In the remaining few minutes before needing to return our rental plane for the next pilot, we delighted in a very quick tour of Hāna. On our honeymoon there long before my pilot license, the drive alone was enchanting. We’d lucked out with a convertible and stopped at nearly every waterfall. Often at every wide spot in the road since we wanted to let every car pass because we took turns standing up while the other drove slowly. So a quick tour was ok this time because we saw far more from the air. Like this mystical spot.
3541 Water World
That deep cavern has to be awe inspiring inside, with the roar of water amid moist ancient lava stone. How few people ever get to visit this spot, or even see it briefly as we did? Daunting as the existing highway is for many visitors, it was interesting to see remnants of what is presumably an older road with bridges over magnificent waterfalls.
3549 Amazing Bridge
Even in this quick tour that was mostly above and uphill from the highway, the waterfalls passed too quickly to count. After a rainy season like the one that had prevented us flying here until our last day on Maui, it’s fun to imagine a more careful survey of that slope. Some falls are in close groups with calmer low cascades into soothing pools.
3556 Soothing Waters
Some form into white fingers spreading to caress the rocks in leaps and trickles.
3567 Finger Falls
All too soon we passed the inviting Hāna airport and looked down over the town that seemed barely changed since our drive here some years ago.
3584 Hāna
I’ll spare you the slew of pix as we continued descending along the coast before turning back at the area we’d seen from near the crater rim only a day before. Instead here’s a sample of the beach falls we saw on our hasty return to OGG.
3650 Fresh Falls to Saltwater
Even in the evening shadows this spot begs for a visit, offering solace amid a dynamic meeting of waters. Sea caves in the harder volcanic rock also beckon.
3676 Sea Cave
Some spots bring to mind a slow meandering climb up from the beach into a quiet jungle, where throbbing surf yields to the steady sound and mist of rain water returning in a tumble.
3695 Misty Canyon
Splashes of red flowers inspire a deep breath as my heart imagines a refreshing dive into this pool, and a meditative moment on its shore.
3713 Touches of Red
Rounding a slope toward the sunset, the added light allowed our camera to better show what our eye had cherished all along this quick tour.
3726 Into Light, Into Memory
Minutes later our shadow joined the runway, ending our last GA magic carpet ride over these mystical islands.
3743 Shadow of Memory
From here we’d go for one last family gathering before climbing into a silver jet for magical transportation from this paradise back to the one we call Home.
John & Anne Wiley 
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