Watching the river go by

An outrigger canoe on the Hanalei River. Photo by David Lansing.

Years ago—like in the early 90s—I paddled a kayak up the Hanalei River. Back then, there was just this one little guy from Hanalei who had a handful of rentals and he’d hang out at the beach by the pier and for a few bucks he’d let you take out one of his sit-on-tops. I remember spending about an hour or so paddling back to a little fern grotto at which point the river became too shallow and narrow to go any further. Not once did I see another person on the river that day.

Now there are all kinds of vendors in Hanalei where you can rent kayaks, outriggers, aqua cycles, and stand-up paddle boards. There are a couple of vendors right along the highway as you’re driving into Hanalei and a couple more down by the pier. I thought about taking a kayak out one morning but changed my mind after watching a guide try to give paddling instructions to a dozen Japanese tourists who obviously didn’t speak any English. Since the river is so narrow, the idea of fighting my way through the throngs of kayakers getting their first lesson seemed less than inviting.

Instead, I went over to the Dolphin restaurant, which is right on the banks of the Hanalei River, and had some fresh ahi poke and a local beer. I sat at one of the outside tables, munching on my poke and watching the river enthusiasts slowly pass by. Sometimes it’s mo’ bettah, bro, to stay on the bank and just watch the river go by.