To see more of Anna and Sam's engagement visit our new blog --> www.nicolewasko.com/blog

To see more of Anna and Sam's engagement visit our new blog --> HERE To see more of life behind the lens with the Wasko's --> www.nicolewasko.com/blog

To see more life behind the lens with the Wasko's visit our new blog --> www.nicolewasko.com/blog

Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album Wooden Wedding AlbumWooden Wedding Album

Meet our adorable next door neighbors from Santa Barbara...Mariella, Steve and Gizmo! 

Meet the Van Vleit's

Ceremony: Santa Barbara Courthouse

Bouquet: Whole Foods Market

Dress: Etsy

Rings: Zales

Thanks to Monica for being a great second shooter!

Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film Santa Barbara Wedding Photography on Film

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

Ceremony: Santa Barbara Courthouse

Bouquet: Whole Foods Market

Dress: Etsy

Rings: Zales

Thanks to Monica for being a great second shooter!

Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding

Scott and I had such a great time photographing this couple because they were so natural together. I encouraged them to hold hands in order to make a visual connection in their photographs. I think it is important to show connection between a couple especially during an engagement session. We cannot wait to photograph their wedding on the sand in Santa Barbara this August!! Congratulations again Linda and Harrison. 

Cheers!

Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park Linda + HarrisonSan Diego Engagement Session Balboa Park

Venue: Rancho La Patera & Stow House, Goleta, CA

Food/Rentals: DJ's Catering

Photo Booth: SB Photobooth

Officient: Weddings by Christine

Hair & Makeup: Joyce Kim

Photography: Nicole Wasko Photogrpahy

Cake, Flowers, Decor: DIY

Here's to Jessica and Andy! A big congratulations and many more happy times to come. 

Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach

Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach

Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach

Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach

Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach

Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach

Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach Santa Barbara Maternity Photography Portraits at the beach
 

This blog post is for entertainment only (and maybe a bit of information gathering). We are not backpacking experts, and don’t recommend you follow what we did as a good idea at all. So we hold no liability if you hurt or kill yourself or others while reenacting the tale below. In fact, we would encourage, nay, implore you to not repeat what we did, how we did it. There’s probably much better, safer, and saner ways go about this endeavor than we did. But if epic is what you want, then yeah, sure, make the same mistakes we did and get yourself into trouble. Danger is fun. 

Kalalau Trail Kauai PART 2

Miles 10 - 11:

As luck would have it, we couldn’t have timed our arrival to Kalalau Valley any better. The beach was still one mile away, but we made it to the overlook just as the sun was beginning to set and offering the best light possible for photos. The DSLR had pretty much been relegated to the backpack since Hanakapi-ai Beach at mile 2. We definitely got it out now and took some of the most amazing shots from the entire trip!

Kalalau ValleyTaking in the sunset

Sunset from Kalalau TrailOne mile from the beach Kalalau ValleyPanorama of the valley at sunset Kalalau ValleyScott enjoying the sunset and the view of Kalalau Valley after 10 miles of hiking. Kalalau ValleyNicole resting after 10 miles. Only 1 to go!

Lingering just as long as we felt comfortable, we began the hike down the red dirt ramps towards the ocean. At this point, my knees were screaming, but I was too happy to care. It was with about a half mile to go when we decided it was a good idea too break out the head lamps. Unfortunately, we did have one last major stream crossing left, and it was certainly a bit sketchy doing it in the dark.

Once we made it to the other side, it was pretty much a straight shot to the campground by the beach. We knew we’d arrived when we saw all of the other tents set up by other backpackers. Not wanting to disturb them, we carried on for a little while, past the toilets in the middle of the campground, to the far side. Once we found a nice, open spot it was a delight to take off our packs for the last time that day, knowing we wouldn’t have to put them back on. Somewhere in the distance, we could have sworn we heard a goat shriek, shouting out a death cry after being shot by a homemade bow and arrow.

Day 1 - Kalalau Beach evening:

We set up the tent without any problems, and I wandered off to find the waterfall at the far end of the beach to fill up our camp reservoir with water to boil for dinner. We inhaled our rehydrated meal and crawled into our tent, fully expecting to fall asleep almost immediately. That did not happen.

Whether it was due to being wired from the trail, not yet being used to sleeping in a tent again, or having a full belly of rehydrated Jamacian jerk chicken and rice, I don’t really know. What I do know is that neither Nicole nor I were sleeping at all. Rather than waste the opportunity, we decided to head down to the beach to look at the stars and maybe take some photos. We were incredibly fortunate that it was cloudless night and a new moon. With the lack of light pollution at this remote location coupled with the weather and moon conditions, the stars were absolutely phenomenal! Neither Nicole nor I know the first thing when it comes to astrophotography, but with stars like the ones we say, even n00bs like us could get away with some pretty nice shots.

Kalalau Valley StarsISO 1600, 40mm, f/4 25sec Kalalau StarsISO 1600, 40mm, f/4 25sec

After about 45 minutes or an hour, we decided it best to force ourselves back to the tent to get some sleep. I feel I could have just sat out there and looked at the stars until the sun came up.

Day 2 - Kalalau Beach morning: 

The next morning it was time to dawn our bathing suits and explore the beach! As we unzipped the door of our tent the sight we were greeted with was… penises (penes, actually is the correct plural of penis, but that’s a relatively obscure fact). In the darkness of the previous evening, we didn’t realize that we’d set up our tent right next to the hippy encampment. They were up early, wandering around and letting it all hang out, literally. We grabbed the cameras, our bathing suits and towels, and ran to the waterfall for a morning shower, trying to avoid the unwanted scenery. The beach itself is a marvel! Rather than write about it, I’ll let the photos and captions do the talking.

Our Campsite at Kalalau BeachNight 1

Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiThe waterfall at the far end of the beach, closest freshwater source for the campground and a nice place to shower off the grim of the trail!

Kalalau BeachWalking to the caves at the west end Kalalau BeachBetween two cliff faces at the west end Kalalau BeachLooking back towards the east end (the direction we hiked in from) Kalalau BeachThe cliffs beyond the sand on the west end are only accessible by boat/kayak

Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiCave at the west end of the beach. Looked like some cool bouldering to be done, if it wasn't so wet... Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiEven in late April, the shore break was pretty rough Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiTime to do some posing for the camera! Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiSuck in that gut! Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiPanorama of the beach shot from the west end Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiTurtle's nest freshly hatched Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiTurtle's nest freshly hatched

Kalalau Beach, Na Pali Coast, KauaiLookin' cool!

Day 2 - Back to Hanakoa:

Nicole and I aren’t exactly the type of people who can just go to a beach a laze about for a day. We get too restless staying still for too long. But we could have stated at this beach all day and then some. Sadly, come midday we knew it was time to start the hike back so we wouldn’t be rushed getting to Hanakoa. And so we broke down camp, packed up our bags, and shoved off back down the trail we’d come up the previous day. Since we’d hiked this final half mile with headlamps on the previous night, this was the first time we got to see what we’d missed. The trail cut through a giant field of tall wild flowers. It was a wonderful farewell aloha & mahalo gift for us, almost like beckoning us to return some day! It definitely left an impression on me and I hope to indeed return in the future.

Wildflowers on the hike outDay2

We eventually made it back over the river crossing to the red dirt ramps that climb up out of the valley back into the higher parts of the trail. While it looked miserable from below, we had our backpacking legs under us and hiking up wasn’t nearly as bad as we thought it would be.

Kalalau stream crossingThis is what we had to navigate the night before wearing headlamps

Red Dirt Ramp leading out of the Kalalau ValleyDay2

The hike back to Hanakoa was quite delightful. The previous evening, we didn’t exactly have the time to relax and enjoy it since we were so hurried to make it to Kalalau before it got too late, and we were exhausted and sore by the time we were this far. On the hike out, our spirits were buoyed by our morning at Kalalau Beach, and our legs were fresh. We ran into Matt and his dog walking back towards the beach, but no goat in hand. 

He told us that he’d given up on his hunt because there was going to be a formal hunt sponsored by the Hawaii State Parks office soon. Hunters with permits and guns were going to be brought in for a goat culling. Since goats have no natural predators on the island (like the wild boars, goats are an introduced species by the Europeans), their population can grow out of control rather easily. The herds can cause serious erosion problems for these trails that need constant maintenance to prevent them from falling into the sea. So, unfortunately, no smoked goat treats for us on the hike out :(

We made it back to Crawler’ Ledge in no time at all, and this time there was no fear or anxiety. We just laughed, hooted and hollered across the ledge. There was a small herd of goats on the switchbacks leading up to the entrance of Hanakoa Valley who gave us funny looks, but then scattered as we approached. Shortly thereafter, we were back at the campground we decided to pass the previous day. This day, however, we set up camp on a terrace next to a very large tree, which I’m embarrassed to say I’ve still been unable to identify the species.

Camp in Hanakoa Valleynight 2

Having arrived with plenty of daylight, we relaxed at the campsite took stock of our remaining supplies, and cooked dinner. Compared with Kalalau, there’s not much to do or see here, so we just lounged in the tent, enjoyed a brief rain shower, and called in an early night. This time, we were able to fall asleep quite easily.

Day 3 - Hiking out:

The next day we were excited to pack up and head back to Hanakapi’ai Beach to meet back up with Daniel and Prasant. They enjoyed their day hike so much that first day that they wanted to do it again and we all would hike out together. Nicole and I put on a change of clothes, took down camp, and got back on the trail. We made it through Hanakoa Valley, and the other smaller valleys along the way. Though we did take a brief stop to cool down in a waterfall along the trail.

Cooling off in a waterfall along the trail Cooling off in a waterfall along the trail

We exited the natural reserve boundary and tiptoed down the muddy switchbacks towards Hanakapi’ai Beach.

Day 3 Kalalau Trail Hanakapiai Beach in the background Day 3 Kalalau Trail

Conveniently, we arrived at the beach just as Daniel and Prasant did. They wanted to push onward to see Hanakapi-ai Falls, which was 2 miles up a side trail from the beach. Nicole and I wished them well, but we didn’t particularly feel like hiking an additional 4 miles that day, so we stayed at the beach, swam in the ocean a bit, ate some food, and took naps. Daniel and Prasant came back a bit prematurely due to a sprained ankle along the way, so we actually had a reason to break out the first aid kit. With Prasant’s ankle all taped up, we crossed the final river, and moseyed down the final 2 miles to the trailhead with the promise of showers and beer waiting for us there.

End of the trail! After a much needed shower.Ahola! - Scott + Nicole

There are some places you’re satisfied only visiting once in your life, and other places that you want to go back to. The Na Pali coast is definitely in the later category! We’re both looking forward to a return visit, whenever that might be.

Aloha!

Intro:

I don’t recall when or where I first heard about the Na Pali coast. I couldn’t even say when Nicole and I started talking about backpacking along it. Probably it was towards the end of 2012, around the time we began planning our honeymoon. Like many couples, we were thinking Hawaii but weren’t sure about what island. All of the info we got on Kauai and the Big Island suggested that roughing it was the best way to get the most out of those locations. But that’s not what we wanted after the stresses of planning our wedding. We ended up picking Maui over Kauai and the Big Island mostly because we were looking for a relaxing time rather than an adventure. But we vowed to visit those other islands in due time since, after all, Nicole and I do like a good adventure from time to time!

At the start of 2014, we began to seriously look into the logistics of a Kauai trip. And we knew the main objective was going to be backpacking the Na Pali. Upon digging deeper, we found that the Kalalau Trail (the one trail leading down the entire Na Pali coast) is a narrow, winding, muddy foot path complete with serious elevation gains, steep drop-offs, and hazardous stream crossings, that just happens to take you to one of the most pristine, wild, and beautiful beaches in the world. Sounds like fun!

It’s a 22 mile round trip from the trailhead to the beach and back, with over 10,000’ of elevation gain and loss over those 22 miles. This means that you’ll be hiking up hill for 10,000’ of vertical gain, and also hiking downhill for that same 10,000’ over the course of those 22 miles. The Sierra Club has a degree of difficulty rating system ranking trails from 1 (easiest) to 10 (really flippin’ hard!). The Kalalau Trail comes in at a 9. This would be an ambitious goal since I hadn’t been backpacking since 2007 and Nicole hadn’t been backpacking since she was born. But, whatever, we were going on an ADVENTURE!!! <channeling Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit>. 

Kalalau Trail stats:

• Length: 22 miles round trip from trailhead to Kalalau Beach and back.
• Difficulty: 9 out of 10 on Sierra Club’s difficulty scale (very difficult).
• Elevation gain/loss: 10,000 feet
• Hazards: Muddy/slippery footing, Exposure (steep cliff drop offs), rock fall, river crossings, flash floods, wildlife (goats and boars, but nothing poisonous), and last but not least - dirty hippies who’ve dropped out of society to live on the trail full time (they’re actually quite friendly, but are frequently naked, high on drugs, and smell really bad)
• Permits: If you plan on hiking past the past Hanakoa Valley 6 miles in from the trailhead, a permit is required.
• Time required to complete: Some badasses do the 22 miles as a day hike. We are not badasses and decided to take 3 days. In retrospect, taking 4 or 5 would have been nicer.

Kalalau Trail Elevation Map

Kauai Kalalau Trail Map

Online resources:

By far the best resource we found for this was http://www.kalalautrail.com. It’s packed with all sorts of information on the trail, planning, and trip reports from other hikers, as well as providing info on other ways to enjoy the Na Pali coast. http://www.napali.com is ok, but more geared towards guided boat and helicopter tours. There are plenty of general backpacking and camping websites out there, find which ones work for you. Apply for your permits here: https://camping.ehawaii.gov/camping/welcome.html.

Gear list:

• ~50L lightweight backpack: Make sure it’s comfortable and fitted to your body. 
• Lightweight tent/shelter: We have the REI Quarter Dome T2. 
• Lightweight trail-runners, broken in: DON’T skimp on these! I wore Salomon XA PRO 3Ds and Nicole wore Vasque Velocitys. They’re both mesh/draining which is useful for all of the stream crossings done in them. We saw all sorts of footwear on the trails from heavy hiking boots to Keens and Chacos to Vibram Fivefingers, and even one dude wearing what looked to be aqua socks. The hippies were all barefoot. All have pros and cons, just wear what’s best for you.
• Treking poles: They are worth their weight in gold, frankincense, and myrrh, COMBINED!
• Lightweight sleeping bag or liner: We have Cocoon sleeping bag liners.
• Sleeping pad: We have Thermarests.
• Inflatable pillow: If you like to pamper yourself, and we do.
• Lightweight backpackers stove: We have a Primus Classic Trail stove.
• Cooking pot: Unless you use a Jetboil where everything is one piece.
• Fuel: Note - if you are not permitted to fly with camping fuel, even in your checked luggage. If you have a canister stove you can buy fuel canisters at Kauai Kayak in Kapaa. They also sell partially used canisters at a discount. When you’re done on the trail, stop by and give them your canister back so they can pay it forward!
• Eating utensils and bowls: The bowls are optional, but unless you plan on only having finger food, I recommend bringing a spork.
• Multitool: Swiss Army knife or Leatherman.
• Sunscreen: You’ll need it.
• Bug spray: Unfortunately, you’ll also need it.
• First aid kit: Hopefully you won’t need it.
• Water bladder/bottles: We each have 2L bladders that fit in our backpacks. We also brought 2 1L Nalgenes but didn’t really use them. We also have a 3L camp bladder, MSR Dromedary, which works great once you’re at camp.
• Iodine or other water purifier: We prefer iodine since it’s lightweight, kills viruses that water filters can’t remove, and UV SteriPens can only purify one Nalgene at a time.
• Nuun or other hydration tablets: Not absolutely necessary, but really nice to have for electrolytes.
• Clothes line: Your clothes will get wet, it’s nice to hang them to dry when at camp.
• Toilet paper: There are toilets at the trailhead and beach, also at the 2 and 6 mile points along the trail but TP is not guaranteed. If you think you’ll need additional potty breaks, bring a WAG bag too. Pack it in, pack it out.
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, other personal hygiene stuff and medications.
• Copies of trail permit and map: We didn’t need to use either, but better safe than sorry.

Clothes (bring as few changes as you’re comfortable with):

• Sun hat
• Sun glasses
• Bandana 
• Rain jacket
• Lightweight shirt
• Hiking shorts
• Lightweight socks: Merino wool is great!
• Undies: Going commando can lead to chaffing.
• Long underwear or other insulation layer: Nights do get chilly! A lightweight fleece might be necessary if you run particularly cold at night. 
• Bathing suit: You ARE going to the beach, after all! Or you could just go in your birthday suit…
• Camp towel
• Sandals or other camp/beach shoes

Food:

Different people have different ideas when it comes to food on the trail. Regardless of what you do, make sure you bring enough calories. You’ll be exerting yourself quite hard on this trail and you don’t want to bonk in the middle of it! Bear in mind that with rain being unpredictable in the area, flash floods closing down stream crossings is a real possibility. You might want to bring extra food in case you’re stranded for an additional day. Below is a list of what we took. All in all, we estimated to have brought 10,000 calories each for the 3 days.

Breakfast (in camp): 

• “Concoction”: Instant oats, buckwheat sprouted grains (grouts), flax meal, almond slices, dried cranberries, peanut butter chips, all mixed together. Just add boiling water. YUM! Brought enough for 3 meals. 
• Starbucks Via: Definitely need that caffein kick! Bring creamer and sugar too, if that’s your thing.

Lunch/snacks (on trail):

• Simple trail mix: Mixed nuts, raisins, and M&Ms.
• ProBars: Whole food bars very high in balanced calories, and taste great. We each had 4.
• Bagged tuna in oil: Great serving size, less bulky than cans, get tuna packed in oil instead of water for extra calories (and taste!). We each had 2.
• No refrigeration necessary cheese: Sounds gross, tastes great when you need calories.!
• A few of bags of jerky: beef, turkey, and pork
• Flour tortillas: Less bulky than bread, same calories.
• Single serve peanut butter and nutella: Spread on tortillas for a great afternoon pick-me-up!! 

Dinner (in camp):

• Backpackers Pantry or Mountain House prepackaged dehydrated meals: These are easy and after a long day of hiking actually taste pretty good. Just add boiling water, and they cook in the bag so no clean up either! Each meal/bag is 2 servings, but only ~350 calories per serving, so we brought 3 each. I recommend trying to find the low sodium meals. If you bring tortillas, these prepackaged dinners make excellent burritos when wrapped.

Cameras:

This is a photography blog, after all!!! We debated long and hard about what to bring. The GoPro Hero3 Black was definitely coming. But we we unsure about what high quality camera system to pack for those shots that require some extra quality. The options were a DSLR, compact mirrorless with interchangeable lenses, or a nice point and shoot with manual controls. The DLSR was bulky, but we already own a few of those and they take great shots! A nice point and shoot would be compact but how much better would it really be than the GoPro? A compact mirorless would be a great combination of quality and convenience, but we don’t own either a camera or lenses and renting a full system would be expensive.  In the end, we ended up buying a pancake 40 mm f2.8 lens to put on our full frame Canon 6D DSLR. 

Canon 6d with "pancake" 40mm f/2.8 (AKA shorty forty) and GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition with 3 extra batteries

Training:

As mentioned above, I hadn’t been backpacking in almost 7 years and Nicole hadn’t been backpacking in her entire life. We’re young, active people (well, not as young or active as we used to be) but knew we’d have to get a more miles on the trails in before tackling this Hawaiian monster. Fortunately, living in Santa Barbara gives us access to a great trail system and we were able to go for short hikes after work during the week, and longer ones on the weekends.! We started just hiking with water and a bit of food, and gradually increased our pack loads up to the same weight, or at least close to the same as what we were brining with us to Hawaii. We got a few looks from other hikers since we had so much gear on our backs, but whatever. We were feeling a lot tougher compared to them.

Training Hike. Inspiration Point Santa Barbara, CA Training Hike. Inspiration Point Santa Barbara, CA

The Main Event:

We flew from California to Lihue airport on April 26th. During the approach to the airport we could see the sea cliffs on the southeast side of the island and knew that the northern coast had just as much, if not more waiting for us.

Kauai from the airThere will be plenty more cliffs like those on the trail!

After getting our luggage we took a shuttle to the Courtyard Marriott in Kapaa. Our friend, Daniel, travels an ungodly amount for work and basically lives in hotels. Marriott is his preferred chain and he gets treated like royalty at any Marriott hotel in the world. He happened to have a free night available for the Courtyard Kauai resort and hooked us up! After a lunch of kalua pork sliders and local beer, Nicole and I took stock of all of our gear, organized and packed our bags.

Na Pali Kalalau Trail Backpacking Gear for 2 people

We still had a few hours before our Dan and our other friend Prasant were set to arrive (they were planning on day hiking the first few miles of the trail with us, but not backpack the whole way), so we decided to walk a couple of miles down the road to Kayak Kauai as a warm up to the trail, and also to buy a canister of camp stove fuel. As mentioned in the gear list above, Kayak Kauaii in Kapaa sells partially used isobutane fuel canisters. You can’t fly with them, so backpackers can just drop off their canisters here after finishing up their trip, and frequently they have more than enough fuel for at least a week long hike. Score!

Back at the Marriott, Prasant finally showed up but Daniel was delayed, so we got some pizza and beer at Bobby V’s, just a quick walk from the hotel. The restaurant doesn’t have a liquor license, but you can buy a 6-pack and bring it in. It was damn good NY style pizza and is highly recommended.

Our original plan was for a 3 day backpacking trip. We would cover the full 11 miles from the trailhead to Kalalau Beach on day 1, hang out on the beach and hike 5 miles back to Hanakoa Valley on day 2, and then leisurely hike the 6 miles back to the trail head on day 3. Since tomorrow was going to be the big 11 mile day and we were still used to mainland timezones, we all went to sleep rather early. Daniel eventually showed up sometime in the middle of the night, which is good since he was our ride to the trailhead in the morning. We woke up around 6 am hoping to get on the trail by 8 or so, but didn’t actually make it there until about 10. Sunset was just after 7 pm, so we knew we had to get a move on if we wanted to cover those 11 miles without resorting to headlamps.

April 27-29th 2014

Miles 0 - 2:

The first couple of miles of the Kalalau Trail are a popular day hike since at Mile 2, you’ll reach Hanakapi’ai Beach. That means these first 2 miles are crowded, foot traffic is high. and the trail well worn. It had also rained quite a bit in the prior days, so the mud was deep and slick. We’re glad we had trekking poles to help with the hills! Daniel and Prasant weren’t content to move at the slow pace that Nicole and I were going at (probably because they didn’t have 25 and 45 pound backpacks on) and decided to forge ahead to Hanakapi’ai without us.  It took some initial adjusting to efficiently hike on the wet stone and mud of this trail compared with the dry, hard packed dirt of the Santa Barbara trails we were used to. The heat and humidity didn’t help either, but we were enjoying it none the less. Perhaps a bit too much. There were all sorts of great spots to stop and take pictures and we were doing just that way too often. Eventually we realized that if we didn’t pick up the pace, we wouldn’t make it to Kalalau that night. So we plugged on ahead.

First two miles of the Na Pali Coast Kalalau TrailThe sign at the trailhead. Let's start this adventure! First two miles of the Na Pali Coast Kalalau TrailIt's all smiles these first few miles. First two miles of the Na Pali Coast Kalalau TrailOne of the first ocean views from the cliffs on the trail First two miles of the Na Pali Coast Kalalau TrailYou can almost see down the coast to our final destination. Almost... First two miles of the Na Pali Coast Kalalau TrailLooking back towards the starting beach First two miles of the Na Pali Coast Kalalau TrailThe mud gets thicker and thicker the further you hike

Just before making it to Hanakapi’ai beach, we had to go down what was essentially the equivalent of a mud water slide. We ran into several day hikers who decided to turn back at various stages of this slide, mud coating their butts and backs because they couldn’t stay on their feet walking down. At the bottom was our first major stream crossing. Due to all of the rain, the water was rather high, but not particularly treacherous looking. None the less, we dutifully undid our backpack waist and chest straps before heading in. It’s always a good idea to do this just in case you fall down. You don’t want to have your backpack pin you down in moving water, and unbuckling straps lets you slip out easily.

First Stream CrossingThree cheers for hiking poles! Hanakapi’ai beach - 2 miles inDan and Prasant greeting us to the beach

Just on the other side of the stream was Hanakapi’ai Beach. We had a little food and found Daniel and Prasant, but didn’t linger too long. We had to keep on keeping on, and so bade our farewells, agreeing to meet again in 2 days time.

Miles 2 - 6:

The trail continues on from the beach and immediately heads up switchback after muddy switchback. Over the next mile, we hiked up to the maximum elevation point on the trail at 800 ft above sea level, a formation called Space Rock. Some of the switchbacks are in dense foliage while others are more exposed to the sun. It’s shaded and cooler when you’re in foliage, but the trail is at it’s muddiest slickest, while in the sun the footing is better, but it is quite hot! At the 3 mile mark, you’re at the trail high point and can enjoy the views and some much needed food as you cross over into the natural reserve area.

Mile 3: entrance to reserve area and Space Rock on the right. Mile 3 Kalalau TrailShot from behind Space Rock, highest point on the Kalalau Trail

For the next 3 miles, the trail follows a similar pattern: Head downhill and inland away from the coast into a valley (frequently passing waterfalls), cross a stream at the valley center, head uphill and towards the coast (passing other waterfalls), round the corner and follow the coast for a little while, repeat. The views down the coast were phenomenal, and the more miles you hiked down the trail, the better the views back up the coast became! The cliffs surrounding the valleys were tall and imposing, but also always covered in a verdant, welcoming coat of foliage that made it more Garden of Eden than Mordor and Mt Doom. There weren’t any terrestrial animals to see, but we could hear birds calling back and forth across the valleys and occasionally see them flying overhead. We also saw and heard a LOT of helicopter tours above and power boat tours in the ocean. It’s big business here and if you think the hike is going to be a tranquil nature experience away from the sights and sounds of the city, well, it mostly is. But there’s still the random helicopter and power boat to bring you back to reality.

Eventually we got to a valley that was MUCH bigger than the ones we had previously been traversing through. It was about 3:30 pm at this point and we were starting to get worried because we hadn’t even passed the halfway point yet. We encountered a couple hiking the opposite direction and they told us that we were entering Hanakoa Valley now and would get to that campground soon. 30 minutes later, at 4 pm, we were there.

Kalalau TrailLooking into Hanakoa Valley. Shot taken on day 3 hiking back out.

It was concerning to us that we were only moving at a pace of 1 mile/hour. If we held that pace we wouldn’t make it to the campground at Kalalau beach until 9 pm, a full 2 hours after sunset. Hanakoa Valley is the only other location on the trail where camping is permitted, so we had a decision to make. 

If we wanted to stick to our 3 day plan we had the following options:

1. Stick with the original plan, charge ahead and make it to Kalalau Beach that evening. Picking up the pace would be necessary.
2. Stay at Hanakoa that night, leave the camp set up and our overnight gear there, and day hike out to Kalalau Beach and back the next day. Hike out from Hanakoa to the trailhead on day 3, as originally planned.
3. Stay at Hanakoa that night, pack up camp and go to Kalalau Beach and camp there the next day. Hike all the way from Kalalau back to the trailhead on day 3.

Option 2 wasn’t really all that appealing since even though it would make the hike a lot easier by not requiring us to carry all our stuff to Kalalau, it would really eat into our time at the beach and would add pressure for us to make it back to camp and our tent even if there was an accident or flash flood. Option 3, with us hiking the 11 miles on the last day when we would be the most tired, didn’t seem that great either. Though the hike out would be with lighter packs. What really made up our minds was that Hanakoa Valley wasn’t really all that nice a place to camp, and we really wanted to see this beach. So after a quick bite of jerky and trail mix we decided to forge ahead.

Miles 6 - 8:

Hanakoa is a long valley, but it’s not particularly deep. After the second major stream crossing (the bigger the valley, the bigger the stream crossings) we were able to hike up and out relatively quickly. So far so good with the increased pace! Immediately after cresting the other side of it, we encountered very steep switchbacks leading down to the infamous Crawler’s Ledge, a section where the trail narrows to just a few feet across and traverses a rocky cliff a few hundred feet above the ocean below. Fortunately, this section is so steep that no foliage covered it, and the trail was bone dry, improving our footing. Still, once we passed the ominous signs warning us of death and dismemberment, fear and doubt crept into our minds. This was further advanced by legs that were already wobbly from exhaustion. Now they were becoming wobbly with nerves.

The infamous Crawler’s LedgeJosh Schulz is hot. The sign doesn't lie. Starting down the steep section looking onto Crawler's Ledge wrapping around the cliff in the distance.

The infamous Crawler’s LedgeReturn Trip

It took us probably a good 10 minutes to traverse the 100 yards or so of Crawler’s Ledge and get up the other side. Here, for the first time, we could see our destination (though we didn’t realize it at the time…).

Hiking out the steep section just after Crawler’s Ledge

Mile 7 Kalalau TrailThat green grassy field in the middle is just above Kalalau Beach

Miles 8 - 10:

Once we made it past Crawler’s Ledge, we were able to ride the adrenaline rush for another mile or so before we began to crash. Coming off an adrenaline high when you’re already exhausted and your body’s struggling to convert food into energy is no fun. Fortunately, right around that time we encountered our first full-time resident of the trail. A jovial bearded fellow with dark curly hair and an energetic dog, who was as equally unkempt as his master, came bounding down the trail towards us. Nicole and I saw him in the distance and just sort of stared at what he appeared to be holding in his hands. We turned to each other and said, “No, seriously? Is this guy really carrying… a bow and arrows?!”

Sure enough, he was. As he got closer we could see the homemade hunting equipment he had and also noticed his bare feet. We stopped and chatted for a little bit. After introducing ourselves I figured this guy’s name would be something like Sierraphish or Rainjava. “I’m Matt,” he said. He told us he was out hunting goat for his friends who were all down at Kalalau Beach. He was planning to take one down and then smoke it in Hanakoa Valley somewhere before bringing it back to Kalalau for a feast. It’s one thing to hear stories of goat eating hippies on the trail, but another entirely to encounter them on your own. My day was officially made. More importantly, Matt informed us that we were actually getting pretty close to the beach at this point. We just had a few small valleys to traverse before we got there. It was a little after 6 at the 4time, so we thanked him for the info and wished him well on his goat hunt before setting off, reenergized by the encounter and the promise that were were almost there. Sure enough, after making it through 3 more small valleys with 3 more small stream crossings, we came across the sight we were waiting for.

The Kalalau ValleyGetting there just at sunset!

Part 2 coming next week! In the meantime we are off to hike Mount Whitney!

Aloha

- Scott + Nicole

Click Here to read PART 2

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Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle Brittany + Bobby Engagement session at Knapps Castle
Note: Knapps Castle is private property and you must have explicit permission from the owner to photograph there. 

So Much Love and Best Wishes!

-Nicole & Scott Wasko

IMG_9153_BridalParty_Beach

Recently I had a chance to meet with a team of photographers in Santa Barbara who's work I absolutely admire! Maddy and Felicia's photography is so amazing I could spend hours drooling over page after page of their blog, so naturally I was thrilled when they agreed to meet me for coffee to talk photography! Meetings with other photographers are such a great experience for someone like me who is starting their photography business from scratch, because you can ask them about their own business and learn from their experiences and hopefully avoid making some inevitable "newbie" mistakes. 

Maddy and Felicia noticed right away that I didn't have a professional photo of myself up on my website. I must have been feeling brave that day because I asked them if they would be willing to take one for me. I'm so glad they agreed, because they work magic with their cameras!! One thing that was important for my "About Me" picture was for it to represent who I am as a person and as my brand. I want perspective brides to be able to see my fun relaxed personality and be able to get an idea of who I am before they meet me. Another thing that was important was picking the right photographer. I knew instantly that I trusted Maddy and Felicia and I felt comfortable enough to be in front of their camera (even though it felt so backwards).

Photos By: I Heart My Groom

Custom wooden flash drives Custom wooden flash drives Custom wooden flash drives Custom wooden flash drives Custom wooden flash drives Custom wooden flash drives

Flash Drives from www.photoflashdrive.com 

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

This absolutely adorable knitted star was made by the fabulous Alla Hale.  I miss our wine and knitting nights together!!

I made these ornaments the first year I lived in Cardiff-by-the-Sea in San Diego. They were made from a small handful of sand and shells collected on my frequent walks on the beach. It was likely the only time I will live in a house with an ocean view,  where I could sit and spot whales migrating from my balcony. So this is a small token from a wonderful place :)

2013 has been a year of establishment and discovery. I got married and started my photography business this year, but I also discovered more about who I am as a person, a wife, a daughter, and a photographer.

We are moving forward with several exciting changes to start off the year 2014 including a complete re-branding project by LimeFish Studio and a new website by 2BLOKEDESIGN! We will also be offering new and exciting products and hosting a discounted "friends and family photo day". 

Keep in touch as we move forward into 2014!

<3- NWP

All photos below were taken while shooting for Karen D Photography.

All photos below were taken while shooting for Karen D Photography.

All photos were taken while shooting for Karen D Photography:

This was my very first 3rd shooter gig back in June.  A big shout out to Karen D Photography  for bringing me on as a third shooter and offering constructive critiques. I enjoy working with her and have learned so much from her! Looking forward to shooting more weddings with her in the future and watching her business grow.

All Images below were shot for Karen D Photography :

Fred and Lizzie came to me for engagement pictures in June as my first real clients! They requested photos with their vintage bus near the beach. They were such a fun couple to photograph, because smiles came so naturally to them! They were both full of love for one another and they have an amazing sense of adventure! They are getting married next Fourth of July in Northern California.

Here's to Lizzie and Fred and to all the adventures ahead!

Couple: Lizzie and Fred

Location: 101 south lookout point just south of Gaviota, CA

Date: June 16, 2013

Couple: Patty & Adam

Location: San Diego, CA

Shoot Date: June 2 & Aug 31, 201

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Couple: Kit and Alla

Location: Point Loma, CA

Shoot Date: June 1, 2013

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Welcome to the beginning of my journey as a photographer. I'm excited to follow my dreams, even though it has meant that I have had to put aside other plans.  I am a wife, a biologist, a sister, an entrepreneur, a climber, and a photographer. My husband and I are spoiled to live in Santa Barbara where we sometimes complain about a foggy morning or a slight drizzle or our lack of space in our apartment. What else are you supposed to do when the weather is always perfect?

I became a biologist because I wanted to satisfy my curiosities of the natural world around us.  My life as a research associate at a biotech company in San Diego came to a "T" in the road, when I got engaged. The dilemma came when the funding ran out for my fiance's post-doc position and he was almost immediately offered a scientist position in Santa Barbara.  He had no other options at the time in San Diego, and we knew this was a good move for his career. We also knew that we couldn't survive on my salary alone and that a move to Santa Barbara would likely mean my unemployment.  I decided to leave my job, with mixed feelings but knowing it was the right decision even if I never worked another day in science.  I trusted that it was the right move.

I found myself searching for something more creative. I loved every detail of planning our wedding and after we got married I decided to pursue photography full time. Every photographer you talk to will tell you the same thing: that photography has always been a passion of theirs and one day they decided to go pro. For me it was a mixture of a passion for photography and a desire to create a lifestyle that will make my family happy, not rich, not comfortable, we want to live life to its fullest.

With the support and love of my husband we decided that I should start my own business to give us the lifestyle we want, not the lifestyle we have.  It was a scary decision and telling my family, who have supported me through grad school to get my Master's in Cell Biology, that I've decided to start my own photography company probably wasn't was they were expecting.  While I am still in the baby stages of building the business and developing my brand, I'm already planning for the type of clients I want to attract and the type of photographer I want to become.

It takes immense bravery to get out of bed everyday and do what you love not what you were trained to do.

And with that here are some pretty pictures to start off the week! Like us on Facebook!

Couple: Scott & Marcela

Location: La Jolla Cove, CA

Shoot Date: May 31, 2013

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A big thanks to my "crew" AKA my husband who always works hard to support me and encourages me to follow my dreams every day. I love him!