It is a shame for all involved that we had bad weather during your trip. You visited as Hurricane Dora was on the way to the islands. Due to the large bands of weather that precede a hurricane there are times when our reef may get silty and hard to see. There will be times waves will be breaking and winds will be strong. As a seasoned waterman, I know the difference between a quality day and a day that would be regrettable. Fighting against hard gusts makes it a little difficult to enjoy the reef below and the sea turtles tend to hunker down beneath the coral heads.
There are certainly other companies who will take you out on the water. I have watched kayaks flip and people struggle with other companies in the past. We are just not that kind of company. Greed will never be a motivator for my family. I find it vile and opportunistic when other companies do it to be quite frank. It is our core belief that if there is a better way to spend your day as opposed to being on the water on an unpleasant experience, we will cancel and reschedule. I promise you, this is for the good of your memories and the quality of your short time on our beautiful island, not the good of my business income or my personal happiness. It saddens me deeply whenever I cannot take guests out on a tour. I do this work because it is special to me. It is a passion for me and there is no place on the planet I would rather be than on a reef making new friends, teaching eager listeners and living vicariously through their smiles every day. It is never work, it is always a joy.
We strive extra hard because we think of every one of our guests as if it is the only chance in their lives that they will ever visit this island. I do hope that is not the case for you and your daughter. If you visit again be sure to reach out by phone. My wife will be happy to take your reservation and offer you a discount for the previous disappointment you experienced. It never helps to hear that we have let down a child, we can only find solace in knowing that she didn't have a bad memory of something she had high expectations for.
To any of our future guests please be sure to book your tour early in your vacation. Reach out early. As we specialize in understanding our weather conditions, we can help you choose the best day for your excursion with us. Also, If the weather turns sour, we offer an full refund and can advise you on other free and unique places to go to. This way you can still enjoy the 4 hours or so that you would have spent with our ohana. As opposed to feeling lost with no plan in place for the day. After living here for as long as we have, you will find we know a lot of great spots.
Again we are sad your daughter was let down. We can only send you our aloha and hope you return one day to join us on the reef.
Wishing you a blessed and joyful day.
- All of us at Gabriel's Ohana