Category Archives: Photo Challenges

High surf

Surf crashes ashore on the North Kohala coast in Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Power of the Elements.’ See more responses here.

For the past couple of weeks or more, we’ve had a series of sizable WNW swells reaching the Big Island. What this has meant is lousy snorkeling conditions on the west side of the island and a surge in calling in sick to work amongst surfers.

The photos below show surf from one of these swells crashing ashore along the North Kohala coast. The first of these photos was taken from the parking lot of one of the parks there. In the bottom corner of this area is a metal boat hoist and concrete barriers blocking access to the corner of the lot, where it’s no longer safe to park. When big swells wash over the lot, these big concrete barriers get pushed around, such is the power or the surf.

The top photo is from a previous event of this kind several years ago, which dwarfed the recent swells. This particular swell not only washed over the entire parking lot, but also engulfed the boat hoist, swallowing it from sight. As the water receded, two portable toilets in a recess near the top of the lot, started sliding down the lot towards the water. Luckily, some people watching from nearby were able to corral them before they fell over or were washed into the bay. The boat hoist wasn’t as fortunate. After the waves subsided, it was discovered that these powerful waves had twisted the metal frame of the hoist, rendering it unsafe for use. It was several months before repairs made it usable again.

Some Hawaii wildlife

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Wildlife.’ See more responses here. I thought I’d go with a couple of photos from the air, on land, and in the ocean.

First up, a couple of native Hawaiian birds, a palila above and a pueo below.

Next, a group of goats blocking a trail in South Kona, above, and a wild pig snaffles a mango and runs off with its prize, below.

A wild pig runs off with a mango in Hawaii

Spinner dolphins in the waters off Hawaii

Finally, a pod of spinner dolphins that I encountered in the wild while snorkeling. This scene was made more poignant for me by having recently seen dolphins in a small pool doing their thing for tourists at one of the resorts here. I couldn’t bring myself to take a photo of that.

It’s bright, it’s white, it’s Sunday Stills

The turbines of Hawi wind farm with Mauna Kea in the background

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘White.’ See more responses here.

In the top photo, frothy surf barrels ashore at Upolu in North Kohala. Below that, a cattle egret surveys the scene in the middle of a water fountain. The third photo shows turbines at Hawi Wind Farm against a backdrop of snowy Mauna Kea. And the bottom photo features a bee collecting on a Maiapilo flower.

The future’s so bright

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Future.’ See more responses here. While I rummaged around for ideas, the song ‘The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades’ by Timbuk 3 played in my head (link). So I thought I might as well go with that.

I had planned on featuring an array of sunglasses I have, but then I forgot to take them with me when I went to take photos. Besides, I discovered I no longer have the pair of red ‘Deathwish’ sunglasses I found several years ago, so my heart wasn’t in that project.

Instead, here’s a very upbeat lion enjoying a day on the South Kohala coast.

A look back at 2021

A Hawaiian monk seal resting — January: Hiwahiwa, a male Hawaiian Monk Seal born in 2020, rests at Upolu. Haven’t seen any monk seals since this encounter. (Link)

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘2021 in Your Rear-View Mirror.’ See more responses here. I’ve gone with a favorite photo from each month of 2021, with a caption and link to the post the photo first appeared in.

Wainanali’i lagoon at Kiholo, Hawaii at Kiholo, Hawaii — February: I love hiking at Kiholo Bay. There’s plenty to see and shady spots to rest awhile. (Link)

Spinner dolphins in the waters off the Big Island, Hawaii — March: Swimming with dolphins! Need I say more. (Link)

An I'iwi calls in a forest off Saddle Road, Hawaii — April: Another favorite hike, on Pu’u O’o Trail off Saddle Road, and an endemic I’iwi singing its heart out. (Link)

Close up of a coastal manta ray approaching — May: This inquisitive Manta Ray kept returning, probably wondering how something so clumsy-looking could survive in the water. (Link)

A Roseate Skimmer Dragonfly perched on a twig — June: I like seeing little creatures, such as this Roseate Skimmer Dragonfly, and I’m thrilled when the photos turn out. (Link)

Three palm trees in Hawaii — July: I like palm trees and word play so this was too tempting to pass up for Becky’s Tree Squares. (Link)

A school of mackerel scads, or Opelus being hunted by a rainbow runner off Hawaii — August: An instant in the water – a school of Mackeral Scads chased by a Rainbow Runner. They went by in a matter of seconds. (Link)

Red-masked parakeets at Kohanaiki Beach Park. — September: These Red-Masked Parakeets are not native, but they’re oh so tropical. (Link)

Early morning lights at the port of Kawaihae, Hawaii — October: When I have time, on my way to work, I stop at Kawaihae. I might see anything from a glorious sunrise, to a tiny crab on the beach, to these port lights. (Link)

The lava cone and lake at Kilauea Volcano in late 2021 — November: Kilauea erupted again so I had to go look. The eruption is still going, but a little erratically these days. (Link)

A Green turtle, with a slender remora on its shell, checks out the photographer — December: A recent encounter and maybe my favorite Hawaiian Green Turtle photo. (Link)

Christmas lights

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Light the Night.’ See more responses here.

A lot of people, myself included, don’t bother with lights here, but there are always some displays. Here’s one I quite like.

Abstracts: Wheel

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Metallic.’ See more responses here.

I’m not much of a car person. I like vehicles that are comfortable and reasonable to run. But mostly I look for reliability. But I know many people are really into cars.

Here on the island, we have lifted and lowered vehicles, cars with spoilers and go-faster stripes and other strange accessories. Tricked-out Honda Civics seem to be popular, but at the end of the day they’re still Civics, not Ferraris.

Wheels are popular spots for expression. I still think of hubcaps as round bits of shiny metal covering the wheel nuts, but those days are long gone. Hubcaps, or whatever they’re called these days, can be anything. The wheel in the photo had a jazzy, offset spiral thing going on. The irony is that many of these shiny, metallic pieces of auto art are not metal at all, but plastic wannabes.

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii