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Maui Family Vacation 2016 | Amy Gray San Diego Photography

Our family’s first Hawaii experience was wonderful! The skies were blue, the water was clear, and the wildlife was friendly! Everything was just as advertised, and everyone wants to go back ASAP. We stayed on Maui near Napili Bay, and I had a great time experimenting with underwater photos, long-exposures, and beach photography in an environment much different than San Diego.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

This is “Geico,” our friendly neighborhood Gecko.  Steven loved watching for him every day on our lanai.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach PhotographyMaui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Relaxing at Napili Bay Beach and trying out the waterproof camera.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

We celebrated my dad’s 68th birthday with a fun Ziplining tour.  Here’s the whole crew:

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

There was a photographer at Maui Zipline, and we purchased a disk of fun images of us all ziplining.  He did a great job!  The tour was excellent.  We felt very safe as the guides explained how the gear worked and that we would not plummet to our deaths.  Even the kids felt comfortable and we all had fun together and made a lifetime memory!

2016-07-30_0056 2016-07-30_0057

After lunch and shopping, we headed to Lahaina for Ululani’s Shave Ice.  All of my Facebook friend Maui aficionados recommended this, and we loved it!  I had a rootbeer vanilla coconut with a snowcap.  They put ice cream in the bottom!  So yummy!

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

That night, we all headed over to the bay to watch the sunset.  The kids couldn’t resist the water.  Especially Steven.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach PhotographyThe big, powerful waves at sunset made long-exposures a fun option.  Hold still, kids.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

The next day, we went snorkeling at Kapalua Bay, which was just a short walk away from our hotel.  My sister got the good underwater shots since she had a great GoPro set-up and functioning snorkel gear (whereas mine tried to drown me), but here are a few things that happened in my camera that day.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Boogie boarding worked best at Napili Bay, so we spent another day there, enjoying the crashing waves and marveling at the amount of sand the undertow could embed in one’s swimsuit.
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Steven spent more time playing in the sand than body boarding that day.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Out for dinner again, we drove through a beautiful golf course, then back to Lahaina for dessert.  The Banyan Tree is host to thousands of myna birds at sunset, and it was fun to hear them all chorusing as they roosted for the night.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

I got up early the next morning to catch the sunrise.  These are some of my favorite landscape photos of the trip.  That’s Molokai Island in the distance.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Uncle Tommy taught the kids how to play Steven’s new Ukulele.  They may need another lesson.  Our hotel had a special breakfast on Friday morning, and it was fun to meet the other guests.  The birds also attended.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Our last day-trip was to Iao Valley, where we saw beautiful waterfalls and the natural Hawaiian terrain.  It was a short hike . . . just enough to work up a good appetite for Cheeseburgers in Paradise.  And gelato.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Even after a full day, some people can’t stay out of the water when staying near the beach.  My dad is one of those people.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

I am also one of those people.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

Next morning, up early for a sunrise photo session.  We were experiencing wind and rain from Tropical Storm Darby, but oh well.  When in Hawaii, one does beach photos.  We were out of sunsets, and it wasn’t a hurricane yet.

Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography
Maui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach PhotographyMaui Vacation Photography | Hawaii Beach Photography

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