The Lowe-down: Ali'i Nui style

The goal of our trip to Hawaii was relaxing and enjoying our time together. While there were many things we could sign up to do, there were just two things that the Big Guy Lowe and I actually scheduled before arriving in Maui. We wanted to make sure we weren't being tied to a schedule. Imagine that--life without a schedule! We wanted to enjoy the beauty and freedom of a relaxing trip. We were so wise in this regard!

During our time in Maui, we had the opportunity to snorkel from many beach sites. Today was going to be different though--we were looking forward to sailing, snorkeling, and good food, all wrapped into one trip! There were many companies to choose from, but I believe we chose the best! We sailed the Ali'i Nui. What a beautiful boat!

We were picked up in the morning and and enjoyed a short drive to the marina where our boat was docked. We were told we wouldn't need to bring anything with us other than our sunglasses, as everything else that would be needed would be supplied on the boat. It was kind of crazy leaving our room without our wallet or keys or anything else, but we found they were right. They had everything for us--snorkeling gear, towels, sun screen, food, drinks. Nice! When we were planning this trip, we had a few different options for destination. We didn't want to go to a location where lots of people and boats were going to be so we chose the sailing cruise that took us to a secluded reef that was a turtle cleaning station--meaning it was a natural stopping area for turtles as fish would swim and eat their shells clean. Interesting! Because the reef wasn't easily accessible from the beach, we were told it would be in beautiful condition.

We were very excited!

First we enjoyed a leisurly sail out to our location.

We started in the front of the boat, but decided to head back to the rear of the boat where there were fewer people. Look at this hottie I found!! :)

The crew was great and kept us laughing throughout the trip. Once we reached our 'destination reef ', we donned our snorkeling gear and headed in. Just a side note, we had been doing so much snorkeling up to this point on our vacation that I had open sores on both feet where my rented fins had rubbed blisters raw. I became very proficient at bandaging my feet to keep the sand out while providing some buffering. Both the Big Guy Lowe and I were impressed with the quality of gear that was provided. My feet were happy too! And the snorkeling was great!

We enjoyed a wonderful day of snorkeling on a beautiful boat. I would definitely recommend people taking a trip to a reef that is more protected. Pristine coral, beautiful fish, the love of your life and good food make for an amazing day!

Our day on the Ali'i Nui came to a close, but we enjoyed a surprise treat that helped us remember the beauty of that day. While driving down the coast heading to the airport, I noticed it was about the same time as our trip on the Ali'i Nui. I was curious if we might see the boat. We did!