Author Archives: Graham

About Graham

I take photos when I'm out and about, recording life on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Railway remains

Remains of the old sugar port at Mahukona, Hawaii

Mahukona was the terminus for the railway which served the sugar plantations of North Kohala from the 1880s until its closure in 1945. There was no proper dock at Mahukona, so ships anchored offshore and the sugar was boated out to them.

There are quite a few relics from that time at Mahukona, including a terminus building. The area in this photo was likely a place where railway engine and equipment maintenance took place.

For more information about the Kohala sugar railroad, go to https://coffeetimes.com/blogs/history-culture/sugar-and-steam-in-kohala

The Eddie

A surfer catches a wave at Keokea Beach Park, Hawaii

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, commonly known as “The Eddie,” is scheduled to be held today. This big wave surfing event, at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, only takes place when open-ocean swells reach a minimum height of 20 feet. Such swells result in wave faces of 30 to 40 feet in the bay. Because of this requirement, this event will be only the eleventh to go during the 40-year history of the tournament.

The tournament is invitation-only with 45 competitors lined up this year. If you’re interested in seeing the activities, the contest will be streamed on ripcurl.com or rogue.tv, starting around 8:00 am local time.

For more information about the event, go to https://www.theeddieaikau.com/ or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eddie.

The photo was taken from Keokea Beach Park, and features much, much smaller waves!

Blackspot Sergeant

The Blackspot Sergeant is a solitary damselfish which lives near the surface in shallow waters. They’re fairly common around here, but quite shy, so tricky to photograph. Coloration can vary, but the black spot above the base of the tail is ever present, hence the name.

Wandering Tattler

I saw this Wandering Tattler on the rocks at Upolu. It was a very windy day and the bird was not keen to move, so I hunkered down and got ready to photograph it when it finally took flight. As might be expected, the bird did not cooperate, and it wasn’t until I moved that it took to the air and disappeared downwind.

View of Maui from Lapakahi

Lapakahi State Historical Park features the remains of an old Hawaiian fishing village. It also has great views of Maui when the weather cooperates.

Solanum linnaeanum

Solanum linnaeanum, sometimes called the devil’s apple, hails from Africa and is an invasive weed in Hawaii. The flowers are colorful, but the plant is studded with thorns and is poisonous.

The Numbers Game #52

A windsurfer cruises in the bay at Kawaihae.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 173. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

House construction at Hapuna Estates on the Big Island, Hawaii — Building houses in Hapuna Resort, with a good view of Maui.

A glass of gin and tonic — Building houses in Hapuna Resort, with a good view of Maui.

Lava oozes on my first visit to Hawaii in 2010.

A toy watering can left on a beach in Hawaii — Lava oozes on my first visit to Hawaii in 2010.

A’ama Crab molt

I spotted this A’ama Crab molt on a rock when I was about to get in the water. The molts are so complete they look like live crabs. The blank eyes are the giveaway. This one was notable for its color. As the molts sit in the sun, they turn an orange-red, so this one was likely very recent.

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii