Maui 2015
Maui Beach
Maui | 2015
Field Notes from a Second Honeymoon
Twenty-one years earlier, we spent our honeymoon on Maui and told ourselves we’d be back for our twentieth. Life did its thing, but we kept the promise—this trip mattered more than the others.
We usually stay in Lahaina. This time, budget said no. So we landed at Sugar Beach instead. Not glamorous, but solid. Central. Quiet. Close enough to Lahaina to hit our usual haunts without living in the chaos. Funny thing—being forced out of the routine made us explore parts of the island we’d ignored before. Worth it.
Sugar Beach isn’t postcard-clear like Lahaina. The water’s murkier. Still swimmable. Still warm. Just comes with a reminder that tiger sharks like murky water too. Awareness matters. You don’t need paranoia—just respect.
Haleakalā | First Light
We’d talked for years about watching the sunrise from Haleakalā. Always bailed because waking up at 2 a.m. on vacation felt criminal. This time, we did it on day one. Jet lag made it manageable—5 a.m. our time.
The drive up is long, winding, and deliberate. Hairpins, elevation gain, no oncoming traffic at that hour. By the time you hit the summit—over 10,000 feet—it’s dark, crowded, and cold in a way island visitors never expect.
Locals warned us it would be “cold.” We assumed Hawaiian cold. That was a mistake.
Thirty-three degrees. Wind slicing straight through you. Washington cold, minus the trees. Bring a real jacket. Or do what we did later and steal the hotel blanket like professionals.
I’m not a spiritual guy. Never have been. But standing there—above the clouds—watching the sun climb out of nothing… something reset. No speeches. No epiphanies. Just quiet clarity.
Normally, I carry stress for most of a vacation. It loosens its grip near the end. This time, it disappeared on day one. That set the tone for everything that followed.
After sunrise, we descended and slept hard.
Familiar Ground
We ran a simple rhythm: activity day, slow day.
Lahaina still felt like home. Same routine—Banyan Tree, Front Street, Lahaina Beach Resort where we started all those years ago, then Betty’s for food. Some traditions don’t need improvement.
We avoid tourist traps when we can. This trip, we broke our own rule and hit the Maui Ocean Center. No regrets. Found out you can swim with sharks—if you’re dive-certified and geared up.
I wasn’t.
My wife offered an alternative: boat ride, cut my arm, bleed a little, toss me overboard. She’s thoughtful like that.
Anniversary at Sea
On our anniversary night, we did a sunset dinner cruise. Small boat. Top deck. Good table. Good food. Good drinks. Perfect sunset.
I got a mild reminder that my inner ear prefers forward motion. Boats that stop rock differently. Still worth it.
Later that night, driving back to Sugar Beach, the stars were stacked thick overhead. We grabbed a blanket and walked down to the beach. No lights. No noise. Just sky.
Pulled up a constellation app and spent hours cross-checking the real thing. Free entertainment. Best kind.
Closing the Loop
Beach time. Wandering. Driving with nowhere urgent to be. Just us.
On the last day, we did Haleakalā again. Same brutal wake-up. Same cold. Same silence before the sun showed up. Ending the trip the same way it started felt right.
Some places don’t change you. They remind you who you were before everything got loud.
Aloha.
