This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Winter Wonderland.’ See more responses here.
We do get snow here on the Big Island, on the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, but there’s none up there right now. However, for those knee deep in snow, shrouded in freezing fog, or sliding on icy sidewalks, I thought these photos might seem like something of a winter wonderland.
Hapuna beach (officially Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area) regularly features on lists of the world’s best beaches. It’s a long stretch of golden sand across the head of a wide bay with fairly protected waters. Swimming is good, but when waves do roll in, surfers take over.
The top two photos show the view from the south end of the beach. In the second photo, the line of greenery jutting into the beach represents the edge of the State Recreation Area. North of there is Hapuna Resort, which is private, but the beach is still open to the public. The bottom photo shows the view from the north, looking south. The tracks in the sand are from vehicles used in beach maintenance or by the lifeguards who patrol the beach.
Graham's Island 
My kind of winter wonderland!!!
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Glad you liked it!
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Great shot’s, Graham 👏 Almost put my hands up to the screen to warm them up 😂
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Thanks. It was a lovely warm day to be at the beach.
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Ahh, warm sunny beaches in the winter are definitely a wonderland, Graham and a great interpretation of winter. We just landed here in Spokane, to a white, snowy wonderland.
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Glad you made it safely. I hope the drive went well. Have you been skiing yet????
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Thanks, Graham! I almost skied in the driveway this morning though 😅 🙃
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Oh my gosh, BEAUTIFUL! We have stayed at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel twice. Both times, amazing! 🌴🥥🌴🥥🌴
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It’s a Westin Hotel now, but still pretty awesome. I like walking through the lobby and taking in the view of the beach and ocean. They knew what they were doing when they designed that place!
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That’s what I call a wonderland- a beach practically to myself! Beautiful photos.
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Thanks. Hapuna is normally a very busy beach, but with so few visitors there’s acres of space. I’ve been trying to visit some of the places I would normally avoid, to enjoy the quiet beauty of those places.
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I like your winter wonderland Graham 🙂
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Thanks, Brian. I like it this way, although I did enjoy the snow when I lived in Washington State.
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I shouldn’t think there are many winter wonderland pictures that look like these!
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It’s not the usual take, I know, but snow is in short supply here right now!
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Beautiful! I remember Hapuna Beach from our first trip to Hawaii years ago and it remains one of my favorites. It’s exactly where I want to be when I’m tired of the cold weather in the Northwest!
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It is a beautiful beach and, with so few visitors currently, it’s almost deserted much of the time.
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