Kayaking to Gilligan's Island - Kaneohe, Hawaii

Recently, I accomplished two more items on my 101 in 1001 list.  I went kayaking for the first time and visited Gilligan's Island (more frequently known as coconut island by locals), which is something I've always wanted to do!  I kayaked from Kaneohe Bay to Gilligan's Island and back.  It was a new and exciting challenge and an incredible workout. 

Initially, I felt a bit of trepidation, as I climbed into a kayak, not knowing what to expect.  "You should test the kayak out first!  You might be too tired to come back in such windy weather," the staff member warned, as we were ready to hit the water.  It made me nervous at first, but we were headed off to Gilligan's Island anyway.  I now know why he kindly warned us. 

As we kayaked to Gilligan's Island, I could feel my arms slowly burning, but I continued to move as quickly as I could. I kept hitting my hand on the side of the kayak and could not steer at first.  I had to take several breaks too, just to catch my breath. Thank God for two person kayaks because if not, I would've headed back half way to Gilligan's Island.  It was a lot of hard work!  A lot more than I imagined at least ...

Once we landed on Gilligan's Island,  I was completely relieved.  A friend familiar with Gilligan's Island gave a small introduction to the island.   For one, I learned that Gilligan's Island had only been used for the opening scenes of the show.  And nowadays, the island is used for research purposes.  I also found it alarming that there are several nearby islands that are completely polluted by waste, which is disheartening to know. 

After the introduction, we were planning to kayak around Gilligan's Island, but it seemed too strenuous after we had finished paddling for the last 30 minutes.  Instead, we decided to return to Kaneohe Bay, which was one of the most challenging experiences - ever.  The wind was strong, so it was difficult to move forward, as we were kayaking in 25 knot waters.  Several kayaks tipped over, while others felt as if they weren't moving an inch.  A boat helped some of our friends return to calmer waters.  However, things were much different for myself and for my partner D, as we ended up paddling for the next hour and a half.

Honestly, I'm surprised my kayak never tipped over.  I'm sure it would have flipped over and hit me in the head if I was by myself, but luckily we have partners who are more experienced than newbies like myself.  D and I paddled like crazy through wind and water.  After finally making it back to Kaneohe Bay, it was the most incredible feeling ever.  My arms, legs, and butt hurt for days, but there's truly nothing like a great work out and a little bit of adventure.  It was so much fun!