Category Archives: News

Culture, Environment, Weather

Maui Beach Weddings

Maui is officially known as the “valley isle” or the “magic isle”, but locals have another moniker: the wedding isle. As many as 500,000 couples per year in the U.S. opt to combine their wedding and honeymoon, saving both time and money. For many, Maui is their wedding destination of choice. In recent years, nearly as many non-residents married in Maui as residents.

Beaches in West and South Maui are the most popular island wedding locations. Since all beaches in Hawaii are public it’s first come, first married. Local wedding planners shuttle couples to the most desired spots, where there is often a 30- to 60-minute wait. Saying “I Do” in time for snapping sunset pictures can be a race.

However, couples should be aware that major storms passing through the islands rain out the beach. During a storm week, power outages caused by strong winds can impose blackout conditions, and many couples have no choice but to cancel their wedding. For some, it was possible to reschedule at the end of their “honeymoon”. Others return home unmarried.

Hiring a local wedding coordinator can help engaged couples work around unexpected weather, explains Lisa Villarimo of Enchanted Weddings of Maui, who has helped hundreds of couples make alternate arrangements on the fly.

Environment, Travel, Weather

Maui Storm Passes

 

Blue skies and a gentle breeze greeted me this morning after a week of torrential downpour in Maui. Sitting on my front porch sipping a cup of tea, I watched nature dry out.

Four green-bellied finches fluttered from flower to tree, slurping back sweet nectar brought by all the rain–their light chirping audible again now that the thunderous clouds are gone. A caravan of snails with mottled, twisting shells on their backs were making the long trek from under the porch to the bush by the front steps. I accidentally crushed one when I lept off the porch to retrieve the morning paper.

The forecast for the immediate future is clear skies and light tradewinds. In other words, business as usual. Just in time for all of the holiday-makers, who descend on Maui this time of year, to recover their overworked spirits at the beach.

Official updates from Maui County are available at www.mauicounty.gov .

Environment, Weather

Winter Storm Hits Maui

Winter just arrived at my front door. It’s coming from the southwest (Kona weather). At 6 PM last night in Kahului, rain started pouring out of thick, dark clouds, and I raced ahead of the strong winds to get home–to get my laundry off the line and bring the dogs in. But it didn’t hit. The sky was a little drizzly, but mostly calm and quiet. We all slept peacefully. I was thinking the storm might have weakened enough as it snaked around Haleakala to miss us altogether.

But now rain is streaming in sideways through the front porch screens. The winds are strong, having already knocked out the local NPR affiliate. Looking out through the front screens back toward Kahului from the cozy of my office chair, sipping hot tea, I am watching a dazzling display of lightning punctuated by the dramatic rumbles of thunder–neither of which are very common here. It’s not like Texas, where lightning and thunder are as common as our tradewinds.

I can barely hear my own thoughts as the downpour of water cascades onto the metal roof. It’s time to put on socks and a jacket, curl up with the doggies and wait it out. Before NPR went off the air, they announced that winter could last up to 5 days! Summer is forecast to return by this weekend.

Official updates from Maui County are available at www.mauicounty.gov .