one final word to take with us: Pono, meaning “righteous” and “correct.” Feeling recharged, we made our way back to the resort.
Later, we joined everyone at the pool for our cabana day. Lynn had reserved three day beds in addition to the cabana, though we ended up spending all our time lounging on the beds, eating, drinking, and relaxing while the kids splashed around. I hopped in the pool to play with the kids for a while too.
Our server surprised us with the cutest little coconuts filled with coconut water,
which Andi and I happily enjoyed.
In the afternoon, AJ and I snuck back to our room for a quick nap before meeting Jon and Andi on the shoreline. Jon had a line cast in the water while Andi explored the tide pools. We even spotted a few sea turtles bobbing along the shore.
I snapped some photos of Jon fishing
and couldn’t stop staring at the stunning view from the shoreline.
We headed back to our room to freshen up (I made sure to wear my Descanso Beach Club hat, proudly representing Catalina), then met up with the family at Beach House to watch the sunset.
As the day came to a close, Andi and Ava decided to crown me with the nickname Uncle Coconut, adding me to their delightful collection of aunt and uncle nicknames.
It was a perfect, unforgettable last day on Oahu.
The Life of Babeman 
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