Would you trust this man with your life?

 We blasted across cobalt blue swells with Captain Zodiac on our way to Kealakekua Bay, one of the top ten snorkeling spots in the world.  Our skipper had a demonic gleam in eyes as we shot out to open waters. I bounced a foot, or two off the seats of our rubber craft holding on to lifelines to avoid being dumped in the drink.

“Land is the other way,” I yelled over the roar of the outboard motor.

“Thought you might like to see some whales.” he said with a sly smile.

After spotting a few flips of tales in the distance, he careened the boat toward the shore of the Big Island where jagged black walls of crusted lava meet the sea.  Our captain slowed the engine as we glided into the serene bay where Captain James Cook met his demise at the hands of Hawaiians. We were greeted by about a hundred petite spinner dolphins doing back flips, triple spins and riding in our wake five abreast!

He cut the engine and told us to jump into the translucent waters teeming with sea life in front of Capt. Cook’s monument. Below the surface a colorful array of fishes going about their business in the pristine coral reef didn’t seem to mind the big-footed fish padding above them. A moray eel slithered into a crevice making himself invisible to passersby.  A lone turtle swam through the underwater scene where I spotted rainbow parrot fish, wrasse and clouds of bright yellow tang.

 Once back on board we were told that the walls above the bay are filled with the bone of great chiefs. A young boy was lowered on a rope to place them there. When the deed was done, the rope was cut and the boy plunged to his death.  He also explained with accurate and vivid detail why the great navigator was stabbed in the back.  I was glad that his rendition supported my theory that it was justifiable homicide.

Enough talk. Next, we were off on a full-throttled ride on the back of huge swells crashing into caves and blow holes sending huge plumes of white into the sky.  An abrupt halt in a small crescent bay brought us to a fierce looking rock face attached to a reclining torso said to be an altar where sacrifices were made to the volcano goddess Pele.

 Jack, our second in command, lay prone to help us imagine her voluptuous outline.  I’ve done more research than I should into sacred sites on the Big Island and this one was news to me.  I was very excited to make this discovery, but I think it might have been a story our Captain thought would make for a more exciting ride. This spectacular day with Captain Zodiac is part of the all-inclusive “Un-Cruise” Adventure holiday aboard the Safari Explorer.

Life Beneath the Apple Tree in Descanso Gardens

Breath of spring

Lifting white blossoms

Floating like snowflakes

Blanket green grass.

Trill of song birds

With their excited message

Spring is here!

Spring is here!

Glad flowers lift

Pretty faces to the sun

Shush whispers the creek

Listen to my story.

The clang of the tiny train,

The squeal of children on board

As it winds through shady glens

Brightened with shocks of pink.

Blossoms perfume the air

By Linda Ballou

Armchair Travel Book Club Debut in the "Bu"

I am pleased to host the Armchair Travel Book Club  on Wednesday, April 24, 7 PM – 8 PM in Malibu at the Bank of Books.   

Linda with Ann Lambert Manager of Bank of Books

I selected Hold the Enlightenment, by Tim Cahill, for my first selection because Cahill’s style is conversational, entertaining, well-researched and often LOL funny. Tim, one of the founding fathers of Outside Magazine, says his stories are about "remote destinations oddly rendered."

Tim Cahill author of 9 travel collections

To Learn More go to www.BankofBooks-Malibu.com and click on Book Clubs

Point Dume Village, Heathercliff Rd. #109, Malibu, Ca 90265

310-457-5699

Un-Cruise Highlights on Around the World Travel TV

I was most pleased to be guest on Around the World Travel TV/Radio.  In this interview I share highlights of my “Un-Cruise Adventure” on the Safari Explorer in the Hawaiian Islands. The journey begins at Lana’i, the sweetheart isle, with whale watching on the way to Maui, a hike in the the sacred Halawa Valley on  Moloka’i and snorkeling at the foot of Captain Cook's monument in Kealakakua Bay on the Big Island.   These are just a few of the incredible experiences to be enjoyed in this all-inclusive holiday. This video is just my segment. For the complete program go to www.atw.tv archives.

Lana'i-The Sweetheart Isle

Manele Bay-Susan Summerbell Chval

  Lana’i is a two-resort Hawaiian Island where people like Bill and Melinda Gates go to get married. The posh Four Seasons Hotel overlooking Manele Bay’s tranquil white crescent beach is where I met my fellow “Un-Cruisers” waiting to board the Safari Explorer. As I strolled the graceful grounds to the beach, lovers snuggled in cabanas and sipped fruity drinks. Seeing them made me a little sorry to be traveling solo, but a dip in the deliciously warm water and a snooze under a handy umbrella washed away those cares and the stress of a long flight and ferry ride from Maui. 

Manele Bay is home to hundreds of spinner dolphin who rest here after a night of hunting. It is also a top snorkel spot. The 150-foot Safari Explorer delivered us to Shark Fin Rock off the southern coast for a morning of snorkeling among thousands of tropical fishes floating in shafts of light.

Three thousand lucky souls live on Lana’i year round in the trim village of Lana’i City located in the cooler, higher elevations in the center of the Island. An afternoon shore excursion included a stop at the Lana’i Culture and Heritage Center which houses artifacts of native Hawaiians dating back to 350 AD through the days the island was owned by Dole and cloaked in fields of pineapple.

Sweetheart Rock 

The Koele Lodge nestled in the forest above Lana’i City is modeled after a country English estate. Cruising through the property’s golf course with its spilling cascades and elaborate gardens makes it easy for one to forget about anything else going on in the world. With only 30 miles of paved road, there is little to do on Lana’i except play golf, hike, swim, fish, dive, horseback ride, or read a good book. Since the days of old, Lana’i has been a satellite of Maui and served as a playground for royals. Billionaire Larry Ellison who recently purchased 97 percent of the island appears to be carrying on that tradition.

Our last stop on Lana’i called for a stroll up 80-foot Pu’u Pehe, or Sweetheart Rock, where legend says a heartbroken warrior leaped to his death over the loss of maiden so beautiful she brought mist to the eyes of anyone who gazed upon her. He had left her in a sea cave that was washed clean in a storm sweeping the lovely wahine to her death. He built a rock monument to her and then joined her in the watery depths. Today, sweethearts come here to make their vows to a love that lasts forever.

Moloka'i Welcomes the Safari Explorer to her Shores

Mouth of Halawa Valley - Moloka'i

Moloka’i, a small but majestic island in the Hawaiian chain, has remained aloof since the days of old. The north shore’s monster surf crashing against the highest sea cliffs in the world have kept many a visitor away. But, around 650 AD early Polynesian voyagers guided here by the brightest star in the heavens discovered the verdant Halawa Valley framed in protective cliffs. They lived in the valley in splendid isolation for about 900 years evolving in distinctly different ways than migrants on the other Islands. Moloka’i became known as the Island of Powerful Prayer. It was the go to place if you wanted to enlist the services of an “ana’ ana” priest to send a malicious spirit on an errand, or to pray your enemy to death. 

Honi Greeting

The road to Halawa traces the southern shoreline and provides views of fish ponds constructed by early Hawaiians. They engaged in sophisticated aquaculture and built over seventy-three fish pools enclosed in rock walls along this coast that is protected by the longest reef in U.S. waters. Hina, the moon goddess said to be the mother of Moloka’i, watched over her people and made sure their fish ponds were full. The road starts to climb and becomes a heart-catching one-lane highway overlooking a vast expanse of cobalt blue before descending to the valley floor.

 Our group from the Safari Explorer was greeted by a Hawaiian elder who sounded the conch and provided us with offerings wrapped in ti leaves to be placed on an altar. He then honored us with a traditional “honi” greeting before we were allowed to enter the sacred valley. As we hiked up the ancient path shaded by a canopy of enormous vine ensconced mango trees, we passed by the rock walls and terraces built by the early settlers. After a picnic and a dip in the pool beneath double-tiered Mo’oula Falls we reluctantly headed back to our home for the week.

That evening we enjoyed a gracious buffet of local culinary treats, authentic music, and a prayerful hula at the Moloka’i Museum and Cultural Center. The people of Moloka’i have staved off over-development and want to retain their Hawaiian heritage, but are opening their hearts to visitors. The 150-foot Safari Explorer, with a limit of 36 passengers, enjoys an exclusive relationship with the people of Moloka’i who do not allow any other cruise line to dock in their harbor. There is only one hotel on the island and the restaurant in it is closed for remodeling.  The “Un-cruise Adventure” which includes two days of exploration on the island is by far the best way to see the wonders of Moloka’i.

In my travel collection Lost Angel Walkabout, I have more about the land of Mo'o!

Solutions for Serious Sun Lovers

Sun Lover's Paradise

“If you insist on being outdoors, you will have to take special precautions,” my dermatologist warned. When the sun comes out so do I. I simply can’t bear to be indoors when the birds start singing. I head out to hike along a sparkling creek shaded by stately sycamores, or to stroll the sands of Malibu. So, what is the solution?

First I put Face Cotz, a water resistant cream that contains Titanium and Zinc, on underneath my skin-toned makeup. This way I am certain to have some protection even if I’m just on a casual walk in the neighborhood.  This allows me to carry on daily affairs without anyone noticing that I am wearing protection.

Sun Salutation

If I am going on a real hike where I will be outdoors for extended period of time, I put the more intense SPF 58 Cotz Plus on under my makeup which is 100% free of chemical sun screens and oils with a hint of skin tone in it that blends translucent into my skin. I carry Total Block with UVA/UVB in my fanny pack that comes in a handy travel 2.oz size. I use this rich cream for emergency re-applications when on a walk with no shade, or at the beach. It dries clear is not sticky and is hardly noticeable on my skin.

Living in sunny southern California means I can be outdoors all year long. It also means the sun is aging my skin pre-maturely and I need to be more careful.  Soon, I will embark on an “Un-Cruise” throughout the Hawaiian Islands aboard the Safari Explorer. While this promises to be a trip of a life-time with kayaks, snorkels, paddle boards and skiffing included, it will also be the ultimate test for my skin care products.  Highly water-resistant Aqua Sport that retains its SPF qualities after 80 minutes of activity in the water will definitely be aboard the yacht with me.

Fun to Come

All of the Cotz products mentioned contain zinc, but they don’t put a sticky white film on my skin like other products I have used that contain zinc. My dermatologist stressed that zinc is a critical component in serious protection against the sun’s harmful rays.  Hopefully, the precautions I am taking along with a big brimmed hat and UVA/UVB sun protection clothing will allow me to enjoy the warming and rejuvenating aspects of the source that gives life to us all for many years to come.

For babies delicate skin try Badger which contains only natural ingredients, including Chamomile and Calendula. All of the Cotz sun protection products are available at Coolibar.com

Proof Positive the Universe Will Provide!

 

I was feeling blue about spending so much time marketing Wai-nani, High Chiefess of Hawai’i, and thought I was losing touch with what had inspired me to write her story in the first place. I longed for the sensuality, sustenance, and nurturing that comes when I am in what Mark Twain dubbed “the prettiest fleet of islands ever to lay anchor in the Pacific”—the Hawaiian Islands.

Then, in my email appeared an invitation for an “Un-Cruise” with American Safari Cruises throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Spending a week on a smallish ship with a maximum of 36 other passengers; stopping in sleepy lagoons on Lanai, Molokai, Maui and the Big Island to snorkel over coral reefs teeming with flamboyant fishes; kayaking; paddle boarding or skiffing sounded like this adventure travel writer’s idea of perfection.

Experiencing “moana,” the grand and vibrant sea, like the early Polynesian voyagers is a thrilling prospect for me. Not only would I be immersed in the elements; sun, balmy breezes and heavenly, cobalt blue water, I would not have to hassle with where I would sleep that night, or where I was going to eat. Was I dreaming? No! American Safari Cruises had already conjured up the perfect holiday for me with forays on land to sacred sites of historical significance.

OMG! I just completed the creation of Wai-nani’s Wayfinder—a map of sacred sites on the Big Island that I am giving as a gift to those who purchase a copy of Wai-nani. Could anything be closer to my heart?

So, this is why I say be careful what you ask for. You are liable to get it, and then the question becomes are you ready to meet the answer!

I promise to return brimming with warm "Aloha" and ready for a fantastic New Year!

Message from the Guardians of Old Hawai'i

Mikilani Young

I got my much needed “Aloha fix” at Mikilani Young’s creative presentation of the guardians of Hawai’i, or Aumakua. 

I

It was a delightful fusion of traditional hula and powerful images of old Hawai’i. Mikilani did a voice over a slide presentation telling the myths and legends behind the dance that ensued. She explained that animals embody the spirits of departed loved ones who come back in dreams with messages to protect the living human. I thoroughly enjoyed her well-informed telling of the Hawaiian story.

 The dancers in her hula halau range from scene stealers who are about four years old to aunties still graceful in their senior years.  Flowing movements of the more experienced dancers in stunning red velvet gowns graced with white shell leis was mesmerizing. I enjoyed the variety of music and dances from Kahiko, the ancient dance to drumming and chant, to modern hip swinging hula and left the event filled with warm aloha.

Authors Shine at the Bank of Books

It was great fun sharing Wai-nani, and Lost Angel Walkabout at table with Kaira Rouda at the Local Author Fest sponsored by the Bank of Books in Malibu. Fast becoming a community hub, Bank of Books with it's cozy coffee bar and welcoming staff is the place in Malibu to find stimulating books and meet new friends. Thank goodness for this new Indie Book store that gives us a place to shine.





Delores- the God Mother of Malibu, made everyone smile with reflections about her life in Malibu over the past 44 years. She came from Brooklyn, started with a food truck and is now the author of a local classic "The Malibu Cook Book."