Full day tours up the Na Pali, such as the one we were on start at some hideous time of morning. . .no later than 7:15am for the fastest of the boats. If coming from anyplace on the north shore, you'd be best off taking something from up there so you don't have to get up at "o'dark thirty" to drive the hour to Eleele. We opted to take the zodiac style boat (18 people max) rather than the larger catamarans (over 30 people). This was an interesting choice as it turns out. After the crew impressed upon us that this was not for the frail, weak, or weary, we were on our way. The ropes outboard, inboard, and on the floor make up what could be called a seatbelt. Grab outboard with one hand, inboard with the other, and hook a foot under the one on the floor. Starting to feel the excitement already, eh?
We had a leisurely ride up the coast and went into a couple of sea caves that have been carved out over a few centuries. The high point was coming out the the open-air cave (used in Popeye the movie for the octopus fight) and seeing one of the catamarans sitting out a touch, unable to get any closer due to their size. We whooped and hollered at them. They were jealous. After going most of the way up the coast, we started to head back with a stop made at a beach for lunch and some snorkeling. Water was a crystal clear blue. Amazing to say the least.
Now comes the part that makes this vehicle *ahem* "interesting"--the ride back. Once we went around the corner from the west side to the south side the seas changed drastically. The remainder of the ride back was rather *ahem* "exhilarating". It was bouncy, choppy, and being in a zodiac, you got to feel every wave, swell, and bump. We stopped a couple of times for people to relax their hands from gripping the ropes. For what it's worth, they did provide gloves.
The crew was awesome. Kalani and Jason were remarkably cool. They took very good care of us the whole way.
If you're an adventure seeker, the zodiac could very well be your cup of tea. I will probably opt for a catamaran next time. I've can say I've already had my experience on the zodiac. Regardless of your travel method, the Na Pali coast is a must see area. It's absolutely remarkable.