Off before 7:00am with our friends Michael & Melissa to the harbour at Lahaina to buy return tickets for the ferry to Moloka'i, another of the islands of Hawai'i. On Moloka'i we rented a car for the day & spent the next seven hours touring this small island. Moloka'i is just under 2 hours away from Maui, approximately 38 miles long and 10 miles wide, with a population of 8,100 and a dramatically different culture and economy. No mainland surfers, timeshares or large developments here; this is a much more genuine Hawaian experience with some great views and memorable experiences.
By far the most emotional experience on the island was looking down on the Kalaupapa peninsula, where Father Damien arrived in 1873 to assist the colony that had been exiled to the remote area, suffering from Hansen's disease, the proper term for leprosy. The colony is still active with a dozen afflicted people still living there. The view from the Lookout was a view into history.
Below: Melissa on Moloka'i
David & Marcel met us at the dock when we returned - announced that they had reserved an ocean-side table at Lahaina Prime Rib & Fish Co. restaurant for our final evening together. Our server was from California. David & Marcel are flying back to Honolulu tomorrow for a day before returning home to Canada. We are already talking about Next Year On Maui. It's been great spending time with my youngest brother.
