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The online edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin |
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Hawaii’s Back yard Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi |
See Kauai
by Zodiac for
thrilling rideANDY EVANS was an old salt of 19 when he first set eyes on Kauai's Na Pali Coast. It was June 1980, and he had just sailed alone to Hawaii from Ventura, Calif., in a 24-foot sloop. He had grown up swimming, surfing and sailing in Ventura, and to him, Hawaii -- with its gorgeous beaches and legendary surf -- had always had an irresistible appeal.
After anchoring in Hanalei Harbor, Evans hit the waves in nearby Haena. There, by chance, he met Clancy Greff, who was operating Na Pali tours under the name Captain Zodiac. Evans recalls, "Here's this friendly guy who says, 'Hey, wanna join my tour group?' I said, 'Sure!'"
It was Evans' first experience in a Zodiac, an inflatable rigid-hull raft known for its speed and maneuverability. "We stopped at Nualolo Kai, where there are ruins of an ancient Hawaiian village, and at Honopuu to go bodysurfing," he says. "Na Pali blew my mind -- those spectacular green cliffs, caves tucked along the base that you wouldn't see unless you were up close as we were, waterfalls flowing thousands of feet to the sea -- I had never seen anything like it before!"
Evans was planning to sail back to California the following summer to pursue an engineering degree at UC-Santa Barbara. Instead, he wound up staying in Hawaii for good. Over the next four years, he worked for Greff in the summer (Zodiacs can't operate off Na Pali in the winter because of the turbulent wave action) and sailed catamarans off Waikiki the rest of the year.
"Clancy was the pioneer; he really developed Kauai's tour-boat industry," Evans says. "He ran a terrific operation. He never made us take a boat out that wasn't in immaculate condition. He never second-guessed our judgment on when to cancel a tour."
In 1984, Evans started his own tour business, Capt. Andy's Sailing, and this past June, he founded a separate company, Captain Zodiac Rafting Expeditions, under a licensing agreement with Greff, who is now headquartered in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Greff closed his Kauai business in 1998 after then-Gov. Ben Cayetano banned motorized commercial vessels from operating out of Hanalei Harbor to protect the wildlife and rustic ambience of the area.
Long after Greff left Kauai, Evans heard people talking about the thrilling tours to Na Pali. Recognizing the potential, Evans approached his mentor about launching Zodiac excursions there again.
Before granting Evans the rights to use the Captain Zodiac name, however, Greff needed to know that his values and reputation for quality service would be maintained. "I assured him they would," says Evans. "I want him to be proud of what we're doing here."
CAPTAIN ZODIAC Rafting Expeditions currently is running two Zodiacs to Na Pali: the 36-foot, 25-passenger Ihe Kai (Sea Spear), which is equipped with a canopy, a real bathroom and comfortable ergonomic seating; and the 24-foot, 15-passenger Discovery. Evans expects another 24-foot Zodiac to be put in service in September.
On the Morning Expedition aboard Ihe Kai, you can spot marine life, explore sea caves, go snorkeling and glide beneath waterfalls.
COURTESY OF CAPTAIN ZODIAC RAFT EXPEDITIONS
Captain Zodiac takes passengers along the Na Pali coastline, with its 3,000-foot cliffs and past beaches that are otherwise inaccessible.
The Day Expedition on Discovery includes all this plus a beach landing at Nualolo Kai. Once there, you can snorkel, hike or hop back into the raft for further coastal explorations.
Since his first trip with Greff 13 years ago, Evans has been back to Na Pali "thousands of times." In fact, he personally leads tours three to five days a week because "I love it! It's the best part of my day!"
Evans describes the Zodiac excursions as "true adventures. They're wet, wild and really fun, but they're more strenuous than most people imagine. Aside from the time they spend in the water and the beach landing during the Day Expedition, they're on the Zodiac the whole time. This experience calls to that special person who wants to be right on the water, bumping through every wave, getting wet and having marine life within an arm's reach."
On a typical day you'll see sea turtles, rays, a variety of fish and curious spinner dolphins who often swim within a few feet of the raft. "We operate with an 'eco' philosophy, meaning we give them a fairly wide berth," explains Evans. "We also make sure we are conveying to our passengers the uniqueness of the experience; there's no better way to develop a respect for and connection with nature, because you're right in the midst of it."
The Zodiacs zip into lava tubes, sea caves and other places that larger vessels can't visit. It's an amazing journey of discovery -- in more ways than one.
"When you're in this little raft beneath 3,000-foot-high cliffs, that really puts you in your place," Evans says. "You realize you're a very small piece in the grand scheme of things."
Na Pali has been called one of the seven wonders of Hawaii, and Evans credits "Captain Zodiac" with unveiling it to the world.
"All of us who are doing Na Pali excursions now are riding off the magic that Clancy created in the '70s and '80s. I feel it's really important that I follow his lead -- that I have guides who are well trained and vessels that are clean, well equipped and well maintained. I want to uphold the standards that Clancy set. I want to re-create the magic."
COURTESY OF CAPTAIN ZODIAC RAFT EXPEDITIONS
Zodiacs are able to zip into lava tubes, sea caves and other places larger vessels can't visit.
Na Pali Morning Expedition
Place: Meet at Captain Zodiac's office in the Port Allen Marina Center in Eleele. Tour departs from Port Allen Harbor from May through September.Hours: 6:30 a.m. to noon (check in at 6 a.m.)
Price: $109 for adults, $79 for children ages 5 through 12; includes a deli lunch. This tour is not appropriate for children under 5, pregnant women or those with back problems. Kamaaina get a 25 percent discount.
Other tours: Captain Zodiac also offers a Na Pali Day Expedition, which departs daily at 1 p.m. and returns at sunset. Cost: $139 per adult and $109 per child; includes a pulehu (grilled) beef and teriyaki chicken dinner. Three-hour whale-watching cruises along Kauai's South Shore are available from Dec. 20 through April 30. They depart at 1 p.m. daily. Cost: $75 per adult and $60 per child, including soft drinks.
Phone: 335-2719 on Kauai, 800-535-0830 from the other islands
Web site: www.captainzodiackauai.com
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based free-lance writer and Society of American Travel Writers award winner.
