the fun don't stop

One of my favorite cities on the North Shore is called Haleiwa. It is not pronounced how it looks. it is pronounced (HALL-ay-EE-va). Caught you by surprise didn't it? This city is absolutely beautiful. It is a touristy town with all of its different elements including the World-Famous Matsumotos Shaved Ice, Haleiwa Eats, Wailua Bakery, Lanikai Juice, and Bob's Pizza, just to name a few. Matsumoto's Shaved Ice is unlike anything you have ever tried. I promise. They put a scoop of ice cream in the bottom of your snow cone with your choice of any three flavors. My favorite combination is Strawberry, Guava, and Lilikoi with Lilikoi Butter on top which completes the deliciousness. The ice is so soft and melts in your mouth. It is very hard to explain, but it is just like snow! Another very interesting cultural option they have is beans. Sounds absolutely NASTY to me.. but I didn't have the guts to try it. I generally like to stick to what I know is good! The prices are super inexpensive too! A small shaved ice with ice cream is only $3.00. Best $3.00 you will ever spend, I assure you.

Another favorite hot spot bakery in Haleiwa is called Waialua Bakery. Everything on the menu is hand-made from scratch. So delicious. The food is very healthy for you and is made that morning. Their sandwiches are unbeatable. Hands-down the best on the island in my opinion. You won't find anything close to it at your local Subway that's for sure. The vibes at this local joint are so chill with the Spirit of Aloha. Everyone is very nice and willing to do anything so you have the best experience possible. 

My favorite activity to do in Haleiwa is definitely paddle boarding. You can rent these paddle boards for only $15 an hour at the Volcom store. They have their own launching ramp right into the river where you can cruise up and down and into the bay. It is so beautiful that it almost seems fake. This river is infested with Sea Turtles and they will bob at the surface for a breath all around you. It is incredible. It takes a few minutes to get adjusted to keeping your balance on the board, but once you get the hang of it, you will be a pro in no time! 

Me and my girlfriends went at the prime time right before the sun set and we got some insane pictures to show for it! It was one of the most beautiful sights. I will never forget this night.

For only $15, we got to enjoy God's beautiful creations, priceless pictures, we got a nice little workout, and memories I will never forget. I definitely recommend paddle boarding to anyone who is looking for a good time.

Haleiwa still to this day has my heart. 

The time of my life

From the collection of my stories from my blog it is obvious that Oahu has many adventures to offer. One of my favorite and most memorable adventures was last year on my birthday. Worried that my first birthday experience away from home would be a bust, I had very low expectations for the day. It wasn't until my cute sister and my friends surprised me and drove to a pier in Honolulu to take me para-sailing that my mind all changed! Talk about a ride! Para-sailing is one of the coolest things I have ever done! You have the option of going up a single rider, double rider, or a triple rider. I went up with my sister and got to enjoy the beauty of the Island from 1000 feet up in the air, cruising over the ocean. It was remarkable. My friends went up as triple riders and got the same treatment! It was such an interesting experience that is quite hard to explain. Imagine being in a wind tunnel and having your hair blow wild and not being able to hear your self speak. It was NOTHING like this scenario I just described. Instead of what I had imagined of crazy wind blowing in my face, it was actually very peaceful high up in the air! The air was very still and calm way up there. It completely shocked me but I enjoyed it! You could easily carry on a complete conversation up there as if you were in a solitary room. It blew my mind!

The group before our ascent!

Me loving my cute sister, Jordan for surprising me!

The crew that took us up!

One thing you will learn about me it that I am a risk taker. I love the thrill and adrenaline I get from taking risks. It must have been something I developed growing up with the Nitro Circus Crew. Although it was a huge risk, my sister took up her waterproof camera with us to get another perspective of our ride and capture the full experience. It was a well-worth it risk based off the incredible footage we got! Taking risks almost always pays off. In the words of Hilary Duff, "Why not take a crazy chance?" As corny as these lyrics are, they are so relevant and we should all take them into account. What do we have to lose? Nothing. Only everything to gain. Why sit back on the sidelines when we could be playing the game? You got to get yourself out there and try new things that may or may not scare you. It will pay off regardless of the circumstances.

From 1000 feet up

Towards the end of your air time, the driver slows down the boat and dips your legs into the ocean. It was kind of scary at first but me and my sister were laughing the entire time and made the most of every second! The boat then speeds up and takes you back up. Me and my sister had such a great time up in the air busting jokes and laughing hysterically! We didn't care what anyone thought of us while we were up there acting like goofs and looking like complete idiots! It doesn't get much better than this. Really. We went at the perfect time when the ocean was pretty calm and the placement of the sun was impeccable. Seeing Diamond Head, the majestic mountain of Oahu, jetting out from the shoreline from 1000 feet up in the air was one for the books. It was such a sight! I will never forget the beauty that my eyes gazed upon.
I can't thank my sister enough for taking me to do this! We made memories that I will never forget. These were the best of times. My 19th birthday was the best ever! :)

Waterfall Hikes on da Aina

The beautiful island of Oahu has gorgeous waterfalls tucked away, just waiting for the visitors of the island to discover. These waterfalls are unlike any other. They are surrounded by lush, green tropical rain forest that literally looks as if you stepped foot into the Amazon. It is absolutely incredible. Some trees have sweet fruit that fall from their limps called guava. I can't promise the fruit is safe to ingest, but it certainly smells fantastic when you step on it. Tip to all hikers considering these hikes: WEAR BUG SPRAY.
52 mosquito bites later... lets just say I found out the hard way. Those little scoundrels love my blood obviously. After a year of living on the island, I fortunately became immune to these bugs and they began to leave me alone.
Three of my absolute favorite waterfall hikes on the North Shore of Oahu consist of Sacred Falls, Maunawili Falls, and the Pali Jump. These waterfalls are absolutely majestic. The falls are generally around 30-45 feet cascades and the water is quite chilly.
Maunawili Falls is one of my absolute favorite hikes on the island. You have to park in a neighborhood nearby and then walk to the trail head to begin the hike. Once you make your way to falls, many daring adventurers, like myself, will hike up to the 50 ft. jump! I can only say I accomplished a hike after cliff-jumping into the water. If you enjoy spicing up your life with adrenaline and thrill, I definitely advise you to jump. There is a rope located on the side of the falls to help you climb up. Once you gather the courage to propel yourself off the 50 ft. cliff, you are permitted to let out a scream or a profanity to release your fear. You can't help but feel a sense of fulfillment after taking the leap.

Here is a pic of our crew at the trail head of Maunawilis

After hiking the falls a few times, we started to get creative and went at night time with glow sticks to jump off the falls. We threw a bunch of glow sticks in the water and you could see them lit up at the bottom. It looked so sweet as it lit up the water! It was a lot more exhilarating not knowing what was beneath you when you jumped off. We were crazy. What can I say?


Second of my favorite waterfalls is Sacred Falls located just off the Kamehameha Highway near Hauula. Unfortunately, if you want to hike to Sacred Falls, you must trespass and do it illegally just as I did. The state park is closed off due to many deaths from rock slides. If you are a risk taker and a rule breaker, this hike is perfect for you! At Sacred Falls, the visible cascade is around 80 ft. The falling water is breathtaking and pours into a little wading pool that is very beautiful. The water has an orange hew to it due to the carbon in the water. When at Sacred Falls, it is necessary to take a little dip. If you are going to hike all the way up, it is definitely worth it to take a swim and become one with nature. If you don't, it is your loss.

Don't judge me for wearing my Twilight attire.

Last but definitely not least of my featured list of falls, is the Pali Jump! This hike is very short. It only takes a max of 5 minutes to get to it and it is absolutely incredible. It feels as if you are in a different world when you arrive at this marvelous place. These falls are around 45 ft. and have a rope swing at the bottom into a large wading pool. One of the many times I went, we made a day trip out of it and had a nice BBQ at the bottom. We stayed there for hours playing in the water, jumping off the cliff, and swinging on the rope swing. My friend brought his "Floatopia", which is a blow up little island, and we could float out to the middle of the falls and take in the beautiful place. Just like Maunawilis, Pali Jump is even more exhilarating at night. Although you don't get to see the gorgeous landscape, the thrill of jumping off at night is so worth it. 

Here is a group of us at the Pali Jump at night time!

It is a sin not to take advantage of these beautiful waterfalls when visiting the island of Oahu. Each has its own uniqueness to offer and is absolutely stunning. You won't regret visiting these hot spots and I promise you will make memories there that will never be forgotten.

Adrenaline Junkies

For all of those out there that love extreme sports and hitting that desired "adrenaline high", Hawaii has just the thing for you. Skydive Hawaii offers a variety of jumps from 12,000 ft. out of a passenger plane for just $125 for students! Skydiving in Hawaii is unlike any experience you can get anywhere else. It is the most exhilarating experience you can manage without killing yourself. I loved my first experience so much that I had no choice but to go again! My first experience consisted of non-stop butterflies, blood curdling screams, and fear of the unknown. The feeling of watching your friend jump out of an airplane right before you is literally indescribable. Words cannot truly express the different emotions that the human body experiences after witnessing that and realizing that you are next to free fall 12,000 ft. to your potential death.

Each jumper is given an experienced skydiving tandem partner who is attached to them the entire fall. This tandem partner has the responsibility of packing the jumper's shoot, jumping out of the airplane, and returning safely to the ground unscathed. I fortunately got the raddest tandem partner I could ever ask for. His name was Kevin, he had a mohawk, a handle bar mustache, and my photographer had tattoos all up his arms along with the words "FREEFALL" across his knuckles. They both made me feel like a complete baddass jumping out of that airplane with them. Kevin made me feel safe and under control the entire jump. He asked me, "So Shauntel, do you want to front flip out of the airplane?" Me being the daredevil I am accepted his invitation and that is exactly what we did. As we made our ascent, I was literally trippin. I kept screaming over the loud engine roar, "I'm freaking out!" and everyone would just laugh and encourage me! Once the plane leveled out at 12,000 ft. my stomach completely sank as the plane door swung open to the open air. I was to jump second right after my beautiful friend Taylor Pendleton. She approached the gateway to death with such confidence that I began to overcome my fear, then she tucked her body and was flung out of the plane like a rock dropped from a skyscraper. Next, it was my turn. Kevin and I tucked into position, leaned forward and did 6 front flips into the open air. Then he tapped my shoulder and we both popped out with arms extended into the skydiver position! I snapped a few pics with my photographer free-falling nearby, and then after about 63 seconds of freefall, Kevin pulled the shoot and we were gliding through the air like soaring eagles over the gorgeous North Coast of the island of Oahu. It was breathtaking. MAGNIFICENT. We glided and did a few spins through the air as I saw all of my friends around me doing the same thing in the direction of our landing pad. We safely landed on the firm ground and I had the biggest smile on my face that no one could take away from me. I felt so accomplished to have jumped out of an airplane and I stood there shocked in disbelief. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

If you ever get the urge to jump out of an airplane, or get the courage to cross off a bucket list item, then visit Oahu and go to Skydive Hawaii. You will never look back on your life and say, "Oh man, I wish I never went skydiving." NEVER. It is the most incredible feeling being completely vulnerable and free falling through the beautiful humid air, pressing up against your skin. I'm going to steal Nike's slogan on this one: JUST DO IT. 

The crew before the jump

The crew after the jump

Super Saturday Adventures

From my last post, I posted a video that consisted of what us Seasiders call Super Saturday Adventures! These fun adventures all took place on the North Shore of the island and if you aren't familiar with the area, you may be curious as to where we are and what we were doing! I am going to give a brief explanation of all of our extraordinary events in the order they appear in my video.

Hike to Sacred Falls
Jumping off the falls and swimming in the pond
Bike ride to Sunset Beach which was 9 miles away from BYU-Hawaii Campus
Hitch hiking in the back of strangers pick ups
Swimming to hike China Man's hat
Hiking China Man's hat
Playing on the beach at China Man's
Driving past Waimea Beach
On the beach in Wainae
At Sunset Beach
Ending with the our treacherous hike called Crouching Lion

All of these things are just a few of the many adventures that the island of Oahu has in store.

China Man's hat is a very peculiar little island just a mile off of shore that looks like the hat of a China Man. If you go out to the island at low tide, it is unnecessary to swim, but if you go at any other time, you may have to tread water to get there. Also, it is said that the area between shore and China Man's is Hammerhead Shark Breeding grounds. Who knows if that is true or not. When I went with this lovely group of friends, we headed back a little too late and almost got swept away in a rip tide. SCARY. Tip to any ocean goers. BE CAREFUL. The ocean is very unpredictable and can change in a matter of minutes. Research certain areas of the ocean before going to make sure you are safe. About a year ago, two marines that were hiking to China Man's drowned and died because they were unprepared. If you are not careful and do not take proper precautions, the ocean will literally sweep you up. If you are careful and go knowing what to expect, you will have a very enjoyable and memorable experience.

God's great creations. Photo Credit: Jordan Forte

Swimming out to the hat

My beautiful friend, Samantha Wright, in front of the hat.

On the top of China Man's hat with the lovely Samantha Gull

Backside of China Man's hat with my girls

As winter approaches..

Now entering the month of November in the desolate wasteland of Provo, Utah, us Utahns beginning to dread the upcoming snowfall and wish for sunshine instead. Since most of us poor college students cannot afford a plane ticket to the beautiful islands of Hawaii, I will provide a "mini" getaway right here on my blog. Missing this gorgeous place is an understatement for me. I am longing for the gorgeous Aina and I cannot wait for my visit in April.

In Hawaii there is so much to do. The adventures are endless truly. My great friend, Alta Roberts, made this incredible video of our adventures on the North Shore just a short 6 months ago. Take a look. You wont regret it. Click on the button below.

beach cruisin'

Along the North Shore there are countless beautiful beaches that are just waiting for you to discover them. They are by far the prettiest beaches in the Pacific and the surf is unbeatable. Just to name a few, we have Waimea, Rockies, Keiki's, Sunset, Pipeline, Hukilau, Temple Beach, and Pounders. These beaches are all special for their different features. Waimea is in a stunning bay that has a rock jutting out from it that people jump off of for a thrill! People sometimes even jump off butt-naked at night time, preferably on a full moon. I speak from experience. Its awesome. Must do.

Waimea Sunset Jump
Photo credit: Jordan Forte

 Rockies has a secret volleyball net that is accessible to groups of locals that want to play. Several surf competitions are held at these beaches during the months of December through February while the waves are roarin'! "Get pitted!" During these winter months the waves can get from double-overhead to 25 feet high. It is unlike anything you have ever seen!

Vans World Cup at Sunset Beach with my cute sister Jordan

During these winter months, surf competitions are often put before school. Some rad professors at BYU-Hawaii may even cancel class for their students to attend these outrageous events. Surfers from all around the world congregate on the North Shore of Oahu to surf the massive breakage that these swells provide.

Billabong Pipe Masters at Pipeline Professional Surfer CrossingIf you get lucky, you may even be as fortunate as me and my sister and be able to meet these famous surfers.  At the Pipeline Competition, I was able to meet Rob Machado who I happen to be in love with. He has the sickest hair you will ever gaze your eyes upon and he carries himself like a badass. 

Even the very best, Kelly Slater, World Surfing Champion, came to the North Shore of Oahu to compete against the most talented surfers in the world. He was absolutely incredible. It has been said that these waves carry an immense amount of energy and are so large that the impact of the wave crashing on you could kill you instantly. 

Kelly Slater, World Champion Surfer
photo credit: Jordan Forte

Rob Machado pulling a  'Marley' pose at the Triple Crown.
photo credit: Jordan Forte

Joel Parkinson going through the barrel
photo credit: Jordan Forte

If you get the opportunity to attend one of these surf competitions, be sure to take advantage of all the free things they hand out from their sponsors. Just from 2 surf competitions, I got 4 hats, along with 12 Rockstars, an umbrella, clinch sac backpack, stickers, a beach umbrella, and a lanyard for FREE. Worth it? I think so.