Kihei Deep Water Aerobics with Sara Zfit is Alive and Well

It has been four years since I first attended Sara Zfit's deep water aerobics at the Kihei Aquatic Center in Maui.  Since then the class has grown considerably and Sara has added music to the workout which makes it even more fun than before.  She also now has a mic system so noone has any problems hearing the instructions for each exercise. Classes are every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:30 to 11:30. Everyone is welcome from locals, to visitors to snowbirds so it is interesting to meet people from all over the world.

Sara Zfit and her Deep Water Aerobics Class

  For people who want a more intense workout, with fewer people, Sara now offers an advanced class every Wednesday from 11:45 to 12:20, right after the regular class.

A sampling of regulars at the Advanced Class

Sara with Sunny (her substitute instructor)

Read about Five Good Reasons to attend Sara Zfit's Deep Water Aerobics Classes.

The Kihei Aquatic Center is located at the top of Lipoa street in Central Kihei.  Fee for the classes are by donation, as Sara does not get paid for this by the county.  Suggested donation is $5.00 per class.

Sara Zfit is also a certified personal trainer and a certified group fitness instructor.  She gives personal training sessions at her home based gym, and instructs belly dancing, a Chi Stretch Class and a Silver Chi Fit class at the new Exergy35 Fitness Studio in the Island Sands Building on South Kihei Road.

For more information visit Sara Zfit's Blog.

The Pride of Maui Morning Snorkeling Excursion to Molokini and Turtle Town

Last week I was back on the Pride of Maui for the morning Molokini Snorkeling Excursion.  My sister Syl was visiting from Canada and we were longing for a special adventure together during her stay. It was a no- brainer to choose the Pride of Maui because I had already experienced two great trips with them.  It is Maui's largest most stable maxi power catamaran which is a good quality when you are out on the wide ocean with sometimes unpredictable conditions.
We were up bright and early to arrive for the 7:30 check in at Maalaea Harbor and received the usual hearty welcome from the crew.

After finding a seat on the upper deck we made our way below for a wonderful continental breakfast of coffee, juice, fruit, homemade muffins and fresh croissants with jam. Yum!

On the way out to Molokini Captain Scott told us that the crescent shaped island is actually a volcanic crater which is partly submerged in the water. It is an underwater sanctuary for marine life and the island itself is an uninhabited seabird sanctuary. We started to get excited when he told us that the visibility can be to 150 feet and there are 250 species of fish to be seen.
The Pride of Maui crew was very busy getting us ready for our Molokini snorkel adventure and made sure that our masks and fins fit just right. We had an option to rent wetsuit tops for $10 and Syl and I decided that it would be a good idea to make sure we kept warm.

The trip also included an option to try snuba and crew member Kiwini, who is also a captain, gave a presentation telling us all about it. Snuba is a hybrid between scuba and snorkeling and anyone can try it as long as they are eight years old or older. Instead of carrying a heavy tank on your back, you breathe through a device on a hose which is attached to an air tank on a raft that floats on the surface.  Dive master James was also on board for anyone who wanted to scuba dive.  Of course you have to be a certified diver for that.

Dive Master James

Kiwini telling us all about snuba

Ryan was the official photographer for the trip and was in charge of renting out underwater digital cameras which you can use in the water or out.  He offered a package which allowed you to be part of a video of the experience and also to receive your very own CD of photographs which he takes throughout the day, both underwater and on deck. Syl and I thought it would be fun to rent the camera and capture our own shots.

Finally we arrived at Molokini and Captain Scott gave a snorkeling lesson to anyone who wanted it, while the boat was being secured.

Captain Scott gives a snorkeling lesson

When we were given the okay to enter the water, crew members Amy and Carlos were right there to help us defog our masks and to lend a helping hand if needed.

After Syl and I splashed in and got our bearings we were amazed at how crystal clear the water was.   We saw lots of different and colourful fish (well maybe not quite 250 species) and the coral was so pretty.  We managed to get quite a few good pics with our rented camera.

While the rafts floated on the surface, Ryan was busy taking photos of the people who had chosen to do snuba. It looked like a lot of fun.

Snuba Rafts with Oxygen



Snuba at Molokini Crater

We snorkeled at Molokini for around an hour and then it was back on the ship for everyone.  Scotty, our chef for the day was busy barbequing burgers, hotdogs and chicken for lunch. We were ravenous after snorkeling so we both chose the cheese burger. We also had a delicious pasta salad and raw veggies with ranch dip. Many mahalos to Scotty for the great lunch.  Carlos was his side kick helping dole out the food.

Over lunch I enjoyed chatting to the Sander family from Chicago. Nine year old Eric said he thought Molokini was awesome and that it was pretty cool to see a real reef and all the colourful fish. He said that he dove down to look at the sea urchins more closely. He and his brother William were looking forward to trying snuba at our next stop. Six year old Katie said she loved snorkeling and saw black, yellow and blue fish.

Julie and Reinhard Sander with William, Eric and Katie

Now we were on our way to Turtle Town off Makena beach for our second snorkeling location.  On the way we spotted quite a few whales doing their thing, an extra bonus on our trip. Unfortunately we weren't quick enough to get any whale photos.

Turtle Town - looking towards Makena Beach

Julie Sander tries snuba with her son Eric

When we got to Turtle Town, Captain Scott showed us where the reefs and caves were so we would swim to the best spots to find turtles.  I swam over a very pretty reef, but had no luck seeing any turtles. Syl said she saw the biggest one she has ever seen in her life, and many other people were lucky. Crew member Takako was out sitting on a raft to help point out the turtles to us.

Green Sea Turtle - compliments of Ryan

The reef was so pretty

After a while it got a bit rough and wavy so we headed back to the ship.  Life guards Scotty (also chef and bar tender) and Takako were making sure that everyone was safe. The Pride of Maui has warm showers and it felt good to wash off the salt water once we were back on the boat.
As we got underway again to head back to Maalaea Harbour the bar opened and Takako came around offering us all some cookies, a welcome treat after all that swimming. There was an open bar and you could choose from juice, soft drinks, wine, beer on tap or Mai -Tais.  Syl and I toasted this wonderful day with a nice glass of white wine.

Takako offers us cookies

Captain Scott

 I had a chat with Captain Scott and he told me that he started as a crew member on the Pride of Maui 25 years ago and now he is not only a captain but the general manager for the business. Syl and I were really impressed at how fun, friendly and helpful the crew were during the whole excursion.

Crew members Amy and Carlos

Carlos with First Mate Reed

On the trip back we chatted with the Owen family, also from Chicago.  They had two children under the age of seven so I asked them how The Pride of Maui snokeling tour was for people with a young family. Matthew said that they were happy with the trip and they really liked the fact that the boat was so roomy and stable. They said that the staff were very helpful with the kids, and they appreciated that flotation devices were available for anyone who needed them. His wife Nancy commented that they were both able to enjoy the snorkeling locations by taking turns being with their children Clara and Ellis.  Matthew mentioned that you needed to be a fairly competent swimmer to do this trip, espcially at turtle town where it can get a little rough.

Matthew and Julie Owen with kids Clara and Ellis

Ryan showed us the video he had taken throughout the day starring everyone on board who had paid for the video option.

 Sylvia and I can't say enough good things about our Pride of Maui Snorkel Trip and we took home many memories of the special time we had together. The boat is always a treat to be on, and the ultra friendly staff made it so enjoyable. Not to mention the great food, warm showers and all the options they offer you to upgrade your experience. We were both very happy that we rented the wet suit because the water was a bit chilly. Also I really feel the cold so it was perfect for me. Oh, I forgot to mention that part of the ship has a glass bottom so if you didn't want to go in the water, you could still see the marine life that was under the boat.

As we approached Maalaea Harbor we felt a little sad that our adventure was over, but we knew our memories of The Pride of Maui Molokini Excursion would last forever.  It's a hui hou for me because I know I'll be back on the Pride of Maui sometime in the future.

For more information and to book an excursion visit the Pride of Maui website. You get a discount if you book online. http://www.prideofmaui.com/

Artist Jim Freeheart Paints on Keawakapu Beach

Keawakapu Beach is one of my favourite Maui beaches and the other day we came across an artist painting in front of a fantastic natural backdrop of sand, ocean and the distant islands.  It was such a picturesque sight that I decided to have a chat with him to find out what he was all about.

The artist's name was Jim Freeheart and he told me that he was working on a commissioned painting of two little girls playing in the waves. It was just beautiful!!

Beside his easel, Jim had a blanket laid out on the beach with a sign that said free art lessons for children. One of his passions is helping inspire children to follow their dreams.  Today he showed his little class how to draw a dolphin. As a retired elementary school teacher I found it heartwarming to witness the patient, gentle and encouraging way that he related to the kids.

Jim told me that he has a studio in Maui Meadows and some of his paintings are on display in various Maui galleries. He spends about five months in his Maui home base and the rest of the time travelling to various other states and countries to paint other local scenes. Starting in May he plans to go on a road trip to Canada where he will do some paintings of Vancouver Island. Since we are from that area I am hoping that we will see him this summer.
If his Maui art is any example of how he can capture the essence of a place, then we will look forward to how he interprets our north pacific coast of Canada. He had some of his Maui paintings on display and they are very impressive.

I really like Jim's outlook on life.  The following quote from his website says it all.

"I wish to say that my gratitude for the creative gift I was given is inexpressible! The opportunity to highlight some of this world's magnificence and perhaps inspire others to cherish life is such an honor. My greatest hope is that each of us finds our own unique inner gift and expresses it fully! All gifts are equal, though many are not so visible as that of painting. Living our gift is our service to humanity and a pathway to inner peace. Life is like a canvas, we choose our palette and brushes and composition. Regular thoughts of love, harmony and gratitude will form a luminous masterpiece!

Each work of my art carries a star-shaped symbol beside my signature that means to me-"Celebrate the Gift of Life"!

For more information about Jim Freeheart and to see his online gallery visit his website.

Maui Personal Training - Sara Zfit - Personal Trainer - Z- Fitness Health Spa

Sara Zfit has been a certified personal trainer for 10 years and now offers training from her home based gym in Kihei, Maui.

I observed her with two of her clients and was very impressed by her knowledge in body sculpting  (muscle toning which focuses on core strength) and most importantly her ability to cater to each person's special needs.  This fully equipped gym has a variety of different machines and equipment and because most of the machines are multi functional, they provide a complete range of exercise for any personal fitness program.  George Mateljan has been going to Sara for personal training for the last few years, and told me that she is an excellent personal trainer and really knows her stuff.

The focus for George was mainly to strengthen his core and legs.  He began his workout on the treadmill for 10 minutes and then proceeded to the Vigor Fit machine where he did a seated row for back and stomach strength.  Then I watched him go to a re-bounder to do squats, while holding 8 lb dumbbells. After that he did leg extensions on the total gym and one legged squats on the Pilates Platform.  Next he went to the bench press where he did flat and incline chest presses with a barbell.  By this time I was beginning to feel tired just watching him.

Re-bounder squats with dumbbells

George ended his workout on the Vibro Pro oscillating vibrating machine for helping the lymphatic system. It also tones the body, strengthens core muscles and is helpful for losing weight. This is a ten minute workout which claims to provide the body with the equivalent of a one hour workout in ten minutes time.

On another day I observed Joe from Orange County California, a snowbird who spends around three months a year on Maui.  I asked him what motivated him to have personal training. He said that all you have to do is go into a hospital and see what can happen if people don't keep in shape. After he had some health issues himself, he got really serious and attends many classes and personal training back in California. He was very happy to find Sara on Maui and says that she is an outstanding personal training instructor with a great variety of equipment that has something for everyone.  Watch a video of George and Sara below.

Joe started out on the recumbant bike which focuses on cardio, legs and core and then went on to some strength exercises including the chest press in different positions, exercises on the pilates platform, and pulling weights on the total gym. She also did some mat work with him at the end of his session. Watch a video of Joe and Sara below.

Sara demonstrates pulling weights on the total gym

Sara Zfit gives personal training by appointment only. Her rates are calculated on an affordable sliding scale of $40 to $60 per hour.  To make an appointment with Sara call her at (808) 419-2025
Sara is also a certified group fitness instructor and teaches stretch classes, water aerobics, dance, zumba, belly dancing, classes for active older adults, and silver'n fit. For more information about Sara as a personal trainer or fitness instructor on Maui visit her website
 

Polynesian Adventure Tour to Hana Maui

It was bright and early in the morning when Joyce and I boarded the small bus that was to take us on our circle Polynesian Adventure Hana Tour north to Paia, east to Hana and then around the south of Maui to Kula in central Maui. We met John, our driver and tour guide and then we set off to pick up more people.  Finally, 17 of us were loaded on the bus and our adventure began. Our first stop was just past historic Paia town at the Hookipa lookout. Originally a fishing village, Hookipa means hospitality and we found out that it is still living up to its name. We received a warm welcome from Gen who was waiting for us with a light breakfast of coffee, juice and sweet rolls. As we munched on cinnamon buns we enjoyed the wonderful view out to this popular wind surfing beach.

Gen with our breakfast

Hookipa Lookout

John was like a "driving/talking" encyclopedia as he shared historic tid bits and pointed out various interesting landmarks and vegetation that we would otherwise have missed.  Fascinating to me was seeing the remains of an ancient 4' wide foot path that used to circle all of Maui, along the shoreline. In those days the wheel hadn't yet been invented, so there were no wheelbarrows or carts. Eventually this became a popular horse riding trail.

 John also told us that in the year 2000, President Clinton declared the road to Hana a Millenium Legacy Trail, which means that any repairs or restoration, have to be as originally built.  We saw proof of this later, at one of the 52 one lane bridges that had recently been restored. As part of the Millenium Legacy a monument was made out of rocks collected from every community along the way, and the communities names were inscribed into the rock.  Speaking of the 52 one lane bridges, they have a reciprocal yeilding system for taking turns that seems to work very well.  I know because we never crashed into anyone.

On the road to Hana

We stopped at the interesting village of Keana'e where there was a school, formerly a prison built to house the prisoners who originally worked on the road to Hana. Shark's Tooth Bay had huge waves that crashed into the rocks, and as we looked out to the ocean we could see the cliff that Steve McQueen jumped off in the movie Papillon, which was partly filmed on Maui.

Shark Tooth Bay

In the distance is the cliff that Steve McQueen jumped off

It started to rain, but we didn't care because after all we were in a rainforest, which is why we were able to enjoy the lush green vegetation and beautiful trees and flowers. This part of Maui gets over 200 inches of rain per year. 
My favourite tree was the African Tulip Tree which has beautiful red flowers that resemble a tulip. There were some purple flowers on the side of the road called Touch me Not, and John told us that if you touch the leaves of this flower, they shrink. Hemanta volunteered to give this a try and sure enough John was telling the truth, even though he was full of a few tall tales as well.

African Tulip Tree

Hemanta touching the leaf of the Touch Me Not

We saw some beautiful rainbow Eucalyptus trees, from Australia, lots of Monkey pod trees, Bamboo, Kukui nut (the state tree), Breadfruit, and the Pandanas Tree, also called the Hala tree. Hawaiians use the leaves of this tree to weave beautiful baskets, hats, mats, fans and many other useful items. We also saw Koa Trees, which John said are almost extinct. The Hawaiians used to use the wood from the Koa tree for their outrigger canoes and surfboards and now the wood is mainly used to make highly priced furniture.

As our adventure continues we came to the half way to Hana marker.

Half way to Hana

We passed many beautiful waterfalls and ponds.  The native Hawaiians used to fish with their hands in one pond that was inside a cave on the side of the road.

Looking back at the Hana coastline

John has a great sense of humor and betweeen watching the breathtaking scenery and listening to his funny stories, before we knew it we were approaching Hana. We turned off just before the village and went into Waianapanapa State Park. Waianapanapa means "glistening water" in Hawaiian and has much to offer. The views here are amazing and there is a black sand beach, ocean caves, easy walking trails, fresh water pools and a blowhole.  It is also a camping area and there are cabins you can rent. We started off to explore the caves, however we got caught in a torrential downpour so we hurried quickly back to the bus. John entertained us by conjuring up some mongooses, as he had earlier promised he would do.  He threw pieces of cinnamon bun onto the pavement and "voila" they came running out of the foilage for a feed. Apparently the mongoose was introduced to Maui to kill mice and rats but nobody had put it together that mongooses are daytime creatures, whereas rats and mice come out at night, so the idea didn't work. By the way, a lot of us were wondering about the plural of mongoose so I looked it up and yes it really is mongooses, not mongeese or monghi.

Looking towards the black sand beach

After the brave souls who had endured the rain returned to bus, looking like drowned rats, we made our way into Hana town.  First stop was for lunch at the Ranch Restaurant. 

Since we had a gold ticket our lunch was included in the tour. For those who didn't pre-pay their lunch they had a variety of choices including eating in the restaurant,  purchasing food from an outside stand, or  getting something from the general store.  We had lunch with a nice couple from Minnosota, named Mike and Marie. After lunch we had a bit of time to look around. Here are a few photos of Hana.

The historic Hasegawa General Store

Local Residents

Hana Gift Shop



Hana Post Office

John, our driver and tour guide

I almost forgot to mention that along the way John pointed out the homes of many well known celebrities including Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Jim Nabors, Woody Harrelson (of the sit-com Cheers), Oprah Winfrey, and Owen Wilson. Of interest is that in 1989, Mike Love of the Beach Boys purchased the 5 acre Lindbergh estate from Charles Lindbergh's widow for 1 million dollars. We drove right by the gate to the estate. It seems that all these famous people enjoy getting away from the madding crowds. I wonder why?

Now we were back on the bus and heading for the Pools of Oheo (7 pools).

Pastoral countryside just past Hana

On the way we stopped to see a magnificent 100 foot waterfall called Wailua Falls.  On the side of the road were some venders selling jewellry and local crafts. Joyce bought a nice basket made out of Hala leaves.

Me with Wailua Falls in background

Joyce buying her Hala basket

Soon we came to Haleakala National Park and the Pools of Oheo.  An interesting story and one I had never heard was that Nelson Rockefeller's brother David had purchased the 7 pools way back when, and 3 days later he donated them to the Hawaiian people, so now they are part of Haleakala National Park.

It was still raining so luckily for us the visitors centre had lots of interesting displays, Hawaiiana books, and souvenirs to keep us out of trouble.  I bought a mug with a beautiful painting on it.  There were also puzzles by the same artist.

My souvenir from Haleakala National Park

Visitors Center with Pandanus Tree on the right

 Pools of Oheo

Before long we were back on the bus and heading towards Kipahulu, the resting place of Charles A. Lindbergh. The next stop was a local farm that had a funky little hut selling fruit, drinks, snacks and various other interesting things.  There was a girl cracking macademia nuts for people to sample, and some cacao papaya at a whopping $6.00 a pound. Apparently you can grind the seeds and they taste like chocolate.

Cracking Macademia Nuts

On the grounds there was a most interesting circle of bamboo creating a room in the middle. Joyce thought that it would make a great spot for meditation.

Joyce and Carolin in the bamboo circle

Breadfruit tree

Now off to Kaupo which used to be a thriving fishing community but now has only one store and a couple of churches.
The Kaupo General Store is owned by Linda, who has been on Maui for over 30 years. John had filled us in with a few stories about this colorful character so it was fun to meet her in person. Read more about the history of Linda and her store in Maui Magazine. The store was like a museum with antiques on display and interesting things to purchase such as bamboo tee shirts. We had a great time looking around and Liz, from BC Canada, said that for her it was the most interesting part of the tour.

Historic Kaupo General Store

Linda, the store owner

Carolin from Germany

Back on the bus it was time for a group shot.  John had mentioned that Linda sold individual bottles of beer so it looks like one of us took advantage and had himself a cold one.

As we drove by St. Joseph Church there was a sign that said celebrating 150 years.  Built in 1862, the church served a large population of Hawaiians.  It was built near the ocean because most of the people came to church by canoe.



St. Joseph Church in Kaupo

After we left Kaupo we were suddenly aware of the contrast between the lush vegetation we had just seen, and the desert side of the island. It seemed very barren and desolate in comparison. We were treated to a beautiful rainbow which made everyone's day!

Anita holding up the rainbow

The desert side of Maui

Five miles of the road on this side were very narrow and bumpy, but John was so entertaining we hardly noticed and before long we were on newly paved road.  Apparently the state is paving one mile per year so all the bumps will be gone before long.

Soon we had made our way around and we could look down on the last lava flow on Maui, and out to the island of Kaho'olawe and Molokini crater, which John said is apparently the most popular tourist attraction on Maui for snorkeling and diving excursions.

Our next stop was the Tedeschi Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch. Those who felt like sampling wine did a tasting and some people read the historic posters or wandered around the gift shop.

Rose, Leila and Liz from the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia

Wine tasting at the Tedeschi Winery

Across the road from the winery was the Ulupalakua Ranch Store, selling everything from snacks and drinks to cowboy and cowgirl attire, to funny signs as well as many souvenirs.

Ulupalakua Ranch Store

Now we are on the home stretch on a normal two lane road. Up ahead is a beautiful Jacaranda tree.  They are just starting to bloom so now is the time to take a day trip to Upcountry Maui.



John delivered all of us safe and sound to our respective hotels and condos.  It was a long day, but everyone

was happy that we survived the road to Hana and around.  I know now why they say that this trip is all about the journey, not the destinations.  Mind you, I loved seeing all the quaint Hawaiian villages so reminiscent of how it must have been here 150 years ago. It was like going back in time.

I recommend the Polynesian Adventure Tour to Hana and beyond for the following reasons.

1. You don't have to drive so you can sit back and relax while the driver worries about the curvy narrow road and the 52 one lane bridges.

2. It is so nice to have a knowledgable tour guide, who can point out things to see and relate historic information that you wouldn't otherwise know. John was the best at this and he made it a fun trip!

3. Your tour guide/driver knows exactly where to stop to give you the best experience possible.

4. You feel confident doing the circle tour because the driver is so familiar with the road, having driven it countless times.

5. It is fun to meet people from all over the world.

Read more about this tour or reserve it at:  The Road to Hana Highway Adventure and Wailua Falls Tour