Na Pali Riders

By Léo Azambuja

Capt. Chris Turner, owner of Na Pali Riders, is seen here about to ride the Zodiac into a sea cave.

One of the true gems of the Hawaiian Islands is undoubtedly the breathtaking and remote Na Pali Coast on Kaua‘i’s Westside. Though there are no roads to take you through the jagged volcanic-rock coastline, there a few ways to experience Na Pali, and the best one is arguably by boat.

For more than 20 years, Na Pali Riders has been taking visitors and local residents on ocean tours through the entire Na Pali coast. For many visitors, especially those who have never seen the ocean, the trip can be an eye opener to what they have been missing in life.

“Getting them to experience the wildlife, the dolphins, the whales and all that stuff is exciting,” said Capt. Chris Turner, owner of Na Pali Riders. “Even though I’ve done it probably 5,000-plus times, I get just as much excitement watching them get excited about it. I feel like it’s my first time.”

Turner said his Ocean Raft Tour is probably the only one that consistently covers the entire Na Pali Coast, from Polihale to Ke‘e. The 30-foot inflatable, rigid-hull Zodiac is equipped with powerful twin engines, making the trip a breeze.

A spinner dolphin jumps out of the water.

“You’re going to be learning a lot of the Havaiana, geology, you’re going to see all the details I learned over the last 20 years, it’s not going to be like any other boat tour,” Turner said. “We’re not rushing but at the same time we cover a lot of ground, it’s a 50-mile round trip. I want people to remember us, to go back and tell others about us.”

Each ocean tour lasts about four hours, and Na Pali Riders offers one early in the morning and another in the afternoon. The inflatable Zodiac allows for close interaction with the captain, other passengers and the environment.

“I don’t skimp on anything; we try to do the entire coast every time. If we don’t, it means the conditions aren’t safe,” Turner said.

The Zodiac can take up to 28 passengers, and besides educating them on the marine life and a little bit of the history and culture of Na Pali Coast, Turner tries to make his passengers feel more at ease by telling jokes every now and then.

Capt. Chris Turner, owner of Na Pali Riders, is seen here telling his passengers some of the history of Kalalau Beach. Photo by Léo Azambuja

During the summer, the humpback whales are back to Alaska, but there is no shortage of spinner dolphins jumping out of the water, sea turtles swimming gently past snorkelers and schools of colorful reef fish zipping through the turquoise blue water.

The best time to see the spinner dolphins is during the morning tours. They usually hang around at the north end of Polihale, in pods that can reach 200 dolphins. By noon, they are mostly gone for the day.

The entire coast is blessed with an abundance of green valleys, soaring cliffs, white sandy beaches and cascading waterfalls.

The summer brings calm waters on most days, which allows for sea-cave explorations. The Zodiac fits easily in most caves that were carved into the lava-rock coastline. The experience feels straight out of a Hollywood movie, with waterfalls cascading inside sea caves and right into the ocean, and the sun shining through the ceiling of some of the caves.

About 200 spinner dolphins usually hang out at Polihale’s north end during mornings. Photo by Léo Azambuja

On the way back, Turner stops at a safe haven for the passengers to get out of the boat and snorkel, conditions permitting. Being “very safety-conscious,” he keeps a close eye on everyone, watching their breathing and stroke.

“If you’re not safe, I’m sorry but I’ll bring you back on the boat because my job is to protect you,” said Turner, adding sometimes people get upset about that, but he has to be consistent with safety.

After snorkeling, the group is treated to tropical fruits, chips and water.

On the way back, Turner cranks up the Zodiac’s twin engines, each with 250 horsepower, to arrive in no time back at Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor in Kekaha.

The first tour leaves at 8 a.m., with the check in at their Waimea office at 7:15 a.m. The second tour leaves at 1 p.m., with the check in at 12:15 p.m. Military and kama‘aina are eligible for a 10 percent discount.

Visit napaliriders.com or call (808) 742-6331 for reservations or more information.